Japanese films that make their way across the Pacific can generally be grouped into three main categories. There are, of course, the science fiction and horror films including everything from Godzilla to the Ring. There are the samurai epics of Akira Kurosawa. Lastly there are the animated movies which have a rabid fanbase like few other genres.

Yet Japan has many more films than those typically shown over here. One of Japan's most famous directors, Yasujiro Ozu, is relatively unknown here in America outside of the true film buffs and Japanophiles. His films are subtle, understated and gentle yet they convey a slice of life that sadly most Americans would consider dull. Exhibit A is a little film called Late Autumn and is two hours of the everyday problems of an arranged marriage in 1960.

The film opens at the memorial service for a man who passed several years ago. His three closest friends meet up and decide that the daughter of the deceased is just the right age to think about marriage. They then set to arrange a marriage for her and then later for her young widowed mother. Despite their best intentions both women seem to be content as to where they are in life.

If there was one word to describe Late Autumn it would be subtle. Nothing seems overdone. There is almost no comedy or tragedy and we just seem to be getting a quick snapshot into the lives of some average people. Even the color pallate of the film is subtle with its muted colors and earth tones.

This brings me to my next point about the film, the fashion. Now I am far from fashionable and I would make the snobs on What Not to Wear weap and yet I found myself really appreciating the outfits of the young people in the film. While I could certainly get away with wearing any of the suits worn by the male characters, I have a feeling many of my female friends might turn their noses at the rather conservative but fitting dresses of the young ladies in the film. Still, one never knows and that look may come back.

The DVD release by Panorama was a bit subpar. Many lines were not subtitled and many that were had misspellings, grammatical errors and just clumsy translations. I guess being that it was a Region 3 DVD release from Hong Kong, I cannot complain too much. I bought this film years ago and now there is apparently a Criterion Collection release which, I have no doubt, rectifies all these errors.

All in all, Late Autumn is certainly worth watching. It's not a groundbreaking or lifechanging film but it certainly is a worthwhile way to spend two hours if you have any interest in Japanese films or culture.

Labels: 31 days of film, Classics, Japanese

To get in the spirit of next month's 31 days of film I decided to start watching some silents. I kicked it all of tonight with a film I've been meaning to see for ages, Little Annie Rooney.

When Mary Pickford's popularity began to wane in the mid 20s she asked the readers of a fan magazine to write and let her know what sort of part the public wanted to see her play. After all, she was a big mogul at United Artists and could make any picture she wanted and thus there was no excuse for failure. Fans responded that the role they most wanted her to play was the feisty little girl character that she had played in the previous decade in such films as Pollyanna and Daddy Long Legs. Her response was to make this film where she plays twelve year old Annie Rooney. Fans apparently didn't care that she was 32 at the time as the film was a big success.

It is 1925 in a New York City slum. The various immigrants have settled together and many form "gangs." Leading one gang of children is Annie Rooney, a feisty tomboyish twelve year old willing to start a huge brick fight over a boy calling her his sweetheart. She lives with her brother and widowed father and secretly crushes on Joy Kelley played by William Haines (7 years her junior by the way.)

There is a little slapstick and physical comedy although most of the humor is subtle and leaves you more with a smile rather than rolling in the aisles. Little Annie Rooney is a rather simple film and for those unaccustomed to silents might seem a little odd. Much of the movie's humor comes from the ethnic stereotypes of the neighborhood's multicultural makeup and many of today's audiences might not see the humor in this and might miss the fact that the neighborhood melting pot seems to coexist despite their differences.

While Little Annie Rooney is an entertaining film it is a little short on plot. The film really doesn't pick up until the last half hour and then it runs at breakneck speed right until the end. The cinematography is typical for silents and there's nothing truly groundbreaking although for those new to silents you might find some of the visual storytelling camera tricks to be a bit unusual by today's standards as they were deemed obsolete when talkies came in.

All in all, Little Annie Rooney is a classic and should certainly be seen by any silent film buff. It's not the best silent out there but if you're looking to move beyond the slapstick comedies you could do a lot worse.

