Tokyo Drifter (1966)

Tokyo Drifter

Directed by: Seijun Suzuki

Starring: Tetsuya Watari, Chieko Matsubara, & Hideaki Nitani

Released: 1966

Country of Origin: Japan

Runtime: 89 min.

Years ago, my old roommate kept pestering me to watch something by Seijen Suzuki. He claimed it was something I desperately needed to see and even had a copy of Tokyo Drifter sitting atop our DVD player for many months. Yet I didn't watch it. It's not that I didn't want to see it, I just had many other films on the horizon I had planned to watch, which is always the case. People recommend films to me all the time, something that comes with the territory of being a self-professed film nerd. However, there are very few people who have the cinematic clout to warrant checking out a film immediately. I'm not trying to sound like an elitist ass, but that's just how it is. When your current list of films to watch is over 500 titles long, you have to be a little selective on who you listen to. My old roommate, Brian is one of those people I will usually listen to. (minus my refusal to watch The New World with Colin Ferrell, no matter how much he goes on about it) He is partially responsible for my love for the works of Robert Bresson and Jean-Luc Godard, so I really should have listened to him 4 years ago. He was right, I really needed to see Tokyo Drifter, yet it's a film I don't think will be appealing for everyone.

Seijen Suzuki had a bit of a crazy relationship with the studio he worked for in Japan. After years of working for Nikkatsu Studios, Suzuki became restless and a little crazy. He started indulging his artistic whims and began making films that were increasingly bizarre and unconventional, at least for major Japanese studios in the 50's and 60's. If you know anything about the Japanese film industry in that period, which I'm guessing you don't, it wasn't one that upheld the notion of individualistic film-making. Film-makers employed by major studios were expected to churn out films that were made fast, cheap, and marketed for mass appeal. Some of this may be residual effects from the 30's, when the Japanese government had their hands in the pockets of most major studios. It wasn't until the post-war period, when an increasing American influence in both art and social dynamics began sweeping the nation, that directors had chances to explore their more stylistic and expressive natures. Still, by 1966 when Tokyo Drifter was released, there was some remnants of that cookie-cutter film aesthetic left intact. Before filming, Nikkatsu Studios told Suzuki to "play it straight" and even cut his budget and shooting time in hopes to keep him reigned in. When he delivered Tokyo Drifter to them, it was nothing sort of a middle finger straight in their faces.

Plot wise, Tokyo Drifter is your typical yakuza style film. It follows a stylishly cool ex-yakuza, Tetsu as he tries to reform and stay grounded within the law. Plot isn't this film's strong point, at times the story is a tad hard to follow. There are several gaps that can leave you scratching your head as you try to catch up with what's going on. This is a film built almost entirely on style. It's because of the over-indulgence in style that this flick is so gosh darn entertaining to watch. Even from its over-saturated black and white opening, you can tell this is something a little off from the Japanese norm. Some of the pacing and editing reminds me a bit of Godard's more frenetic films, and with the the unique and vibrant use of colored lighting, a comparison to elements of Tarantino's Kill Bill is defiantly not out of place. The first half of the film is more on the restrained side, as Tetsu navigates a business deal gone bad and a murder involving his old yakuza boss, but once he hits the road to drift, the film really lets go and goes nuts. Suzuki also inserts a sly sense of humor throughout and packs in elements as far ranging as westerns, musicals and a subtle nod to slap-stick comedy. Once a brawl brawl broke out at a western style saloon, complete with a French stripper beating up American navy men, this film had me sold. While it's not without it's flaws, I'm looking forward to re-visiting this movie and will be looking into more of Seijen Suzuki's work. After this film, Suzuki went on to further alienate himself with the studio, pushing the limits of their patience until they eventually canned him for his "incomprehensibility."

FINAL VERDICT: This one isn't for everyone. I'm a bit of Japanese film junkie, so I'm far more inclined to enjoy and appreciate this, but if you can handle plot holes and some general craziness then check it out. Suzuki's work has influenced many gangster films since it's release and that alone might make it worth watching if your into looking into the past to see where some of your favorite films stole their style. Other then that, this one is going to appeal to a select group of people but you never know, something like this could open a door for you into the great world off 50's and 60's Japanese cinema.

The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (1928)

The Passion of Joan of Arc

Directed by: Carl Theodor Dreyer

Starring: Renée Jeanne Falconetti

Released: 1928

Country of Origin: France

Runtime: 110 min.

Often I find it's much more difficult to write about classic cinema then it is to cover modern works. Films like The Passion of Joan of Arc have been written about, talked about, and praised so much that finding something new or interesting to say about them is near impossible. So don't expect me to say anything profound or enlightening about this film. It's pretty much all been said before and probably worded far more eloquently. In fact, there is a good chance I'll often just regurgitate what other people have said. That being said, this film is gosh darn amazing.

The Passion of Joan of Arc is about the intense trail of, you guessed it, Joan Of Arc. It's a story just about everyone is familiar with, unless you're really sheltered or just ridiculously ignorant. So going into a lot of depth on plot is pointless. Joan is captured, endlessly interrogated and yelled at by super angry catholic people, and then burned at the stake. I'm going to be honest here, a film about Joan of Arc isn't all that appealing to me. If I'm going to pick a film to watch based purely on how interesting the story is to me, a movie based on historical events would not be one I'd choose. However, if all my viewings were based on personal interest in the story, I would have never seen many of my favorite films. I believe that one of the marks of a truly great director is the ability to make any story compelling and worth your time. Which is exactly the case with this film. I was engaged and glued to the screen for its entire run-time. For most film enthusiasts, there is no question that Dreyer was one of the greatest directors ever and possibly the single best of the silent film era. I have only seen two of his films including this one, but I'm sure I'll be fixing that sometime in the near future.

