Directed by Herbert Ross and written and starring Woody Allen which is based on his own play, Play It Again, Sam is the story of a recently-divorced man who is urged by his friends to start dating again as he gets advice from the ghost of Humphrey Bogart. The film is an unusual romantic comedy where a man tries to find love in this strange mixture of fantasy and reality. Also starring Diane Keaton and Tony Roberts. Play It Again, Sam is a witty and delightful film from Herbert Ross.
The film follows a film critic whose wife had just left him as he reluctantly returns to the dating scene by his friends where he finds himself lost as he seeks the advice from the ghost of Humphrey Bogart. It’s a film with a simple story that mixes elements of fantasy as it’s largely set in a real world where this man has trouble wondering why his wife left him and how he’s unable to connect with other women with the exception of his friend Linda (Diane Keaton). Woody Allen’s screenplay explores the conundrum that Allan Felix (Woody Allen) is going through as he isn’t sure about trying to find a new live as Linda and her husband Dick Christie (Tony Roberts) do whatever they can as they try to set him up with other women as many of the results are disastrous. With the workaholic Dick often away, Felix and Linda bond where it is obvious where the script is going yet Allen plays that build very slowly as there is also a sense of conflict in Felix as it relates to Dick who is his best friend.
Herbert Ross’ direction is very straightforward as it is shot largely on location in San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area in California as it play into this culture of film and art. Ross does put in references to some of the films that Humphrey Bogart is in with Casablanca being the most notable as it is Allan’s favorite film. Much of the compositions in the wide and medium shots are simple where Ross knows where to place the actors in a frame as well as know where to put in the comedic moments and make it feel natural. Though there’s a few wide shots to establish some of the locations, Ross uses it to create a fantasy version of sorts of San Francisco as it kind of plays into this idea of what Allan is looking for once he finds who his soul mate is. The ending is a take on the ending of Casablanca but it has a nice twist to it as it play to everything Allan is looking for. Overall, Ross creates a whimsical yet exhilarating comedy about a divorced man trying to get back into the dating scene with the help of Humphrey Bogart’s ghost.
Cinematographer Owen Roizman does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on natural and colorful looks for the daytime interior/exterior scenes along with some artificial touches for scenes set at night. Editor Marion Rothman does nice work with the editing as it is mainly straightforward with some jump-cuts and a few montage-style cuts. Production designer Ed Wittstein and set decorator Doug von Koss do fantastic work with the look of Allan’s home as well as the country home of the Christies’ home. Costume designer Anna Hill Johnstone does terrific work with the costumes from the stylish clothes that Linda wears to the more casual look of the men. The sound work of David Dockendorf and Richard Reitschmann is superb as it is very straightforward that includes a very funny scene involving a record and the record player. The film’s music by Billy Goldenberg is wonderful as its mixture of jazz and classical music play into the comedy and some of the drama that occurs in the film.
The film’s marvelous cast include some notable small roles from Jennifer Salt as a woman Linda sets Allan up for a date that doesn’t go well, Joy Bang as a colleague of Dick that goes out with Allan that also bombs, Susanne Zenor as a girl dancing at a club Allan tries to flirt with, Viva as a woman the Christies that Allan introduces to as it doesn’t go well, Diana Davalia as a woman Allan meets in the museum with some very morbid comments, and Jerry Lacy in a terrific performance as the ghost of Humphrey Bogart. Susan Anspach is wonderful as Allan’s ex-wife Nancy who leaves Allan as she believes he isn’t exciting nor can satisfy her in every way as she is someone wanting adventure.
Tony Roberts is excellent as Dick Christie as a workaholic who is trying to help Allan but has a hard time trying to be with Linda due to the demands of his job. Diane Keaton is amazing as Linda Christie as a woman who is concerned for Allan as she tries to help him find a new love only to cope with her own feelings for him. Finally, there’s Woody Allen in a brilliant performance as Allan Felix as a neurotic film critic who is despondent over his divorce as he tries to move forward as it’s a very comical performance from Allen who tries to act and be cool but also do it in the most awkward and funniest of ways.
Play It Again, Sam is a remarkable film from Herbert Ross and writer Woody Allen. It’s a film that isn’t just a witty romantic comedy that plays upon the expectations of fantasy and wanting to live the fantasy but also deal with the realities of falling in love. In the end, Play It Again, Sam is an incredible film from Herbert Ross.
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Nicholas Stoller and screenplay by Stoller, Andrew Jay Cohen, Brendan O’Brien, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen from characters created by Cohen and O’Brien, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is the sequel to the 2014 film in which a couple tries to sell their home only to deal with a newly-formed sorority, who had moved next door, where they seek the help from an old nemesis. The film isn’t just a study of adulthood but also sexism as it showcases what sororities could and couldn’t do. Starring Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz, Carla Gallo, Kiersey Clemons, Beanie Feldstein, Selena Gomez, and Lisa Kudrow. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a witty yet wild film from Nicholas Stoller.
Set two years after the events of the first film, the film follows Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) who are expecting another child as they’re hoping to sell their house with their two-year old daughter Stella (Elise and Zoey Vargas) as they learn that a sorority has moved in next door which makes their attempts to sell the house very difficult. Even as they try to get rid of this sorority, they would get the help from their old nemesis Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron) who is going through an existential crisis where he helps form the sorority only to be kicked out because he’s kind of an adult. It’s a film that explores not just a couple wanting to go into the next step as parents and adults but also question their own worth as parents where they not only have another child coming but also dealing with people younger than them. For Teddy, he’s someone that isn’t sure what to do with his life as his friends are already moving on into adulthood as his attempts to be part of the fraternity/sorority lifestyle was really him just stuck until he decides to help Mac and Kelly who would kind of be a parent for him.
The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore adulthood and the fear of becoming an adult but it also explores sexism as it relates to this newly-formed sorority in Kappa Nu. Led by Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz), Kappa Nu’s mission is to have young women have fun and party while not giving into the pressure of being sexualized or treated as objects by men. Shelby, Beth (Kiersey Clemons), and Nora (Beanie Feldstein) would by the house that Teddy’s old fraternity used to live in as Teddy is shocked that sororities aren’t allowed to throw parties. While Mac and Kelly are sympathetic with Kappa Nu’s need to find their identity and independence, they do feel that the sorority has gone out of control as they do whatever to raise money for the rent and all sorts of shit. Even as Teddy tries to help Mac and Kelly in bringing them down once the feud escalates as it also shows how far these girls would go.