By the way, the director of this film, William Beaudine, later on would direct Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla. How cool is that?

Labels: Classics, Silent Films

After watching and reviewing the first season of Emma, I knew that I had to see more. Thanks to a DVD sale at Deep Discount I was able to pick up the show relatively cheap and let me tell you, this is a show that is worth just about any price.

Picking up where the first season lets off we see Emma in a new house working for the Molders, a wealthy German family. She has a new life and even makes new friends and tries desperately to leave William behind and to, in her eyes, set him free.

William, on the other hand falls into a state of depression and drowns his sorrow in work and longs for Emma. When his attempts to find her fail his eyes turn to the ever available Eleanor Campbell as a means to ease his lonliness. He even goes so far as to propose to her. While we the viewers look on in shock, it's all that's needed to get the gears of fate moving as he is reunited by chance with his beloved Emma at his own engagement party.

Season 2 is quite different from its quaint romantic predecessor. Instead of the subtleties we learn from the quiet pace of the courtship of William and Emma, we instead are treated to something a bit more conventional in the way of romance. The story has its twists and turns yet you always hope and know that we will eventually get a happy ending.

Emma is a rare breed in the world of anime. In most anime containing maids they are there simply for fanservice or to add moments of slapstick. Emma instead moves us beyond that stereotype of the teenage boy's fantasy and instead shows us what life was like for an entire profession and class of women in the 19th century.

My only disappointment is that since Emma is a rather niche title a dub was impossible as it would be too cost prohibitive. This is a show that really deserves a full dub of British actors using various accents to flesh the characters out a little. I can almost imagine what extra dimension this could add to an already fine show.

While Emma isn't a masterpiece in the true since of the word, it's flaws of a somewhat predictable story can be easily overlooked in its masterful storytelling. For the same reason people flock to see the newest romantic comedy or why they want to see Lassie get Timmy from the mineshaft for the umteenth time people love a good romance. You can certainly do a lot worse than Emma.

Highly Recommended!

Labels: Anime, Classics

Emma: A Victorian Romance is the tale of two lovers across social divides trying desperately to overcome prejudice and social constrictions of 19th century London. Sure the story has been done countless times in books, films and television shows and yet never once does it feel forced or fake. They could have taken this in a trashy romance novel direction and yet they deliver a great deal of honesty and accuracy. I really don't want to say any more as that would spoil the plot but I will say that the show kept my interest throughout.

For someone who appreciates antiques and Victorian fashion in general the show is a plethora of Victorian fashion and stylings. To do such a show in live action would require either an astronomical budget or fall into the anacronism trap that many period pieces fall into. Still, it would be nice to see.

RightStuf (aka Nozomi Entertainment) did a great job on this DVD set. The picture and sound are excellent and the extras are nice. I try and support every release of Nozomi as they tend to listen to the fans the most. In fact I already have Season 2 of Emma and Season 1 of Maria Sama ga Miteru ordered.

In short it is simply one of the best anime releases this year.

Labels: Anime, Classics

Last night in honor of Halloween (a holiday that I normally have no love for) I did manage to get in one monster film. As is expected for me, it was a Godzilla film.

Terror of Mechagodzilla or Mekagojira no Gyakush? ( ????????) is the last of the Showa or original series of Godzilla films. It's also one of the best.

The film is a direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla and generally picks up where the last movie left off. INTERPOL is searching for the remains of Mechagodzilla, apparently to study its technology. Strangely they can't find any space titanium but they do find a giant aquatic dinosaur which destroys their sub. It turns out this is Titanosaurus, a new monster, under the control of the mad scientist Dr. Mifune who has teamed up with the aliens of the Third Planet of the Black Hole. Teaming with Titanosaurus is a new upgraded version of Mechagodzilla.

The film, despite scoring the lowest ticket sales of any Godzilla film is a return to the greatness of much earlier Toho monster films without being flat out weird like Hedorah. While there are some rather silly elements to it (e. g. Godzilla saving some children from Titanosaurus) and the horrors of the dead and dying on the mass scale are kept relatively minimal, there is a dark and somewhat depressing look at the Mifunes, especially Dr. Mifune's daughter Katsura. Akira Ifukube's score is wonderful and it certainly fits the dark nature of the film.

