Mount Head (2002)

A sad rakugo of a stingy old man experiencing the unforeseen consequences of eating a few cherries whole, without throwing the pits away.

Director:

Koji Yamamura

Writer:

Shôji Yonemura (screenplay)

Stars:

Takeharu Kunimoto, Bruno Metzger

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Takeharu Kunimoto	...	Narrator (voice)
Bruno Metzger	...	(voice)

Storyline

Accompanied by a shamisen, a masterful storyteller verses his lyric and sad rakugo (a traditional form of Japanese verbal entertainment) of a stingy old man living in a squalid tiny apartment in Tokyo, who after scavenging a few cherries from the pavement, he eats them whole for fear of wasting the pits. Before long, a minuscule cherry tree sprouts unexpectedly atop his bulging head, and when all efforts to get rid of it are proven futile, he allows it to grow into a magnificent tree where people gather for hanami under its cherry blossoms. And then, when the hordes of men start being annoying, the desperate man takes a decision that will follow him for the rest of his life.

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Plot Keywords:

cherry blossom | pit | old man | scavenger | tree | 

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Fantasy | Short

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Quotes

Narrator: Finally, the man threw himself into his head pond.
Narrator: and he died.

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Connections

Featured in The 75th Annual Academy Awards (2003)

User Reviews

Stunningly Beautiful

I freely admit that I don't think I truly grasp it quite yet, but that does not prevent me from absolutely loving this piece. Contrary to some previous reviews, I absolutely love the sound effects. I thought the audio pitch when it switches to POV shots really envelope the viewer into the picture, particularly noting the cherry eating scene. The animation is stylistically rough, avoiding solid fills, but complements it's rough construction with soft pastel-like strokes. The deep earthy palette reinforces the connection between the man and nature. Don't expect a conventional animated piece (I.E. vibrant colors, hard edges, and a conspicuous theme). I absolutely loved it and would highly recommend it to any animation buffs or lovers of the unconventional film.

Details

Official Sites:

Yamamura Animation

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

January 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mt. Head

Company Credits

Production Co:

Yamamura Animation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

10 min 9 min (Ontario) 10 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1