Nicholas Stoller’s direction is very straightforward where he doesn’t really try and do anything new except in showing what kind of hijinks women would do. Shot largely on location around Los Angeles and parts of Southern California, the film plays into the world of suburbia and college life where Mac and Kelly are eager to move into a new home and hopefully sell their home to a couple that is interested in buying it. Many of the compositions that Stoller create are straightforward as it also has some elements of style as it relates to the film’s tailgate party sequence and some of the themed-parties that Kappa Nu holds. Even as some of the parties prove to be very funny as well as other moments such as a little subplot in which one of Teddy’s old frat buddies reveal what he does for a living while there are also elements that will push the boundaries.
Notably a moment in which the girls would throw something at Mac and Teddy’s home that prove how disgusting women can be. Still, Stoller does find a way to balance the two storylines and multiple characters as well as provide a nice focus on the themes without the raunchy comedy overwhelming it. Especially as it play into the themes of growing pains in not just growing up to be a responsible adult but also trying to maintain that excitement of youth. Overall, Stoller creates a very funny and exciting comedy about a couple and a former fraternity president going to battle against a sorority.
Cinematographer Brandon Trost does excellent work with the cinematography as it is very straightforward for many of the scenes set in the day while it has a nice usage of neon lights for some of the parties at night. Editors Zene Baker, Peck Prior, and Michael A. Webber do fantastic work with the editing as it is stylized with some fast-cutting montages and other stylish cuts to play into the energy while not deviating too much to establish what is going on. Production designer Theresa Guleserian, with set decorator Ryan Watson and art directors Cate Bangs and Erika Toth, does brilliant work with the design of the homes of the Randers as well as Kappa Nu and the places they often go to. Costume designers Leesa Evans and Emily Gunshor does terrific work with the costumes from the casual clothes of the Randers as well as the more youthful and stylish clothes of Kappa Nu including a feminist-themed costume party.
Visual effects supervisor Mark LeDoux does some fine work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects for some key stunt scenes as well as a scene involving a major prank. Sound editor Michael Babcock does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the parties as well as some of the quieter moments in the film. The film’s music by Michael Andrews is wonderful as it’s very low-key in its mixture of jazz and electronics while much of the music soundtrack that is assembled by music supervisors Manish Raval and Tom Wolfe feature an array of music ranging from hip-hop, electronic dance music, and pop from acts such as Kanye West, the Beastie Boys, Eric Carmen, Joan Jett, and many others.
The casting by Francine Maisler is remarkable as it feature some appearances and notable small roles from Kelsey Grammer as Shelby’s father, Brian Husky as Mac and Jimmy’s boss, Billy Eichner as the real estate agent who gives the Kappa Nu girls their house, Liz Cackowski as the Randers’ real estate agent, Sam Richardson and Abbi Jacobson as the couple that is interested in buying the Randers’ home, Hannibal Burress as a local policeman teaching Garfield how to be a cop, John Early as Pete’s boyfriend Darren, Elise and Zoey Vargas as Mac and Kelly’s daughter Stella, and Lisa Kudrow in a very funny one-scene appearance as Dean Gladstone who tell the Randers that she can’t do anything about Kappa Nu due to their independent affiliation.
Other noteworthy small roles and appearances include Selena Gomez as Phi Lambda president Madison, Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in their respective roles as former Delta Psi Beta brothers Garfield and Scoonie, Carla Mamet and Nora “Awkwafina” Lum in their respective roles as Kappa Nu members Maranda and Christine, and Dave Franco as former Delta Psi Beta vice-president Pete who reveals to Teddy that he’s gay. Kiersay Clemons and Beanie Feldstein are fantastic in their respective roles as Beth and Nora as Kappa Nu co-founders trying to create a sorority where they can fit in with Feldstein as the funnier of the two girls. Ike Barinowitz and Carla Gallo are superb in their respective roles as Jimmy and Paula Faldt-Bevins as the Randers’ remarried friends who are also expecting a child as they try to help them deal with Kappa Nu.
Chloe Grace Moretz is excellent as Shelby as a college freshman who is frustrated by the rules set for sororities as she decides to make her own sorority with friends so she can smoke pot, party, and let the women have fun while dealing with the Randers. Zac Efron is brilliant as Teddy Sanders as a former fraternity president who is coping with growing pains as he is unsure what to do where he helps Kappa Nu be formed only to get kicked out as he turns to the Randers for help where Efron is just very funny as someone scared of being an adult. Finally, there’s Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne in amazing performances in their respective roles as Mac and Kelly Rander as the couple trying to sell their house with Rogen being the buffoon of sorts who helps Teddy in becoming an adult while Byrne is the straight-woman who would have some funny moments as she tries to do what is right for her daughter and growing family.
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a marvelous film from Nicholas Stoller. Featuring a great cast and a funny take on themes such as sexism, adulthood, and growing up, it’s a film that manages to provide enough laughs while being very smart in what it wants to say. In the end, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a sensational film from Nicholas Stoller.
Nicholas Stoller Films: Forgetting Sarah Marshall - (Get Him to the Greek) – (The Five-Year Engagement) – Neighbors (2014 film) - (Storks (2016 film))
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the play by Seika Mayama, The 47 Ronin is a two-part film about a samurai faction who go on a quest for vengeance for their slain master during the 18th Century. Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi and screenplay by Kenichiro Hara and Yoshikata Yoda, the film is an exploration of honor and devotion where 47 men cope with the loss of their leader and the need to avenge his death. Starring Daisuke Kato, Chojuro Kawarasaki, Kanemon Nakamura, Isamu Kosugi, Masao Shimizu, Utaemon Ichikawa, and Kunitaro Kawarasaki. The 47 Ronin is an engaging yet flawed film from Kenji Mizoguchi.
The film revolves a samurai clan who decided to go rogue after their master is forced to kill himself following an assassination attempt against another clan lord. It is based on a real-life incident where a group of men decide to avenge their master against the man he tried to kill as well as those who supported that lord. Told in two parts, the film follows the incident in which Asano Naganori (Yoshizaburo Arashi) tried to assassinate Lord Kira (Mantoyo Mimasu) over a grudge as Asano would receive punishment but Kira would receive no punishment. For the people working for Asano, they see this as unfair as Asano is forced to commit hara-kiri with his land and homes confiscated by other lords. The film’s script is divided in two parts with the first half focusing on the assassination and the planning to avenge Asano led by his retainer Oishi Kuranosuke (Chojuro Kawarasaki) while the second part is about an attempt on Lord Kira and the actual attack on Lord Kira and its aftermath. All of which takes place in a year yet it emphasizes more on drama rather than action.