I definitely say to watch this one but to skip the English dubbed version. There's an annoying intro tacked on with a completely innacurate narration. The Japanese version also has some scenes not included in the dubbed version.

Labels: Classics, Godzilla, Japanese, sci-fi

In what seems like ages I have returned again to one show that gets put on the shelf for far too long. Maison Ikkoku is quite simply put an absolute masterpiece. It's also a crying shame that I shelve it to "spread it out" over time instead of just watching it all. After all, I can tell that once I'm finished with it I will go back to it again and again.

In these episodes we get to peek more into the life of young Yusaku Godai. The poor guy never can catch a break and yet strangely has a few female admirers despite his undying love for Kyoko. In these episodes things seem to get more and more confusing for the guy as he now heads out looking for a "real" job. As a man who was in this situation last year (and is somewhat considering doing it all over again next year or the year after) I can certainly see where he is coming from and how frustrating life can be.

What's a crying shame is how these are now out of print. Sadly, despite Maison Ikkoku being a masterpiece, the American anime fan never was willing to pony up the cash for it. If you do get a chance, check it out. You won't regret it!

Labels: Anime, Classics, Maison Ikkoku

Well, after waiting almost a year since watching volume 5, I finally have gotten around to watching the final volume of Sugar.

Basically since I don't want to spoil the show, I will simply state that it is one of my favorite anime shows that I've seen. There really is something magical and delightful about the show that really keeps me entertained. There's nothing objectionable and I can certainly see this as a show that I would show my kids someday should I ever have any.

Excellent and recommended in the highest way possible! Too bad it's out of print.

Labels: Animation, Anime, Classics

So I'm starting a few new anime series to try and break me out of my anime slump. Figuring I should go for a classic instead of taking a chance on some mediocre backlog entry I went ahead and tried a classic: The Rose of Versailles.

The Rose of Versailles (or Lady Oscar) is a great 18th century drama in pre-Revolution France about a woman raised as a boy who excels in swordsmanship and raises to head of the Royal Guards and ends up as the personal protector of the new princess Marie Antoinette.

So I'm eight episodes into the show and I can really see why people adore it so. The characters are rich and interesting instead of many of the stereotypical anime characters of most other shows. I guess it's true that a classic does last forever.

Labels: Anime, Classics

After watching a Japanese interpretation of an alien invasion last night with Invasion of the Astro Monster, I decided to take a look at an American interpretation tonight. For those worried, this review is, like the rest of my website, 100% Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning free.

War of the Worlds began its life as a novel by H. G. Welles. It took place in Victorian England and was a very pessimistic, satiric and depressing book. In this version the satire seems to be missing with the adaptation being more of an apocalyptic struggle somewhat akin to what people at the time would think of the Russian threat.

The film also has a distinctive religious feel to it with the aliens taking the place of the armies of Satan and the people reacting in different ways with some turning to brutality, many fleeing and some trying to solve the problems themselves while at the end we see the last of the people left just trusting in God to deliver them from the evil.

It's a great film and one of the few science fiction films that really can connect to me. It's as relevant today as it was over 50 years ago. Definitely recommended.

Labels: Action, Classics, sci-fi

It's no secret that I am a Godzilla fan so for those who don't want to read another one of my fanboy reviews full of praises for my favorite giant monster series, please read my reviews for Final Wars and Tokyo SOS.

Invasion of the Astro Monster (aka Monster Zero) is my absolute favorite of all the color Showa Godzilla films. While I do love Godzilla vs. the Thing, it's hard to negate the fact that Monster Zero is a very solid, albeit goofy film. It's also the only Godzilla movie I prefer dubbed over the subtitled version.

