When not telling everyone who hasn't started yet to watch Breaking Bad (which I should have done an 'in praise of' of, but couldn't be bothered)- I have watched a lot of Eureka's masters of cinema series, which I have admitted admiration for before. For whatever reason, they have a lot of movies by Shohei Imamura. What do I like most about his movies? subtle, bizarre depictions of life, particularly Japanese life, and a respect for animals which is rarely matched by other auters. Here are the ones I've watched, with my patented, 'plot-in-a-sentence' feature which I am so revered for, and which I probably stole from someone anyway. Here they are in the order I saw 'em.
Plot In One Sentence: In this inane 9/11 compilation, Imamura's sequence features a guy who is back from the Second World War, he thinks he is a snake.
Thoughts: Oh, god I hated this movie. A bunch of different directors from around the world each make an 9minute, 11 second movie about the 9/11 attacks. The best was the first, which followed an Afghani classroom for a bit, but most of the rest were either terrible, saccharine (watching a deaf couple arguing in New York should be enough to make you want to wipe out humanity), or a terrible combination of the two. Sean Penn's piece of shit was the worst of all though. Why did I even watch this? It was probably through school or something, but man, I hated it. Imamura's segment, only obliquely related to the horrors of 9/11 through... war, I guess, at least had the good grace to be interesting. Terrible when I saw it, and it can only have gotten worse as time goes on.
Plot In One Sentence: We follow the brutal, often violent lives of the members of a remote village, who must abide by strict laws to survive until they ascend to the top of Narayama hill when they turn 70.
Thoughts: A pretty straight-forward parable about how we treat the elderly, and an interesting depiction of a remote village struggling with starvation enough to impose bizarre laws. For example, everyone has to be taken away to starve at age 70, no matter how useful they are; only the first born gets to have kids, leading to a second born frustration being taken out on various objects. However, this is a beautifully shot, compelling piece of work. According to liner notes, the cast mainly lived as depicted, and the old lady actually had her four teeth removed so that she could portray a toothless woman after (in a very painful scene), wonderful use of animals too, particularly of snakes, which are depicted as the gods of the households and are vitally important.
Plot In One Sentence: On an Okinawan island, a modern day engineer is captivated by the beauty and laid-back lifestyle offered by the island.
Thoughts: I've already mentioned this before, here, and I stand by those sentiments. I'd also like to add how alluring the island itself looks, and though the movie is olverlong and dreamy, that still doesn't mean you'll be sad to leave. Also, more good footage of animals, sea snakes, octopuses and whatnot.
Plot In One Sentence: A ratty, irritating wannabe-gangster refuses to commit to a nice girlfriend and focuses instead on his pig racket in a coastal Japanese town with a US naval base.
Thoughts: An interesting character piece set in the fallout of the Second World War, with yet another largely negative depiction of Koreans and particularly Americans. The pigs themselves serve an obvious analogous importance, as they are fed American leftovers and remain better nourished than the Japanese themselves. At the heart of the movie though, is the nice, attractive women in love with the immature idiot, showing Judd Attapow how it's done 50 years before he bored audiences to death. (seriously, Funny People makes me want to murder people, and anyone who thinks he is a comic genius while propelling seth Rogen to stardom deserves nothing but resentment.) Either way, more interesting and fast paced than I had hoped, and certainly moreso than I have made it seem so far.
Plot In One Sentence: A wife pays a woman to spy on her husband as they go on a seemingly romantic adventure together, also there is singing.
Thoughts: This was a bonus feature on the DVD of 'The Insect Woman' which I still haven't gotten around to watching. This is a pretty slight piece, with some romance stereotypes, and is bookended by the singer of 'Nishi Ginza Station' - so it's essentially an extended music video. Weird, but with a very attractive female character, let's just I'd say that I'd certainly be tempted. Also interested is that now Nisha Ginza Station is home to the world's best sushi restaurant, which is something (n.b. I just looked that up and it's untrue). Either way, not essential.
Plot In One Sentence: A man is re-released from prison after killing his wife and opens a barber shop, where he must deal with gangsters, care for his eel, and hide his past from a woman who falls in love with him.
Thoughts: Weird, and pretty sexy, and a good turn from the near ubiquitous Koji Yakusho. It is largely set in a weird bit of Japan which looks totally unalluring. Character development is only hinted at, and even though I saw it last year, I had to look up the ending as I had forgotten it. The importance of the eel is only hinted at too, which makes it even more bizarre. Possibly worth a second look.
Plot In One Sentence: We follow a recreation of a famous con-man who murders and cheats his way through Japan, and also deal with his family, whose Catholic beliefs complicate things further.
Thoughts: A Pretty good serial killer movie, and a good look at the conflict of being a Christian in Japan. Based on a true story, it skimps a little when looking at his motiviations (although the title is from a Christian proverb, and suggests a religious motivation for it). but is a well shot and compelling story nonetheless. On a sidenote, his wife, attracted to her husbands father (don't ask) looks good throughout, particulalry in the spa scene, which may just be the pinnacle of how boobs should look. Worth seeing for that alone.