Kejji Mizoguchi’s direction is entrancing at times as much of the film consists of some long takes where it has this theatrical tone to the drama. Much of the film features scenes with a lot of dialogue as well as scenes that feature no dialogue at all as some of these moments would drag the film immensely. The lack of action with the exception of a lone scene where one of Asano’s men tries to kill someone in a costume for a performance for Lord Kira is the only moment where there is any kind of action. Much of it is all about setting up the revenge but also discussions from all sorts from the men who served under Asano to even the women who were part of the house or wives of some of Asano’s men. Many of these scenes go for on for a long time as there’s moments where the scenes tend to overwhelm itself and be overdrawn including its ending. The sluggish is what hinders the film as Mizoguchi could’ve trimmed things down despite some of the beautiful compositions and camera movements he creates in the film. Overall, Mizoguchi creates a compelling but sluggish film about a group of men trying to avenge their master’s death.
Cinematographer Kohei Sugiyama does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography to the natural look of the exteriors as well as some unique lighting and shades for some of the interior scenes. Editor Takako Kuji does some fine work with the editing as it is straightforward despite some of the film’s very long scenes. Production designer Hiroshi Mizutani, with set decorators Dai Arakama, Atsuo Matsuoka, and Hisako Oozawa, does amazing work with the set design from the interiors of some of the homes of the clan lords as well as some of the exteriors of the castles and homes.
Costume designers Ryuzo Kawada and Yoshisaburo Okumara do excellent work with the design of the robes that the men and women wear including the costumes for the Noh theater scene. Sound mixer Seiichi Harada does terrific work with the sound to play into the quiet and calm atmosphere of some of the drama including the opening sequence where Asano tries to kill Lord Kira. The film’s music by Shiro Fukai is wonderful as it’s mainly a low-key orchestral score that play into the drama.
The film’s marvelous cast include some notable small roles and appearances from Mantoyo Mimasu as Lord Kira, Meiko Takamine as the fiancée of one of the ronin warriors, Mitsuko Miura as Lord Asano’s wife, Yoshizaburo Arashi as Lord Asano, Masao Shimizu as a member of Lord Asano’s clan, Daisuke Kato as a lieutenant of Asano, Kunitaro Kawarazaki as a young ronin warrior, and Kanemon Nakamura as a senior advisor of the Asano clan. Finally, there’s Chojuro Kawarazaki in a brilliant performance as Lord Asano’s retainer Oishi Kuranosuke as the man leading the plan for revenge as he is meticulously trying to see how can make sure nothing can go wrong.
The 47 Ronin is a stellar but immensely flawed film from Kenji Mizoguchi. It’s a film that explores a legendary story of revenge though it is hampered by its sluggish pacing where for a two-part film running at nearly four hours. It is a film that isn’t very easy to watch. In the end, The 47 Ronin is a good but challenging film.
Kenji Mizoguchi Films: (Tokyo March) - (The Water Magician) - (Aizo Toge) - (The Downfall of Ozen) - Osaka Elegy - (Sisters of the Gion) - (The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums) - (Utamaro and his Five Women) - (The Love of the Actress Sumako) - (Portrait of Madame Yuki) - (Miss Oyu) - (The Lady of Musashino) - The Life of Oharu - Ugetsu - (A Geisha) - Sansho the Bailiff - (The Woman in the Rumor) - The Crucified Lovers - (Princess Yang Kwei-Fei) - (Tales of Taira Clan) - (Street of Shame)
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Keisuke Kinoshita and screenplay by Tadao Ikeda from a story by Shohei Hino, Army is the story of a Japanese family who hope to be involved in the army to fulfill with the wishes of the generation before them. The film is a look into the legacy of a family as they cope with the ways of the world and what it means to serve their country during wartime. Starring Chishu Ryu, Kinuyo Tanaka, Kazumasa Hoshino, Eijiro Tono, Ken Uehara, Ken Mitsuda, and Haruko Sugimura. Army is a powerful and evocative film from Keisuke Kinoshita.
The film follows three generations of a family from the mid-19th Century to World War II as they all have desires to be part of the military and serve their country. Much of the film’s narrative is told during Japan’s occupation of Manchuria and into World War II as much of the first act is about a young man helping a militia soldier and in return is given a collection of books chronicling Japan’s history. Years later toward the end of the 19th Century, he passes the books to his son who would sign up to join the army and succeed but doesn’t see any action due to recurring illnesses. He hopes his son would follow in his footsteps but his son is wracked with fear yet would eventually sign up to be in the army but isn’t sure about stepping into the battlefield. Tadao Ikeda’s script follows mainly the life of Tomohiko (Chishu Ryu) who did serve his time as an army captain but never stepped foot in the battlefield as he is eager to instill everything he’s learned from the books he has inherited into the next generation of soldiers. Yet, Tomohiko finds himself at odds with the man who has hired him but also in the role his son Shintaro (Kazumasa Hoshino) has taken.
Keisuke Kinoshita’s direction is definitely mesmerizing in the way it approaches everything in a simple way. Though there’s moments in the film that do spout some Japanese propaganda due to the fact that the film was funded by the Japanese government during World War II. While much of the compositions in the film are very straightforward, Kinoshita does create some scenes that are still engaging such as a meeting between Tomohiko and an old man where Tomohiko’s wife Waka (Kinuyo Tanaka) is in the background from afar. Kinoshita’s usage of the wide shots are quite intense where it has a lot of coverage as it play into the evolution of Japan’s military as it’s more focused on training and trying to be part of something bigger than the individual.
Yet, the film is noted for an ending that was considered very controversial in its initial 1944 release as it relates to the role that Shintaro has to play for Japan. Notably as it’s shown from the perspective of someone close to Shintaro who see what he’s become and accomplished for the family but is it really worth it? Even as there is so much emphasis to honor the emperor and so much for the country unaware of the personal cost it would do to a family. Overall, Kinoshita creates a compelling and heartfelt film about a family’s desire to serve their country during wartime.
Cinematographer Yoshio Taketomi does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography as it is very straightforward with some lovely lighting for some of the film’s nighttime interior/exterior scenes. Production designer Isamu Motoki does excellent work with the film’s art direction from the pawn shop that Tomohiko runs that he’s inherited from his father and grandfather to places in the small town he and his family live at.