The reason I prefer the dubbed version is simple and his name is Nick Adams. Known to US audiences mostly as TV's Johnny Yuma or the blond guy who would show up on everything from Wanted: Dead or Alive to 77 Sunset Strip (and most anyone who ever appeared on that show is cool by me.) I however, will always remember him as the drunk Harvard man after Doris Day in Pillow Talk. Sadly, his acting career for some reason never took off to where it should have been. He was a top notch actor and his early death left a void in both Hollywood and Japan that was never filled. He is also, in my view, the best gajin to ever appear in a Godzilla movie. (I don't count Raymond Burr as he was edited into the first Godzilla film)

Anyway, the DVD is top notch. They have the subtitled version complete with Nick Adams being dubbed by a Japanese actor and the slightly edited American release complete with the Henry G. Saperstein titles, although they do not include the Astro Monster title card. The extras are nice although a bit scarce. I actually found myself enjoying the commentary and will have to give it a full listen as I just sampled it for the review.

My advice is to pick this up now. There isn't much left for Godzilla films. Classic Media will be releasing All Monsters Attack and, one of my favorites, Terror of Mechagodzilla later this year. That will only leave Megalon in limbo for an official release. Maybe someday ...

Labels: Classics, Godzilla, sci-fi

Lupin The III: The Castle of Cagliostro: Here we have the first of the Lupin the 3rd movies. In this film Lupin instead of selfishly stealing great treasure instead uses his skills to help rescue a princess in need.

I have to say after watching it I have a bit of mixed feelings over it. On the one hand it was a fabulous adventure. The sheer scope and magnitude of the castle and the lengths Lupin went to rescue the princess were amazing. I was literally on the edge of my seat during most of the film.

On the other hand, I kept thinking to myself during the film that it really didn't seem like Lupin. He seemed a bit too kind in a way and I expected him to be more of the letch and con-man that we've all come to know and love and yet here we see a more kind and caring Lupin. That's not to say it's a bad thing, it's just different.

This film has taken a life of its own thanks to its director, Hayao Miyazaki. Before creating Studio Ghibli and creating such classics as Totoro and Spirited Away, Miyazaki was an animation director for a few Lupin the 3rd TV episodes and was chosen to direct this film. This is most certainly the reason for the changes and the art style of the film is very Ghibli-like.

I definitely recommend this film to all anime fans and also to those looking for a good movie. After checking it out, though, I suggest you go check out the Lupin the 3rd TV series next.

Labels: Anime, Classics, Japanese

The Absent-Minded Professor: Here we have perhaps the greatest live-action movie Disney ever made.

Fred MacMurray plays Professor Brainard. He's the typical college professor who is so involved in his research that he neglects to attend his own wedding, three times! Of course all was not in vain as he missed it while discovering a great new source of energy: flubber!

The rest of the story plays out just as one would expect a Disney movie to do. There's the usual family friendly situations coupled with quite a few

This is definitely recommended. Just be sure to skip the colorized version as well as the incredibly terrible remake starring Robin Williams.

Labels: Classics, Comedy, Disney

Rashomon: The Criterion Collection: Here we have another masterpiece from Japan's greatest director.

Rashomon is a simple story and at the same time a very complex narrative which filmmakers have tried to emulate in everything from television episodes to worldwide film hits like Hero. A man is killed and found dead in the forest. There are only a few clues as to what happened so we as the audience are left to figure out based on the testimonies of various characters in the story to determine what is real and what is not.

The film has many strengths and not the least of which is the cast. Toshiro Mifune is, as always, fantastic and other Kurosawa regulars Minoru Chiaki and Takashi Shimura put in great performances as well. The most incredible performance, however, comes from Machiko Kyo in her role as the woman.

After seeing so much crap, watching a Kurosawa movie is a good way to restore your hope in filmmakers. If only we could get today's directors, actors and cinematographers to really study these films along with the works of Orson Welles and Victor Flemming then perhaps we can go to the movies again without fear.

