NEW
DIRECTORS FROM JAPAN
Do
I really need to go on about how important and influential Japanese
cinema has been over the years? I would like to think (apologies in
advance if you're lazy and completely disregard subtitled films) that
any true film fan reading this would know that. I could list and name
drop many films, directors, actors, producers writers and various
film technicians (you know, the folks who often get ignored), but
this isn't a Film Theory exam that I didn't really revise for (been
there, done that, got the degree) so I won't do that. I know this
isn't much of an introduction, so I will just end by saying that the
fine folks over at Third Window Films
are without a doubt the best label in the UK when it comes to
distributing cinema from East Asia. Wether it's a classic or
contemporary effort, Third
Window Films have got
you covered. One of those releases from the latter half of last year
was their New Directors from Japan Blu-ray
and DVD limited to 1000 box set, which was a successful Kickstarter
project. It does exactly what it says on the lovely cardboard sleeve
slipcover and provides us with films from three of Japan's youngest
and brightest stars. Those being Nagisa Isogai,
Hirobumi Watanabe
and Kosuke Takaya.
Do these young directors live up to the hype? Do they shine like
bright stars or are they merely dying embers? Let's find out! Ladies
first!
Nagisa
Isogai
(磯谷
渚)
Nagisa
Isogai was born in 1985 and graduated from the Film School of Tokyo.
Whilst studying, she directed her first film, My
Baby
whilst studying. The film was presented as part of Nippon Visions in
2012. This was followed up with The
Lust of Angels
which made its UK premier at the Raindance Festival last year. Little
is known (from my research) about the young filmmaker, but one thing
is for certain, she's certainly having an effect on cinephiles here
in the West.
My
Baby
(わたしの赤ちゃん)
2010We
kick things off with Isogai's first project, a 16 minute film shot on
16mm film. My Baby follows two sisters Hatsumi (Momoyo
Fujji)
and Chika (Aki
Morita)
who are both pregnant. Whilst climbing the steps of a temple,Hatsumi
has a tragic accident. Cut to Chika's big day and it's clear that
Hatsumi is still (understandably) affected mentally by her loss. She
lashes out sees something amiss with the whole situation. Is it all
in her head? Maybe she is correct in her suspicions? One thing is for
certain, she will go to great lengths to and will do some
questionable things to work it out.
What
can I say about a 16 minute film without completely ruining the
experience? I feel I may have said too much, but be under no
illusions, this is not a straight forward tale. Now, first thing you
will notice is that this being a student film, it's not a polished
production. There are some wonderful technical aspects, but it is
clear that this an amateur film. Now, I don't mean that in a
malicious way at all. Being someone who has studied film and been
involved practical aspects during studies, when put it in to context,
this is a sensational effort. Taking a theme that has been done
before and going in a unique direction. With some great twists and
twins, this is a powerful drama that fits the 16 minutes perfectly
without rushing or losing too much coherence. Overall, it's an
effective short that will linger.
The
Lust of Angels
(天使の欲望)
2014
Isogai's latest effort deals with a social problem that the
whole world knows exists. We here in the West know how weird and
wonderful Japanese culture and traditions can be. We also know that
there is a dark side. Wether it be extreme pornography or what
happens within the film itself, groping and sexual assault on public
transport. A group of schoolgirls set out to lure out the local
perverts who use the train they use to get to and from school. Wether
it's physically assaulting their molesters or requesting money to
keep quiet, the girls are (quite rightfully) ruthless. Not only do
they have to deal with gropers, there's also an all boy rape gang
from the nearby boys school to deal with. That's not all the girls
have to put up with however. Things get realised within the group and
past traumas are relived. Things for the vigilante schoolgirls will
never be the same again.
I
was not expecting this film to play out like it did. The public
transport gropers, although dealing with a serious issue and being an
important aspect of the film act more along the lines of setting the
scene and tone. The film focuses on the girls, their group and the
gradual breakdown that occurs within the group. There were times when
I was taken back to 1970's Pinky Violence type films.
There is actually amount of violence, bloodshed and uncomfortable
scenes of a sexual nature. I had visions of the likes of Meiko
Kaji and Reiko Ike in my head as I was
watching. Even the title has an exploitation flavour to it. That
being said, this isn't a sleazy or exploitative piece of film. It's
never over the top or too absurd. All in all, it's a very satisfying
piece of filmmaking. It's not an enjoyable film by any means, due to
the dark content of the film and the underlining themes throughout.
At around 40 minutes, just like My Baby, the runtime is perfect for
the content. I suppose you could argue that this would also work as a
feature length film, with more of a focus on looking at the
characters and their stories. An uneasy film that has the tone just
right. Once again, some aspects aren't polished, but it's clear to
see that Nagisa Isogai has a very promising future ahead of her.
Hirobumi
Watanabe
(渡辺紘文)Hirobumi
Watanabe initially studied Japanese Literature at university. His
obsession for cinema started at an early age. After graduating
university he decided to study at the Japan
Institute of Moving Images.
His tutor was was Daisuke
Tengam,
son of director Shobei
Imamura.
His graduation piece was A
Light Pig of August,
a short film about a man who works in a pig farm. The film won the
grand prize at the Fuji Film Lovers Festival. After this he directed
two drama shorts and his first feature film, And
the Mud Ship Sails Away.