So there you have it, there are others to see, such as 'Stolen Desires,' 'A Man Vanishes' and 'The Insect Woman,' but I guess we'll get round to that in time. Hope everyone had a good one,
Pascal.
1. 11'9'01 September 11 [2002] - segment 'Japan'
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| Surrender: the coward's victory. [source] |
Thoughts: Oh, god I hated this movie. A bunch of different directors from around the world each make an 9minute, 11 second movie about the 9/11 attacks. The best was the first, which followed an Afghani classroom for a bit, but most of the rest were either terrible, saccharine (watching a deaf couple arguing in New York should be enough to make you want to wipe out humanity), or a terrible combination of the two. Sean Penn's piece of shit was the worst of all though. Why did I even watch this? It was probably through school or something, but man, I hated it. Imamura's segment, only obliquely related to the horrors of 9/11 through... war, I guess, at least had the good grace to be interesting. Terrible when I saw it, and it can only have gotten worse as time goes on.
2. Ballad Of Narayama [1983]
 |
| Image from the movie. Cool. [source] |
Plot In One Sentence: We follow the brutal, often violent lives of the members of a remote village, who must abide by strict laws to survive until they ascend to the top of Narayama hill when they turn 70.
Thoughts: A pretty straight-forward parable about how we treat the elderly, and an interesting depiction of a remote village struggling with starvation enough to impose bizarre laws. For example, everyone has to be taken away to starve at age 70, no matter how useful they are; only the first born gets to have kids, leading to a second born frustration being taken out on various objects. However, this is a beautifully shot, compelling piece of work. According to liner notes, the cast mainly lived as depicted, and the old lady actually had her four teeth removed so that she could portray a toothless woman after (in a very painful scene), wonderful use of animals too, particularly of snakes, which are depicted as the gods of the households and are vitally important.
3. Profound desires of the Gods [1968]
 |
| 'All aboard the symbolic-of-progress-at-the-expense-of-the-environment train!' [source] |
Thoughts: I've already mentioned this before, here, and I stand by those sentiments. I'd also like to add how alluring the island itself looks, and though the movie is olverlong and dreamy, that still doesn't mean you'll be sad to leave. Also, more good footage of animals, sea snakes, octopuses and whatnot.
4. Pigs & Battleships [1961]
 |
| A pretty shite-y movie poster, but there aren't many others out there.[source] |
Thoughts: An interesting character piece set in the fallout of the Second World War, with yet another largely negative depiction of Koreans and particularly Americans. The pigs themselves serve an obvious analogous importance, as they are fed American leftovers and remain better nourished than the Japanese themselves. At the heart of the movie though, is the nice, attractive women in love with the immature idiot, showing Judd Attapow how it's done 50 years before he bored audiences to death. (seriously, Funny People makes me want to murder people, and anyone who thinks he is a comic genius while propelling seth Rogen to stardom deserves nothing but resentment.) Either way, more interesting and fast paced than I had hoped, and certainly moreso than I have made it seem so far.
5. Nishi Ginza Station [1958]
 |
| This looks like the cover of a parody album [source] |
Thoughts: This was a bonus feature on the DVD of 'The Insect Woman' which I still haven't gotten around to watching. This is a pretty slight piece, with some romance stereotypes, and is bookended by the singer of 'Nishi Ginza Station' - so it's essentially an extended music video. Weird, but with a very attractive female character, let's just I'd say that I'd certainly be tempted. Also interested is that now Nisha Ginza Station is home to the world's best sushi restaurant, which is something (n.b. I just looked that up and it's untrue). Either way, not essential.
6. The Eel [1997]
 |
| A vibrant, subtle and yet still suggestive movie poster. [source] |
Thoughts: Weird, and pretty sexy, and a good turn from the near ubiquitous Koji Yakusho. It is largely set in a weird bit of Japan which looks totally unalluring. Character development is only hinted at, and even though I saw it last year, I had to look up the ending as I had forgotten it. The importance of the eel is only hinted at too, which makes it even more bizarre. Possibly worth a second look.
7. Vengeance Is Mine [1979]
 |
| Naked dead chicks, a smug looking dick in a tux, do I smell another bullingdon reunion? [source] |
Thoughts: A Pretty good serial killer movie, and a good look at the conflict of being a Christian in Japan. Based on a true story, it skimps a little when looking at his motiviations (although the title is from a Christian proverb, and suggests a religious motivation for it). but is a well shot and compelling story nonetheless. On a sidenote, his wife, attracted to her husbands father (don't ask) looks good throughout, particulalry in the spa scene, which may just be the pinnacle of how boobs should look. Worth seeing for that alone.
So there you have it, there are others to see, such as 'Stolen Desires,' 'A Man Vanishes' and 'The Insect Woman,' but I guess we'll get round to that in time. Hope everyone had a good one,
Pascal.
![[source]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pigs_and_Battleships_1961.jpg){kind=link}
![[source]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vengeance_is_Mine_1979.jpg){kind=link}
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