Labels: Classics, Japanese, Kurosawa

Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon: Season 1: Many anime fans my age were either brought into the genre by either one of about three or four series. Your "gateway" was either Dragonball Z, Tenchi Muyo, Pokemon or Sailor Moon. While my personal gateways were Speed Racer and Dragon Ball Z, I must confess that in my eleven years as an anime fan I had never seen the first Sailor Moon series in its entirety. Back in Summer of 2004 I was willing to give the show another chance and due to a sale at RightStuf I was able to snag this and Season 2 for $50 each. Since then the show has gone out of print and the DVDs nearly impossible to find. Still, I feel it necessary to at least say a few words about it.

Sailor Moon is a series that really needs no explaining. It has transcended as an anime and has become a pop culture icon from Japan to Europe to the US. Since its original manga form it has spawned several TV series, a live Action Japanese version, several musicals, a horrid Americanized live action version which, thank God, never got beyond a promo reel and more merchandise than one could ever hope to collect in a lifetime.

Viewing it without anything else and placing this series in a bubble is a bit difficult if not impossible. To be quite honest, many of the episodes are silly filler where Sailor Moon and co. go up against another monster of the week and using the same stock footage are able to defeat her. Of course this is quite entertaining filler, it is filler nonetheless.

Still, throughout it all I will say that I am glad that I did watch it, even if it took me over two years to finish the set. I guess in two more years I'll have watched R.

Labels: Anime, Classics

Citizen Kane: Over the last few years I have spoken on many films. In these last 546 posts I never once felt nervous writing about a film and yet with Kane I do not feel I can say anything about the film which hasn't been said hundreds of times before by people much more educated and learned than myself. With that said, I can at least try to at least give my reaction to this masterpiece.

At the ripe age of 25 a radio actor/director previously known for his radio show including the infamous War of the Worlds broadcast came to RKO in Hollywood to make a movie. What he made still stands up as the greatest movie in the history of film. It is by no stretch that I can make such an absolute declarative statement on what many would think is subject to the opinions of every filmgoer and to be fair there are quite a lot of people, including my mother, who do not like this film. I try not to critisize them over it too much but I think I tend to trust the opinions of those who have seen more movies and have a greater understanding of what film is and can be.

Citizen Kane, love it or hate it, is part of our culture. Most people who are movie fans have seen it at least once and a great many people can even tell you what Rosebud is without seeing the picture. Citizen Kane is what it is. It is complex and simple.

On a side note, the reporter who goes in search of Kane is none other than Mr William Alland. MST3K fans fondly remember him as "All And All the Time." After starring in this film he would later go on to produce B-movies over at Universal during the 1950s. Many of these are classics of another nature such as "The Deadly Mantis."

Labels: Classics

Throne of Blood: Akira Kurosawa was a master of film. There is little that can be denied there in that his films are universally praised by most film critics. Throne of Blood is no exception to this as it was quite good and is well received by most critics.

The story is basically Macbeth set in Feudal Japan. Instead of Macbeth we have Washizu played by Japanese legend Toshiro Mifune. Also instead of the witches there is a single evil spirit who predicts the rise and fall of Washizu. Outside of other minor details, this is a pretty good version of Macbeth. The only thing I can notice is that Washizu's wife seems even more wicked than Lady Macbeth.

This is definitely one of Kurosawa's best films and is something that any serious student of film should watch. Fans of Shakespeare might appreciate it as well

Labels: Classics, Japanese, Kurosawa

Carmen Comes Home: Here we have a monumental film in the history of Japanese cinema. Karumen Kokyo ni Kaeru (or Carmen Comes Home) was the first color film made in Japan. With this knowledge, and little else, I decided to pick up this film expecting a simple comedy film where the city mouse meets the country mice. What a surprise I was in for!

As I stated before, this film was the first made in Color in Japan. While American audiences had delighted in Technicolor films since the 20s, the incredibly expensive equipment made it impossible for Japanese film studios to afford it. It wasn't until 1951 when the newly developed Fujicolor Motion Picture film was made available was then popular director Keisuke Kinoshita given the go ahead to produce the first color film in this humble comedy / drama.

Carmen Comes Home is, on the surface, a simple movie and yet it has layers of complexity that allow it to be interpreted in many ways. The story centers on Okin, a young girl in a small town near Mt. Ayama who ran away to Tokyo to follow her "art" and took on the Western name of Lily Carmen. The people of the town don't know quite what to expect but when she comes home to her town she finds that she doesn't very much fit in.

