Films/DVD Asylum

Ugetsu, Burmese Harp, Fires on the Plain

205.175.225.22

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Ugetsu - A fine potrayal of man's ambition and how it comes back to bite him in the ass. It is a very dreamlike presentation without resorting to ham handed dream representations like whaffs of smoke or a wavy screen. It seems to me the potter's story is more of an oblique parable about opium use (or addictive drugs in general) than it is about greed and bliss.

The Burmese Harp - It is hard not to feel the powerful pull of this story. The intermingling of flashbacks are quite effective and serve to place the viewer in the same perspective as the soldiers, especially on the bridge crossing scene. Music plays a central role throughout the film and it is quite effective in many scenes.

Fires on the Plain - I'm not really sure how to describe this one. The performances by the actors were intense especially towards the end where the soldiers are tired and emaciated. However, the actual narrative is lacking in purpose. I suppose one could argue the case that it's meant as an anti-war tragedy but the main character is a coward whose actions are morally reprehensible. Perhaps it's meant to tell the viewer that there are no good guys in war but it's lost in the unrelenting bleakness.

Tom §.

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