The film’s amazing cast include some notable small roles from Ken Mitsuda as Tomohiko’s father Tomonojo, Ken Uehara as an old military officer and friend of Tomohiko in Nishina, Haruko Sugimura as Shintaro’s friend Setsu, and Eijiro Tono as Setsu’s father Sakuragi who would give Tomohiko a job in teaching young soldiers. Kazumasa Hoshino is superb as Shintaro as a young man eager to please his father while coping with the expectations laid upon him as he also tries to find his own path into the world of the army. Kinuyo Tanaka is fantastic as Shintaro’s mother/Tomohiko’s wife Waka who deals with the expectations toward her family as well as steering Shintaro into the right path and pondering everything that is expected for the country. Finally, there’s Chishu Ryu in an incredible performance as Tomohiko as a man who is eager to fulfill his father’s wishes by serving in the army as he later copes with his own failure and hoping his son would be the one to fulfill the wishes only to deal that his ideas about service are becoming obsolete.
Army is a sensational film from Keisuke Kinoshita. It’s a film that explores the idea of servitude in the Japanese army during World War II and the pressure instilled upon those serving and the demands to honor its emperor. Even it means win at all cost. In the end, Army is a phenomenal film from Keisuke Kinoshita.
Keisuke Kinoshita Films: (Port of Flowers) - (The Living Magoroku) - (Jubilation Street) - (Morning for the Osone Family) – (Carmen Comes Home) - (A Japanese Tragedy) - (Twenty-Four Eyes) - (She Was like a Wild Chrysanthemum) - (Yorokobi mo kanashimi mo ikutoshitsuki) - The Ballad of Narayama (1958 film) - (The River Fuefuki) - Immortal Love
© thevoid99 2017
For the second week of April of 2017 as part of the Thursday Movie Picks series hosted by Wanderer of Wandering Through the Shelves. We go into the world of rivalries. A subject that breeds all sorts of things whether it’s sports or for a man or for a woman. It’s always a fun subject to delve into as it always have so much at stake to see who is better.
1. Grumpy Old Men
Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau as a duo is gold though there’s a few films they’ve been in together that aren’t very good. Fortunately, this is one of their best collaborations about two old childhood friends/rivals who reignite a decade-long feud over the new neighbor played by Ann-Margaret. It’s a very funny comedy where Lemmon and Matthau both provided performances that isn’t just funny but also full of life showing two legends who not only still got it. It’s also a testament to two men showing everyone how it’s done.
2. Battle for Tobacco Road: Duke vs. North Carolina
If there’s one major rivalry in college basketball that still looms to this day and it hasn’t gotten any softer. It’s the one between the University of North Carolina and Duke University who are separated by eight miles of road known as Tobacco Road. From HBO Sports that is narrated by Liev Schreiber is about this storied rivalry that began in the 1920s and reached its apex in the 1980s where UNC was coached by Dean Smith and featured a young player named Michael Jordan while Duke would come back to prominence under the coaching of Mike Krzyzewski. The film shows the intensity of these games as well as the devotion from its students where Duke has the most lewd and obnoxious fans that is called the Cameron Crazies.
3. The Prestige
From Christopher Nolan comes a story of dueling magicians who both try to outdo each other in creating the greatest magic trick in the world. Starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as these dueling magicians, it’s a film that really captures the art of magic and what some will do to create something extraordinary. Add a fantastic ensemble cast that includes Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Michael Caine, Andy Serkis, and David Bowie. Nolan creates one of his finest films as it reminds people what he could do with a smaller story without the grandness of large budgets and visual effects.
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Thorsten Schutte, Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words is a documentary film about the life and career of experimental rock artist Frank Zappa. Told through archival footage and various audio interviews, the film follows Zappa’s life from being the satirist who made fun of rock n’ roll in the 1960s to venturing into the world of classical music in the late 80s and early 1990s until his death on December 4, 1993. The result is an odd yet fascinating film about one of popular music’s most eccentric figures.
Chronicling footage from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s just before his death in late 1993, the film follows the career of Frank Zappa. Known for his satirical take on rock n’ roll and fusing it with elements of R&B, blues, jazz, and classical music, Zappa and his band in the Mother of Reinvention would play all kinds of music with Zappa serving as a conductor rather than as a leader. Through an array of rare footage including interviews and television appearances as well as an appearance on a TV show hosted by Steve Allen in the early 1960s where he would do an orchestra with two bicycles. The film has Zappa talking about his own views in the world of music as well as art, politics, and other things. Even as there’s footage of Zappa directing his film 200 Motels as well as conducting classical pieces and him at work.
With the aid of Willibald Wonneberger editing the film and sound mixers Marc Fragstein and Armelle Mahe, director Thorsten Schutte doesn’t go for anything conventional as it chronicles many interviews from the 70s and 80s where Zappa would talk about certain periods in his career. The film also feature footage of Zappa in the mid-1980s fighting the PMRC over censorship which is a moment that he is known for by the public eye as well as his large following in Europe including Czechoslovakia where he visited the country in 1990 to hold a concert and allow his music to be sold legally. The interviews that are shown are quite straightforward but also show Zappa’s unique personality as someone who never takes himself very seriously. Even as a musician where he is about the absurd and not willing to be politically or socially correct as the film also feature concert footages that add to his legend.
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words is a marvelous film from Thorsten Schutte about the legendary artist. It’s a film that doesn’t play by the rules in terms of telling the story of this man as it offers a lot to people who don’t know much about him but also something for his fans to be engaged by. In the end, Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words is a remarkable film from Thorsten Schutte.
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi, Samurai Rebellion is the story of a samurai’s son who is forced to marry a clan lord’s mistress where things don’t go as planned prompting the clan lord to change his mind leading a showdown between the lord and an aging samurai. Directed by Masaki Kobayashi and screenplay by Shinobu Hashimoto, the film is an exploration into a man being pulled into a world that he doesn’t want to as an act to protect his family. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Go Kato, Yoko Tsukasa, Shigeru Koyama, Masao Mishima, Isao Yamagata, Tatsuyoshi Ehara, Tatsuo Matsumara, and Tatsuya Nakadai. Samurai Rebellion is a gripping yet evocative film from Masaki Kobayashi.
Set in 1725 during the Edo period of Japan, the film revolves around the request of a clan lord who asks for a family to take in one of his mistresses as the son of a samurai warrior marries the mistress. Yet, the marriage ends up being very fruitful and loving until an incident involving the lord’s family changes things and wants the mistress back in the castle forcing her husband to refuse the request and his father to prepare for battle against the lord and his entire clan. It’s a film that explores not just rules of working for a clan but also try to balance that and devote time to family as the samurai warrior Isaburo Sasahara (Toshiro Mifune) is considered the best. The only equal he has in terms of swordsmanship is his best friend Tatewaki Asano (Tatsuya Nakadai) who is the clan’s gatekeeper as he is a man of formality and honor. Sasahara is also a man of honor but the request he’s given to take in a lord’s mistress weighs heavily on him as he is in a loveless marriage and doesn’t want his eldest son Yogoro (Go Kato) to be in one.
