Owls' Castle (1999)

Owls' Castle (1999)

AKA: Fukuro no shiro
Dir: Masahiro Shinoda

With the exception of 1986's GONZA THE SPEARMAN, Shinoda had turned in nothing remarkable since 1977, before which he had proven to be one of Japanese cinema's most groundbreaking filmmakers. With OWLS' CASTLE, he not only proved that Japan's post-television film industry hadn't destroyed him, but he crafted one of the strongest movies of his career.

It is a visual masterpiece, ranking up with his HIMIKO and DOUBLE SUICIDE, though far less surreal. It tells the story of a ninja who is taked with assassinating taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi, revenge for wiping out his village of Iga. And although it is a ninja picture, it is noticeably lacking in action, preferring the meditative.

This film has a tepid 6.1 rating on IMDB, which I cannot understand at all. The two most common complaints I have read: the history is bullshit, and it is impossible to follow. Honestly, I'm not all that well-versed on the Sengoku period to grasp its historical validity, but it's not a particularly challenging film, anyway. All I did was read about Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Iga clan on Wikipedia, and that did me just fine.

Look at these pictures!

10/10

Kuroi gashû: Aru sarariman no shôgen (1960)

Kuroi gashû: Aru sarariman no shôgen (1960)

AKA: The Black Book
Dir: Hiromichi Horikawa

It all begins with a bow, a simple greeting from one man to his neighbor. But it happens in a place the man has no business being, and his neighbor is just about to be arrested for murder.

Based on a story by Seichô Matsumoto, an author whose work I have never admired, THE BLACK BOOK is nevertheless a major surprise, a dark crime drama teeming over with paranoia and anxiety. Propelled by yet another flawless performance by Keiju Kobayashi, one of Japanese cinema's greatest faces, and a subtle yet highly artistic visual sense, this is one of the best Japanese films I have ever seen. And what sucks is that, aside from a skimpy imdb entry, pretty much no information about this film exists on the internet, not in English, at least. Such is my overwhelming burden, and the reason I made this blog.

10/10

Puppets Under Starry Skies (1978)

AKA: Hoshizora no marionette

Dir: Hôjin Hashiura

The leader of a motorcycle gang is abandoned by his subjects after he is nearly beaten to death by rivals. His only friends are Hiroshi, a tormented young gay man, and Akemi, a libidinous waitress.

This film is a real find; I was immensely impressed. Hashiura only made two other films, neither available in English, possibly not available at all. The script is said to be based on a novel by Kita Hadashi, a person who appears not to exist. Kazuhito Takei turns in the best performance as self-loathing Hiroshi, and this was his only movie. The humane treatment of a homosexual character is something rare in films of this era.


The movie overall is too fucking dark, ruining some superb shots. I wish I could find more information, but like many films I love, it's sparse to nonexistent. The music is absolutely dreadful, but I kept the sound low as I usually do. PUPPETS is a massive bummer, and for that: 9/10

Puppets Under Starry Skies (1978) [IMDB]