He also founded the wonderfully named Foolish
Piggies Films
production company.
And
the Mud Ship Sails Away
(そして泥船はゆく)
In a nutshell, the film centres around a man who lives on
the edge of society. He just 'exists/ and lives with his grandmother
(the director's actual grandma). He spends the day lazing around the
house and drinking. We see him spending time with his friends,
complaining about how there's nothing where he lives. Out of work, he
has a lot of free time. When he's not lazing around, he often likes
to gamble. Not only that but he has an ex wife and small child he has
no intentions of ever forging a relationship. He's a bum, plain and
simple. He is unskilled and even less motivated to do anything or
change the situation. His life changes when a young girls appears at
his door. She is the love child of his late father. He didn't even
know she existed. After becoming a part of his life and constantly
berating him for not having a job, he seeks work... as a drug mule.
This leads to a bizarre turn of events that he won't forget too
soon.
Watanabe
openly admits this is a film about 'nothingness'. It's a true slacker
story. Some may be put off by the offbeat humour, but I thoroughly
enjoyed it. I like films that are simple in terms of plot. It's a
very personal film. Watanabe based the script on his own ife and even
has familt involved throughout production (his garandother is
hilarious in this film). The only budget at his disposal came from
his year long stint as a swimming pool repairman. Low budget and
small crew aside, this is an extremely noble effort. Shot in black
and white with a lo-fi feel to it thanks to the use of digital camera
cinematography. The rough around the edges approach combined with the
black and white really compliment the story, characters and themes
throughout. There's nothing spectacular visually, just like our main
character. Of course, it has to be mentioned that there are some
extremely surrealist moments in this films (including aliens). The
change in tone and pace may be a bit too much for some, but it works
due to the fact that our protagonist is a drug mule and it could be
argued that he's accidently getting high from being a drug mule. All
in all, I found this to be a genuinely laugh out loud piece of film.
It's simple with no pretentions. That being said, you are either
going to love it or hate it. I hear there are a few scripts in the
works and I am very excited to see what Watanabe has in store for us
next. If you like films like Office Space or early
works of Jim Jarmusch, this should be a treat.
KosukeTakaya
(髙谷監督)Our
final director began venturing in to the world of film production
whilst at university. He has a few small production, directing and
writing credits to his name. Thanks to this, he has worked with many
filmmakers in Tokyo. His entry in this set was part initially part of
the New Directions fund set up by The
Japanese Ministry of Culture.
An initiative for filmmakers to produce films that would appeal to an
international audience. Being a big follower and lover of fashion,
Buy Bling,
Get One Free
focuses just on that!
Buy
Bling, Get One Free
(シャレ番外地)
The
final on the set follows a young man who takes his over the top
fashion extremely seriously. So much so that his work is suffering
and his girlfriend has left him to marry someone else. One day whilst
he's enjoying a coffee with a couple of his friends, they get
approached by a journalist and photographer who want to shoot them
and ask questions for an article. Unfortunately, they're not
interested in shooting our protagonist so he makes his way to another
table. As he's dwelling on his life, an old man begins to take
photos. At first, he finds the situation too weird, but quickly laps
up the opportunity to pose. The next day whilst shopping, he is
approached by man holding a magazine with his photo on the cover.
Things take an even more surprising turn when he is asked to become
the magazines house model. Seems things are looking up for the young
fashionista... Until he is bundled in to the back of a van and taken
to the magazine's headquarters. What starts out as a bizarre turn of
events turns in to something a whole lot worse. He well and truly
becomes a slave to fashion.
Out
of the films, this to me was the least enjoyable. A much more
accomplished piece (thanks partly to the fact that Takaya had an
experienced crew surrounding him) with slicker cinematography and a
much grander scope. I won't say it's a terrible short because that is
far from the truth. I just didn't get blown away as much as the other
films on show. Visually, this an impressive piece of film. It has a
great premise to it which reminded me of films such as the
adaptations of Brazil and 1984 and a good use of some tongue in cheek
humour. There's a good message within regarding how we can sometimes
get so wrapped up in fashion and the culture of celebrity. Overall, a
film that shows much promise, would probably work better as a feature
film and makes me look forward once to seeing what else we have in
store from this clearly talented filmmaker. Be warned, there are some
'interesting' looks throughout which may make you gag!
Overall,
this is a fine selection of work from three very talented directors
who I hope I see more of. Every film is worth watching. In terms of
special features, there are a wealth of interviews that give us
insight in to the directors and the films. The set comes on a Blu-ray
with two DVDs and is presented nicely with a slipcover. However, the
release is limited to 1000 so get it while you can. Luckily there
are copies still available. I think Third Window Films have done a
stellar job with this release and I hope we get to see future
releases in the series because like I said, I really enjoyed the
films and I look forward to seeing what we get next from the
directors who are showcased. If you are a cinephile, this is a
wonderful release. From Kickstarter to reality, I am extremely happy
for Third Window with what they have achieved and I must applaud them
for getting work out there that not only benefits the directors
involved, but also us the viewer. Buy it now and support real cinema!
Arguably one 2014's best home releases.
The limited Blu-Ray and DVD set is still available from here.
PDx