Yet, the mistress in Ichi (Yoko Tsukasa) turns out to be a very gracious and kind woman who was forced into being a mistress because her father worked in the lord’s castle. She would tell Yogoro everything including how she was kicked out of the castle after bearing him a son who would be an heir to the lord’s throne. Still, Yogoro and Isaburo accepts him to the family much to the chagrin of Isaburo’s wife Kenmotsu (Takamaru Sasaki) who is aghast into how Ichi was kicked out of the lord’s castle. The film’s script doesn’t just play into this conflict of two people wanting a happy life but also how there are those who just want to use people for power as Isaburo realizes that the clan lord he’s been serving for has become dishonorable and selfish. Many would try to get Ichi back to the castle including Yogoro’s younger brother Bunzo (Tatsuyoshi Ehara) who would trick her but both Isaburo and Yogoro are aware that it’s being handled without them or Ichi having a say in the matter.
That is something Asano would notice as he would be asked by clan leaders to kill Isaburo but he refuses because he of some details which prove that he’s a man of rules. Yet, he and Isaburo become more aware that rules are changing to fit into a new world that doesn’t care for things such as honor. It would force Isaburo and his son to expect the worst as it’s all about getting Ichi back to her family. Especially where the lord’s regime would carry out weapons and such that would represent this idea of a new and darker world that Isaburo isn’t a part of.
Masaki Kobayashi’s direction is definitely entrancing as it has these gorgeous framing devices as well as a great depth of field to get a look from above inside the Sasahara home. The usage of the wide shots would play into the location including scenes early in the film where Isaburo and Asano would go to clan leaders and demonstrate their skills as they would walk home discussing the future. Kobayashi would also use some medium shots and close-ups for the intimate moments inside the Sasahara home along with some wide shots for a sequence where Ichi tells Yogoro her story of how she was picked to become the lord’s mistress. The sequence where Ichi recalls the moment she realized her role for this lord and seeing his new mistress is presented in still shots when she attacks her. It’s a moment in the film where Kobayashi would present something that is very stylized yet prefers to create something that is striking in where he would put his actors into a frame.
Kobayashi also maintains something that is theatrical in his framing as it would emphasize more on strategy and drama rather than action which is often common with samurai movies. By placing the moment of samurai duels in the third act, Kobayashi is more focused on building up the tension between the Sasahara family and the clan lord as the former would even write a petition to free Ichi and return her home. To the lord’s clan leaders, they see this as an act of insolence where the showdown between a steward and Isaburo would come to ahead but it’s all about strategy and who moves first. Yet, there is also an anguish into its outcome as it play into loss and this cruelty emerging into the new world that Isaburo and Asano aren’t a part of. Overall, Kobayashi creates a rapturous yet eerie film about a man trying to defend his family against the wishes of a cruel clan lord.
Cinematographer Kazuo Yamada does amazing work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its emphasis on natural lighting and shadows where there is so much detail shown including some interior scenes involving candles and oil lanterns and how it can set a tone for the scene. Editor Hisashi Sagara does excellent work with the editing as it is very straightforward with very few stylish cuts in order to play up the intensity of the drama. Production designer Yoshio Muraki does brilliant work with the look of the homes of some of the characters including the Sasahara house with such detail including its sand pits. The sound work of Shigenosuke Okuyama does fantastic work with the sound as it help play into some of the suspense and drama including in some of the sword play and action. The film’s music by Toru Takemitsu is incredible for its usage of traditional string instruments and percussions to add an atmospheric tone to some of the scenes as it is a highlight of the film.
The film’s superb cast include some notable small roles from Masao Mishima as a chamberlain, Tatsuo Matsumara as the clan lord Masakata Matsudaira who rules Edo and its province, Etsuko Ichihara as the wet nurse for Ichi and Yogoro’s baby, Tatsuyoshi Ehara as Yogoro’s younger brother Bunzo, Takamaru Sasaki as Yogoro and Bunzo’s mother/Isaburo’s wife Kenmotsu, Isao Yamagata as a relative of Ichi who tries to get her back to the castle, and Shigeru Koyama as the steward Geki Takahashi who starts off as an ally only to side with his master and try to attack Isaburo. Go Kato is excellent as Yogoro as a young samurai who is made head of his family a year after his marriage to Ichi as he copes with the new request to return his wife to the castle as he refuses in hoping to save his family and provide a future for his newborn daughter.
Yoko Tsukasa is fantastic as Ichi as a young woman who is sent to the Sasahara family to marry Yogoro as punishment for her actions towards a clan lord where she feels accepted in her new family only to become a pawn in a lord’s selfish act. Tatsuya Nakadai is brilliant as Tatewaki Asano as a gatekeeper who is Isaburo’s best friend that is a man who is about rules and formalities as he copes with the situation Isaburo was in as he tries to make sense of everything but also maintain his own honor. Finally, there’s Toshiro Mifune in an incredible performance as Isaburo Sasahara as a samurai warrior who finds himself trying to defend his family’s honor after a lord wants his mistress back as Mifune plays a man trying to do what is right for his son and daughter-in-law as well as defy whoever stood in his way as it’s one of Mifune’s finest performances.
Samurai Rebellion is a phenomenal film from Masaki Kobayashi that feature great performances from Toshiro Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai. It’s a film that explores the world of the samurai as well as a man trying to defend what is right for his family against the cruel and selfish acts of a clan lord. In the end, Samurai Rebellion is a tremendous film from Masaki Kobayashi.
Masaki Kobayashi Films: (Black River) - The Human Condition Trilogy - Harakiri - Kwaidan - (Hymn to a Tired Man) - (The Fossil) - (Tokyo Trial)
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the novel by Atiq Rahimi, The Patience Stone is the story of a woman telling a story to her comatose and wounded husband during a war in a Muslim country. Directed by Rahimi and screenplay by Rahimi and Jean-Claude Carriere, the film is a look into a woman trying to tell her own life story to her husband whom she felt had neglected her as she finally gets to speak to him in his comatose state. Starring Golshifteh Farahani, Hamid Djavadan, Massi Mrowat, and Hassina Burgan. The Patience Stone is a riveting and mesmerizing film from Atiq Rahimi.