The film uses two characters: Carmen and the blind harmonium player Haruo to show the contrasts between the two different generations and the different ways that the country was then headed. Carmen was somewhat of an exotic dancer who brings in much money and is adored for her looks and yet her life is shown as quite hollow and empty. Haruo, on the other hand, came back from the war blind and has his more traditional art of harmonium playing. While Carmen is wealthy with her art, Haruo is quite in debt and while his wife works hard to support them, they are deep in debt and have lost their harmonium. Yet, he is respected while Carmen is, in some ways, just the novelty girl who takes her top off and brings shame to her family.

The moral of the story is a bit muddled. One could view it perhaps a half dozen different ways. I guess Kinoshita wanted his audience to decide for themselves. Despite the more perplexing nature of this film, I can say I have no regrets buying it and would recommend it to any serious film lover.

Note: The sources used for this review were: Fujifilm UK and the DVD liner notes.

Labels: Classics, Japanese

My extremely large Hong Kong order came in today. After sorting them, adding them to my DVD Profiler database and spot checking a few, I settled in to watch one for the evening. I decided to pick something different from the lot and something, perhaps, that I could watch with my dad. I decided to pick one of the two silent movies I bought as he can keep up with those a little better.

Days of Youth: Here we have a story that just happens to take place in Tokyo but has been told many times, in many places and in many languages. We meet two college students: Watanabe, the carefree goof and Yamamoto, who is a more straight faced fellow who reminds me a lot of Harold Lloyd. They are friends who live together and at the same time meet and fall in love with the same girl. They both put off their courtship until their studies are over but end up meeting and fighting over her while on a ski trip.

There are a few interesting aspects of this film which really make it special. First, it is the oldest surviving film made by famed director Yasujiro Ozu. Secondly it's a silent movie that has very distinct Hollywood tendencies about it. The film mostly plays out like some of Harold Lloyd's film and I think he could have done quite well with the same material.

One other observation of the film is that Yamamoto wears a jacket in which the words "Smack Front Only" are printed on the back in English. It's good to know Engrish goes back a long way.

Labels: Classics, Japanese, Silent Films

The Classic Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection: While I wouldn't exactly call it an "Ultimate Collection," I would say that it is a fairly decent set as far as a collection of lesser Universal horror movies can go. For this release, I will start the review and add entries as each movie is reviewed.

One peculiar thing to note is that this was a Best Buy exclusive. It seems strange to make a set like this exclusive but then, I suppose that these films are not what you'd call the greatest films ever made. They were made with a budget and use a hefty dose of stock footage and Henry Mancini composed stock music. Of course In my opinion one of the best features of these films was the use of Universal's talent in such B-stars as John Agar and Leo G. Carroll as well as others who would make their memorable marks on television like Hugh Beaumont, Hank Patterson and Raymond Baily. The plots are usually simple and most often feature a cool scientist or doctor, a cute girl, some old men and a monster. You can't really ask for much more in a film, can you?

Now, on to the movies!

Tarantula: Universal's forays into the giant bug genre may not have been the first, but they did produce some of the better ones. Tarantula is a story of a bug who got a hefty dose of a radioactive serum that was somehow meant to help the world's food supply. Of course it makes a big problem in the form of a giant spider which attacks the locals.

All in all, a decent B monster film.

By the way, if the leader of the jet squadron looks and sounds familiar, it's because it's a young Clint Eastwood before Rawhide made him a star.

The Mole People: Not Yet Reviewed

The Incredible Shrinking Man: Not Yet Reviewed

The Monolith Monsters: Not Yet Reviewed

Monster on the Campus: Wow! An ancient fish is found whose blood can somehow make man reverse the evolution process and become a monster. With all the phony science (evolution et. all) we get a guy in a rubber mask who kills, a giant puppet dragonfly and Troy Donahue! Total cheese that deserves to be forgotten.

Originally posted: 10/25. Updated: 10/29

Labels: Classics, sci-fi