One of the most interesting and often disorienting aspects of the film is how it's shot and cut. Made up primarily of close-up shots, with complete disregard for any sort of establishing shots, Joan of Arc is an intimate and uncomfortable experience. Unlike most films which treat our brains to shots that give us a subconscious understanding of the environments in which the characters interact, this film refuses to allow us to see close to anything but facial expressions. This puts the viewer in such close proximity to its subjects that it creates a emotional bludgeoning effect that can be a little much for people used to a viewing diet primarily made up of modern American films. Even within the context of the silent films, this is a very different experience. Dreyer also refused to allow any sort of make-up on the actors, which with its extreme close-ups adds a level of realism that makes the film feel like, as director Jean Cocteau stated, "a historical document from an era in which the cinema didn't exist." Dreyer presents Joan of Arc in a light unlike most cinematic portrayals of the martyr. We are not shown a courageous warrior clad in armor, but instead a 19 years old girl who is terrified and faced with the conflict of either betraying her beliefs or being burned at the stake. To me, this seems like a far more honest and real presentation and makes the film punch just a little harder on the scale of emotional power.

No discussion of this film would be complete without talking about the absolutely powerful performance of Falconetti as Joan of Arc. It's one of those performances that gets endless praise and it's not without reason. I never seen so much said or expressed with mere facial expression, as she does in this film. Within a single shot there is often a myriad of complex emotions and thoughts and her ability to easily convey those to the viewer is truly a remarkable accomplishment. Dreyer has stated that with Falconetti, he found Joan of Arc reincarnated. Since this was her only film, its hard to imagine her as anything else besides Joan of Arc. While its sad that we aren't able to see this amazing actress in any other roles, it really makes this film something special. After watching this, any mention of Joan of Arc will bring up images from this classic that will burned into my mind forever.

FINAL VERDICT: I would say that this a film that any true fan of cinema should see at some point in their lifetime. However, I understand that many people today have a very hard time getting into and appreciating silent films. The lack of audible speech is something that takes a little more effort and concentration to fully absorb. If you're new to silent films, I'd check out some of the seminal works of Chaplin first. His films are a great gateway to the world of silent films, and City Lights would make a excellent starting point. If you like and are interested in that era of film making after that, give this one a try. Dreyer is not an easy director to "get," but is one that is well worth the effort it takes.

The Human Centipede (2009)

The Human Centipede

Directed by: Tom Six

Starring: Dieter Laser, Ashley C. Williams & Ashlynn Yennie

Released: 2009

Country of Origin: Netherlands

Runtime: 92 min.

This is how this should have started: "This is the one of the sickest things I have ever seen. Words just don't do justice to how screwed up and disturbing this film is." Instead, I am left with a mere shrug. Eh. For a film with such a messed up and potentially disturbing premise, you would expect a little more on the vomit factor. Don't get me wrong, for many people watching The Human Centipede is going cause a lot of mental distress. However, for someone who sat through all of Pasolini's Salò and may have actually appreciated it, this is a glorious walk in the park.

The Human Centipede tells the tale of an extremely cranky and anti-social mad surgeon named Dr. Heiter, who specializes in the separation of conjoined twins. As all emotionally unbalanced scientists do in the movies, he has turned and now uses his genius for evil. Instead of separating people, he is now obsessed with stitching living things up together to create one giant living organism. At the start of the film we see him mourning his beloved pet, the creatively named three-dog. Feeling such a great loss at the death of his pet, he sets out to replace it with a new pet made of people. Along come two extremely dumb American tourists who have just had their car conveniently break down in the middle of the woods. Of course, they end up at the good doctors house where they are drugged and wake up to find themselves prime candidates to be part of Dr. Heiter's new pet. They along with a very angry Japanese man they are soon to be joined to create the reason for the film's title. Instead of explaining how this works, here is a very fine diagram:

When approaching a film like this, you don't expect anything on a high artistic level. Most, like myself, will watch it for mere morbid curiosity or to see if this film might be the one that crosses a line for you and proves that there is still hope for your desensitized soul. Nope, not the case. For a film about people who have their mouth sewn to someones anus, it was surprisingly tame. Most of the gore and really gross parts are not seen and left for the imagination. Let's be honest, if you plan to watch something like this it's because of the the gore. Not the acting nor the engaging plot line, cause you know that both aspects will fall short. I'm going to be a little obvious and redundant here, but the acting is awful. Porn stars could have done better and have (see: Sasha Grey in The Girlfriend Experience). The only actor worth watching is Dieter Laser who plays Dr. Heiter. Its really the only redeeming factor in the movie. He owns the role and plays it with dedication and a seriousness that is completely unnecessary for a movie called The Human Centipede. He comes across like a mix of the tall man from Phantasm and Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl and at times he manages to cross the line from impressive to kinda awesome. His performance may be like pouring maple syrup on fecal matter but it was a welcome distraction from everyone else in the film. The two girls in the film are so awful that you're a little grateful they make up the tail end of the centipede, thus reducing their acting to muffled cries of pain. Many parts of the film, especially the ones you feel are supposed to be the tense and disturbing ones, end up being kinda funny. However, that can be seen as a testament on just how warped my brain has become, but when the final tragic frame is revealed I had a real hard time not chuckling to myself.

FINAL VERDICT: If you're like me, nothing I say will draw you away from seeing a movie with such a silly and ridiculous premise. Its a curiosity thing, because sometimes a movie will be so far over the edge it hits a special happy nerve in your brain that responds to this junk and you will love it for what it is. It didn't do it for me but it might for you. For the rest of you however, don't bother its completely not worth your time.