Set a war-torn Muslim country where a soldier is in a comatose state due to a bullet in his neck, the film is about the soldier’s wife who is tending to him while he is in a vegetative state as she talks about aspects of her life including her frustrations, revelations, and dreams to a man who didn’t treat her very well. It’s a film that follows this woman who doesn’t have many people to turn to with the exception of an aunt who would care for her two daughters during the war as she tends to her husband. The film’s screenplay by novelist Atiq Rahimi and Jean-Claude Carriere largely emphasizes on this woman (Golshifteh Farahani) to reveal a lot to her comatose husband (Hamid Djavadan) while would only step out to see her aunt (Hassina Burgan) who tells her the story of a patience stone where the woman uses her husband as a patience stone to reveal everything and hopefully be released from all of that suffering. Even as she would try to hide his body from militia whom he was fighting against as well as wonder why his brothers had abandoned him during the war.
Rahimi’s direction is quite engaging not just for some of the compositions that are created but also for its intimacy as it is shot on very few locations in and around Afghanistan. While there are some wide shots in the film including a key shot of a battle raging on above the roofs of several houses in the small and rural town near the mountains. Rahimi prefers to use close-ups and medium shots to give the film a somewhat theatrical tone as much of the action takes place at the home of the couple as well as the aunt’s home. There are also some flashback sequences as it relates to the woman recalling her childhood and her wedding day even though the man never showed up. Some of Rahimi’s compositions in scenes where the woman tells the story to her husband would sometimes have her in the foreground and him in the background or vice versa as it play into what she is telling him. Even as she ponders if these ten years of marriage where she didn’t have much to say to him is really worth it. Overall, Rahimi creates an eerie yet entrancing film about a woman telling her own story to her comatose husband during a war.
Cinematographer Thierry Arbogast does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from its usage of natural lights for some of the daytime/nighttime interiors as well as some of the exterior scenes. Editor Herve de Luze does brilliant work with the editing as it uses some unique transitional fade-outs and other stylized cuts to help play into the film’s slow yet methodical rhythm. Production designer Erwin Prib and art director Delphine De Casanove do fantastic work with the set design from the look of the home the couple lives in as well as the place where the aunt lives at.
Costume designer Malek Jahan Khazai does nice work with the costumes as it’s mostly casual from the yellow veil that the woman wears outside to the more stylish but conservative clothes that she wears inside the house. Sound designer Noemi Hampel does superb work with the sound in capturing the sounds of rockets and bombs flying in the air or the smaller moments in some of the sets. The film’s music by Max Richter is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral, ambient, and traditional Middle Eastern music while music supervisor Matthieu Sibony would provide a soundtrack that consists of music from that world.
The film’s incredible ensemble include some notable small roles from Malak Djaham Khazal as a neighbor, Mohamed Al Maghraoui as the local mullah, Hiba Lharrak and Aya Abida as the woman’s daughters, and Massi Mrowat as a young militia who would meet the woman unaware of her real role in the world. Hassina Burgan is wonderful as the woman’s aunt who works part time as a prostitute yet knows a lot about the world while Hamid Djavadan is superb as the comatose husband who is often in a vegetative state as he is silent throughout listening to his wife. Finally, there’s Golshifteh Farahani in a phenomenal performance as the woman who is trying to take care of her husband as she copes with the years of neglect and cruelty she would tell him so much about herself as it’s a very graceful and touching performance from Farahani who is a major highlight of the film.
The Patience Stone is a remarkable film from Atiq Rahimi that features a sensational performance from Golshifteh Farahani. It’s a film that showcases what a woman in a war-torn Muslim has to do to cope with the chaos of war as well as the role of women in that world where they don’t have much to say. In the end, The Patience Stone is an incredible film from Atiq Rahimi.
© thevoid99 2017
For the first week of April of 2017 as part of the Thursday Movie Picks series hosted by Wanderer of Wandering Through the Shelves. We focus on the world of cars and racing as it’s a sub-genre of cinema that has an audience. Especially as it is about the cars that people love and wanting to go very fast.
1. Vanishing Point
One of the finest cult films of the 1970s as it’s about a guy who drives from Denver to San Francisco on a 1970 white Dodge Challenger as he is guided by a blind DJ. It’s really a film that play into a man defying everything around him as he copes with loss and disdain for authority. Chased by the police, the character of Kowalski (Barry Newman) just does whatever he can to survive as it’s a very influential film referenced in the world of popular culture such as the 1997 album of the same name by Primal Scream and referenced in Quentin Tarantino’s 2007 film Death Proof.
2. Fast Company
From David Cronenberg comes a film where for anyone who has followed his career would see this as some weird anomaly. Yeah, it’s about drag racer who tries to help his protégé in the world of drag racing as they deal with corruption due to his manager. The film has a lot of B-movie elements as it’s about racing and beautiful women yet it is an entertaining film from Cronenberg that really kind of pre-dates his fascination with cars that would finally come to a head in his 1996 film Crash.
3. Senna
One of the finest documentaries in this current decade is about a racer but one of the finest Formula One racers that ever lived. Told through archival footage by Asif Kapadia, the film showcases the life of Ayrton Senna as he was considered a people’s champion in his native Brazil. It’s also a film that talks about the world of Formula One and the tragedy that led to Senna’s death during a race on May 1, 1994 at the San Marino Grand Prix. For anyone that wants to know anything about Formula One, this is the film to see.
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Hal Ashby and written by Charles Eastman, Second-Hand Hearts is the story of a widow who marries a loner as they try to recover the former’s children for an unusual road trip to California. The film is a love story of sorts with a road movie where two very troubled individuals try to form a new family in an offbeat journey. Starring Barbara Harris, Robert Blake, and Bert Remsen. Second-Hand Hearts is a quirky but very messy film from Hal Ashby.
The film follows a couple who recently got married as they embark on a road trip from Texas and all the way to California where they stop to retrieve the woman’s three kids while her husband copes with the new role of being their stepfather. It’s a film with a simple story as this lonely drifter who has never had a lot of luck in his life marries this widow who is also down on her luck as her husband had died some time ago with her children living at her in-laws. Though the two got married during a drunken bender, they’re eager to make it work despite their own flaws and fears where they hope to go to California in a beaten-up station wagon and create a new life. Charles Eastman’s screenplay has a lot invested in the story but it has no center in what it wants to be. While it’s mainly a road movie, it tries to cram a lot where it’s a family film of sorts but also a romantic-comedy as it never has a center. Plus, the character of Loyal Muke (Robert Blake) is a total loser that is often afraid of things or reluctant to do something though his development is well-written. It’s just that he is played as a comedic figure rather than someone totally sympathetic.
