Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by tinear (A) on September 07, 2006 at 04:18:59

wife the Japanese translator says the title slightly is mis-translated with "The Bad Sleep Better" the actual meaning.
The beginning shows a Japanese wedding filmed as only the master could: with humor and social criticism and then... drama. The camera movement, the multiple points of view, are ingenious.
Quickly, we realize all is not well in this milliionaires' social event: the bank president's son is a violent drunk, the bride is crippled, and the groom is accused of being a gigolo.
Next, a series of events leads to the suicide of a chief corporate officer but, mysteriously, an unknown party begins to threaten to expose the financial crimes that led to his demise.
Toshiro Mifune stars in yet another Kurosawa film but don't expect easily to recongize him: he's Clark Kent without the stronger persona.
Though he's much too clever to connect dots, Kurosawa's camera records, from the wedding (no Japanese music here, it's the Wedding March!) to the home furnishings to the clothing a complete Westernization of the society. The film is set in post-WWII Japan and, to the leadership of the corporation, it isn't a matter of following basic moral conventions but rather having none to identify much less follow.
Is the Public Corporation a metaphor for... the military?
As I said, Kurosawa isn't quite that easy.
Eventually, the revenger and his motivation are revealed but his motivations are none too pure, either.
This film is as dark a vision of the human soul and condition as "The Lower Depths" but, perhaps, even moreso for its being set in "modern" society.
Kurosawa made more complete and better films, and certainly more entertaining ones, but none surpassed this as intelligent criticism and vision.