Formal and stylistic bliss—the strongest effort from Imamura so far in my study
Imamura isn’t undone by the running time which is pretty special—150 minutes—it’s almost unfathomable how he did this the year after The Insect Woman in 1963—this is long, detailed, and so carefully and beautifully crafted in nearly every frame
A strong opening- train freeze frame still photograph montage. Wow. Then he goes into a freeze frame photo montage of the interior of our protagonist’s (Masumi Harukawa) home—well-staged (even in stills) Ozu interiors with shoji doors
Another Ozu-like mise-en scene shot- mouse wheel in foreground
The lamp in the foreground during the robbery and rape—(there is where style and content break with Imamura being in the Ozu style)—this is seedy, brutal, ugly—typical Imamura
Imamura actually uses Welles’ low-angles with some foreground background work as well.
Kô Nishimura in the foreground, Harukawa in the background tied up—we have the shoji door creating a frame and giving depth—and then a hanging light swinging back and forth in an otherwise dimly lit room giving occasional light to her
An oddly illuminated train scene just after this pivotal and traumatic scene—this is all 15 minutes in
Gorgeous shot of Nishimura and Harukawa and their faces laying down after the crime
Like The Insect Woman we have a rape here—brutal—especially for a 60’s film
A dazzling overhead 360 camera movement shot of Harukawa in the aftermath of the crime
Sparsely used experimental score
Uses slow-mo once around the train (don’t love the usage of it once formally)
The mouse (looks like a hamster) in a wheel metaphor used here visually—on the nose a bit—
The train is a formal trigger—so many scenes and pivotal moments on and around trains
Imamura- nudity and sexuality again and again
For Imamura it’s a remarkable achievement in mise-en-scene, a formal achievement with the train— depth of feel and photographic skill
I do feel like Imamura is a bit inconsistent with the inner monologues—unlike the train, freeze frame, and mise-en-scene brilliance this isn’t set up from the get-go
Gorgeous framing at the library scenes
An unreal tracking shot as he pursues her through the cars of the train
Like Insect Woman this is depressing— a cursed woman
The tunnel at the end is a fabulous set piece, the frame is blocked by snow
A bizarre romantic saga rape/woman survival film….
Thoughtful shots and gorgeous photography throughout. There are some minor flaws but enough auteur-driven stylistic bravado to make it one of the best films of 1964
These kinds of films are why I love this site. Sure, there’s the odd discussion about whether film art is subjective or objective that confuses me a bit, but as a resource to find wonderful films like this there’s few places that could be better.
– Amazing use of sound. There’s the silence at key moments (often decisions about whether or not to kill herself), but also a large array of disturbing noises. The laughing upon walking into the train car, the experimental score, the strange voices in Sadako’s head, and a number of other examples left me very unsettled.
– Sadako is an excellent character and is portrayed in a fantastic acting performance. She has no control, she’s even told what gender baby she has to have. Furthermore, she’s unable to follow through on any of her internal monologue-created plans (which I think make them a more powerful formal device than you give them credit for here: not only do they start pretty early in the film, but they’re also consistently disproven by whatever comes next)
– Pigs and Battleships was the only other Imamura I had seen previously, and this built on that film’s groundwork very well. There was just a bit more experimentation and a bit more dedication to that film’s already brutal and uncaring world.
– Countless shots through hallways, windows, alleys, anything possible to make Sadako’s life appear as cramped and inescapable as possible. Imamura does everything possible to show that no greener happy pastures await her, and he does it with such remarkable consistency.
– A strange and unique film and one that makes me excited to check out more Imamura films later.
These kinds of films are why I love this site. Sure, there’s the odd discussion about whether film art is subjective or objective that confuses me a bit, but as a resource to find wonderful films like this there’s few places that could be better.
– Amazing use of sound. There’s the silence at key moments (often decisions about whether or not to kill herself), but also a large array of disturbing noises. The laughing upon walking into the train car, the experimental score, the strange voices in Sadako’s head, and a number of other examples left me very unsettled.
– Sadako is an excellent character and is portrayed in a fantastic acting performance. She has no control, she’s even told what gender baby she has to have. Furthermore, she’s unable to follow through on any of her internal monologue-created plans (which I think make them a more powerful formal device than you give them credit for here: not only do they start pretty early in the film, but they’re also consistently disproven by whatever comes next)
– Pigs and Battleships was the only other Imamura I had seen previously, and this built on that film’s groundwork very well. There was just a bit more experimentation and a bit more dedication to that film’s already brutal and uncaring world.
– Countless shots through hallways, windows, alleys, anything possible to make Sadako’s life appear as cramped and inescapable as possible. Imamura does everything possible to show that no greener happy pastures await her, and he does it with such remarkable consistency.
– A strange and unique film and one that makes me excited to check out more Imamura films later.