Despite the beauty of the many locations in and around Texas and the American Southwest, Hal Ashby’s direction definitely suffers from the film’s screenplay due to its lack of a central identity. While Ashby’s wide shots for many of the scenes set on the road are very beautiful as it is expected in a road movie. Ashby is more concerned with the dynamic between Loyal and his new wife Dinette Dusty (Barbara Harris) where they had just gotten married and aren’t sure if this marriage will be successful. Ashby’s usage of close-ups and medium shots in and around some of the locations including the station wagon are unique but there are moments when the attempts at comedy feel very forced. Even in moments where it tries to be serious but ends up being very silly where Ashby’s attempt in offbeat humor also doesn’t work despite some of the earnest moments involving Loyal, Dinette, and Dinette’s children late in the film. Overall, Ashby creates a compelling but very uneven film about a newlywed couple taking their rag-tag family on a road trip to California for a new life.
Cinematographer Haskell Wexler does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the gorgeous scenery of the sprawling American Southwest locations to some of the shots at night including a scene where the car runs out of gas as well as the early scenes at a club where Dinette is singing at. Editor Amy Holden Jones does nice work with the editing as it is mostly straightforward with few jump cuts as it relies more on something simple and to the point. Production designer Peter Wooley, with set decorator Robert R. Benton and art director Rick Carter, does fantastic work with the look of the station wagon as well as the bar where Dinette sings at and the pool hall where her father-in-law manages.
Costume designer Ann Roth does terrific work with the costumes from the lavish and colorful clothing that Dinette wears to the more ragged look of Loyal. Sound mixer Art Rochester does superb work with the sound to play into the atmosphere of some of the locations as well as some of the funny sounds in the station wagon. The film’s music by Willis Alan Ramsey is alright as it mainly a country-based music soundtrack with some contributions from Willie Nelson, Freddy Fender, and other country artists.
The casting by Lyn Stalmaster is brilliant despite the substandard material the actors had to work with as it include some notable small roles from Joe Wilson as a one-armed snake rustler, James Steven Beverly as a young man who would help Dinette and her children when they’re stranded on the road, Woody Chambliss as a deaf gas attendant, Bert Remsen and Sondra Blake as Dinette’s in-laws, and Shirley Stoler in a wonderful small role as Maxy as a woman who would give Dinette and her children shelter while Loyal tries to find them. In the role of Dinette’s children, there’s the duo of Jessica and Erica Stansbury as the toddler Sandra Dee, Amber Rose Gold as the talkative middle child Iota, and Collin Boone as the eldest but mute kid Human.
Robert Blake is alright as Loyal Muke as a bum who is able to do a lot of things but doesn’t have a lot of confidence where Blake feels misdirected whenever he tries to be funny in his breakdowns or to try and con someone. Barbara Harris is amazing as Dinette Dusty as this woman that has endured a lot of bad luck but is eager to start a new life with Loyal despite his shortcomings as it’s a performance filled with charisma and humility where Harris does also bring in the best of Blake when he is restrained.
Second-Hand Hearts is an OK but very uneven film from Hal Ashby despite a winning performance from Barbara Harris and the great cinematography from Haskell Wexler. It’s a film that fans of Ashby would want to seek out although it doesn’t bear a lot of the elements that he is known for as it’s just a very lackluster film that is rarely shown on television and is considered to be very hard to find. In the end, Second-Hand Hearts is just a messy and disappointing film from Hal Ashby.
Hal Ashby Films: The Landlord - Harold and Maude - The Last Detail - Shampoo - Bound for Glory - Coming Home - Being There - (Lookin’ to Get Out) - (Let’s Spend the Night Together) - (Solo Trans) - (The Slugger’s Wife) - 8 Million Ways to Die
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Lo Wei and written by Lo Wei and Bruce Lee, The Big Boss is the story of a man who goes to Thailand to work with relatives at an icehouse where he learns what is really going on as he goes against drug lords. The film is a martial arts adventure in which a man goes on a quest for vengeance as well as try and do what is right for his family. Starring Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, James Tien, and Nora Miao. The Big Boss is an exhilarating and exciting film from Lo Wei.
The film is a simple story of a young man who goes to Thailand to find work where he is taken in by relatives with a promise to his mother that he would never fight. Yet, he is baffled by the disappearance of a few relatives who also work at the icehouse factory where they cut ice as they’re all unaware that it’s really a front for drug smuggling as its manager and foreman are working for a drug lord. The film’s screenplay by Lo Wei and Bruce Lee follows this protagonist in Cheng Chao-an (Bruce Lee) who is trying to redeem himself in front of his mother as he’s made a promise that he wouldn’t get into trouble. Even as he sees something going on where regular people are harassed where he’s forced to sit back and do nothing as he would also take hits and do nothing as a way to keep his promise. Still, when one of his cousins have disappeared and never returned forcing workers to ask questions. Cheng would force himself to step in but realize what is really going on after being promoted to foreman and be given the things that a foreman gets.
Lo Wei’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of its compositions with some element of style as it relates to the fight scenes. Shot on location in Thailand, the film has this tone that feels rural in its setting yet there is something that is also uneasy due to the fact that criminals are roaming around the streets and other things that are happening. Much of Wei’s compositions include some wide and medium shots for vast look of some of the fights while he would use some extreme close-ups for some of the confrontations involving Cheng and someone else whenever the former is put into a dire situation.
The elements of style isn’t just in the fight scenes but also in a sequence where Cheng is having dinner with the icehouse manager as it involves prostitutes and other shit as it’s quite comical but also surreal. The humor in the film is very lighthearted but also help advance the story whether Cheng is trying to win over a young lady or deal with a very ridiculous situation. The film’s climax is very exciting as it is about Cheng trying to do what is right for those who had been oppressed in the world of drugs and power. Overall, Wei creates a thrilling and fun film about a man beating up some bad guys.
Cinematographer Chan Ching-kui does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it’s colorful in its low-grade film stock while bringing in some stylish light for some scenes set at night. Editor Sung Ming does brilliant work with the editing as it play into some of the rhythm of the action as well as some of its intensity where it is a major highlight of the film. Production designer Chu Liu does fantastic work with the look of the icehouse as well as the home Cheng would stay in with relatives who also work at the factory. The film’s music by Wang Fu-ling is superb for its mixture of orchestral themes but also some elements of rock and funk to play into the action and suspense.
The film’s marvelous cast include some notable small roles from Chan Chue as ice factory’s cruel foreman, Tu Chia-cheng as Cheng’s uncle Lu, Marilyn Bautista as a prostitute that Cheng meets at a dinner with the factory manager, Kam San as cousin Shan, Li Hua-sze as cousin Wong, Peter Yang as cousin Chen, Lam Ching-ying as cousin Yen, and Nora Miao as a local vendor that Cheng meets early in the film who is harassed by hoodlums. Tony Liu is terrific as the boss’ son Hsiao Chin who tries to go after the young woman Chiao Mei for his father while Han Ying-chieh is superb as the boss Hsiao Mi as a drug lord who is very skilled in kung fu and wants to rule Thailand. Lee Kwan is excellent as Cousin Kun who is critical of the conditions of the factory as he wants what is fair while James Tien is brilliant as Cousin Hsu Chien who is among the first to stand up against the people who run the factory as it relates to the disappearances.
Maria Yi is wonderful as Chiao Mei as Hsu Chien’s sister who is this sweet young woman that Cheng likes though it’s a typical damsel-in-distress kind of role. Finally, there’s Bruce Lee in a phenomenal performance as Cheng Chao-an as a simple man who arrives in town trying to be a good person and not get into fights. Yet, he is forced to watch and stay back from the action in a promise to his mother only to realize what is going on as he is aware of what he must do. It’s a performance that has Lee display a lot of charisma as well as kicking lots of ass.
The Big Boss is an incredible film from Lo Wei that features an iconic performance from Bruce Lee. It’s a martial-arts action-adventure film that does a lot in what is expected and more while also being this film where a man knows when there’s a time to fight for what is right. In the end, The Big Boss is a sensational film from Lo Wei.
Related: Fist of Fury - The Way of the Dragon - Enter the Dragon - Game of Death
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Ishiro Honda and screenplay by Honda and Takeo Murata from a story by Shigeru Kayama, Goijira (Godzilla) is the story of a monster wreaking havoc all over Japan as the people try to figure out how to stop it. The film is considered the first monster movie of sorts but in a genre defined as kaiju where a monster just destroys everything in sight. Starring Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi, Akihiko Hirata, and Takashi Shimura. Goijira is a tremendously chilling and monstrous film from Ishiro Honda.
Following the mysterious sinking of some boats and other destructive events believed to be caused by a monster, the film revolves around a group of scientists who try to figure out what the hell is wreaking havoc on the Japanese seas and in rural areas. The film is a traditional monster movie of sorts but it’s really a drama set during the emergence of the atomic age where scientists learn about this mysterious monster and the fact that it’s re-emerged due to the power of a hydrogen bomb. The film’s screenplay starts off with the incidents involving two different ships being destroyed with one survivor recalling what he saw. A paleontologist, his daughter, and a salvage ship captain would try to uncover everything as they would see the monster destroying things as he would eventually attack and destroy Tokyo no matter what the politicians and the military try to do. Even as a scientist has the answer in how to defeat the monster but refuses to reveal what he has created given the moral implications of what it could to the entire world.
Ishiro Honda’s direction is definitely grand in terms of the world that it’s set where it begins in the sea at a salvage ship as crew members are blinded by a sudden flash and then the ship sinks. Much of the compositions in the film are straightforward yet a lot of the scenes involving the titular monster are quite vast in their presentation. While Honda would shoot the film on various location in Japan with some studio recreation of the cities through miniatures. The scenes involving the monster attacking and wreaking havoc are immense with Honda creating moments of suspense and terror such as what people inside a train is dealing with or a family hiding somewhere in a building that is about to be destroyed. There is an element of drama that play into this new world that is the atomic age as the paleontologist wants to study more about this monster wondering how it survived and became awoken by the atomic bomb. Yet, there are others that want to destroy as it would destroy Tokyo leading to a showdown between the scientist that have the answer to destroy this monster but it would come at a great cost. Overall, Honda creates a thrilling and mesmerizing film about a monster destroying everything in his path.
Cinematographer Masao Tamai, with lighting by Choshiro Ishii, does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white cinematography to play into the sunny landscapes and Sea of Japan as well as the nighttime look including the sequence where the monster destroys Tokyo at night. Editor Taichi Taira does excellent work with the editing as it is very straightforward with a few transition wipes and other stylish cuts to play into the drama and suspense. Art directors Takeo Kita and Satoshi Chuko do fantastic work with the design of the miniatures and sets for the homes of the characters as well as board rooms where the scientists try to talk with politicians.
Monster designers Teizo Toshimitsu and Akira Watanabe do amazing work with the design of the monster as it has something that is a mixture of dinosaurs but with bits of the dragon as it’s worn by Haruo Nakajima and Katsumi Tekuza. Special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya does terrific work with some of the effects that include some of the electricity and the device that a scientist created. Sound recordist Hasashi Shimonaga does superb work with the sound in capturing the sound effects in some of the objects that the monster would destroy and other things in the film. The film’s music by Akira Ifukube is incredible for its orchestral score with its element of bombast in some of the suspenseful moments to an eerie yet ravishing piece for the film’s climax.
The film’s marvelous cast include some notable small roles from Haruo Nakajima in a dual role as the monster and a reporter, Katsumi Tekuza as the monster and a newspaper editor, Kokuten Kodo as an old fisherman who knows about the legend of the monster, Ren Yamamoto as a young fisherman from the village, and Toyoaki Suzuki as a young fisherman who would see the monster and aid the scientists in trying to research the monster. Akira Takarada is excellent as the salvage sea captain Hideto Ogata as a man that would survive one of the early attacks as he tries to help a paleontologist and the man’s daughter whom he’s in a relationship with.
Momoko Kochi is fantastic as Emiko Yamane as the paleontologist’s daughter who is in a secret relationship with Hideto as she goes to the man she’s supposed to with for help where she makes a chilling discovery. Akihiko Hirata is brilliant as Daisuke Serizawa as a reclusive scientist who has made a weapon that he believes would destroy the monster but copes with the moral implications of what he’s created. Finally, there’s Takashi Shimura in an amazing performance as Dr. Kyohei Yamane as a paleontologist who is trying to understand what the monster is about as well as comprehend the chaos that is looming as it relates to the usage of atomic weapons.
Goijira is a phenomenal film from Ishiro Honda. It’s a monster movie that is really one of the finest films of the genre but also a social commentary of sorts on post-war Japan’s role in the atomic age. Especially in how weapons can be misused and the actions it would bring in the worst way. In the end, Goijira is a spectacular film from Ishiro Honda.
© thevoid99 2017
