Sun, Sweat, and Smoke: The Visuals of Koreyoshi Kurahara

One of the most striking things about the films in Criterion/Eclipse’s new Koreyoshi Kurahara set is that – despite their disparity in theme, genre, and tone – they all share an urgent, kinetic style that reminds me of Scorsese at his most gutsy. From the chaotic WARPED ONES to the ostensible romantic dramedy I HATE BUT LOVE, Kurahara never lets his audience feel secure for very long. 

Which makes it hard for me to convey Kurahara’s skittering style via the staid still frame showcase that I love so much. But I’m going to try it anyway since I really believe he’s a filmmaker whom young, piss-n-vinegar-filled filmmakers would do well to study.  With his Ginsu editing and kamikaze camerawork, Kurahara’s got style to burn (as I say in my review over at GreenCine) and knows how to fill a frame. Here’s a brief, frame grab-heavy tour of the set (and, note well, it contains spoilers).

"Get the hell out of my fortress!"

CUL-DE-SAC (1966) is Roman Polanski’s third feature film and his third (and final) film in black and white. For those into making arbitrary trilogies*, CUL-DE-SAC and its predecessors (KNIFE IN THE WATER and REPULSION) create a Polanski sourdough starter of sorts: the germ of Polanski’s entire subsequent filmography can be found in these three films (all available from the Criterion Collection, with CUL-DE-SAC hitting the streets tomorrow).

Sunshiney Intimidation

Yesterday's mail brought two unexpected surprises: Criterion's latest Eclipse set (THE WARPED WORLD OF KOREYOSHI KURAHARA) and their forthcoming disc of Lee Chang-Dong's SECRET SUNSHINE. I know nothing of either filmmaker and plan on keeping it that way. Normally, I'd be doing as much pre-screening research/viewing as was possible. In this case, I'm too busy and am kind of looking forward to going into these films absolutely blind, without any expectation (aside from the implicit "Cinephile-Approved" baggage that accompanies anything coming from the Criterion label). It's rare that I watch a film without knowing anything about it or its makers, so this should be fun.

Ape-Hangin'

Well, my review of Apichatpong Weerasethakul's UNCLE BOONMEE ETC. ETC. has posted. Like his other films, I find BOONMEE more and more compelling as I digest it. It'll require more viewings but I'm moving on to another blindspot: Satyajit Ray, in anticipation of next Tuesday's Criterion release of THE MUSIC ROOM. I've had the Apu Trilogy sitting on top of my DVD player for about a week and the time has come to reckon with India's most well-known filmmaker.

Regarding BOONMEE, I doubt there will be too many images this year that are halfway as arresting as this:

Hello, "Joe!"

After campaigning to review UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (aka 2010's Palme d'Or winner) for GreenCine, I got the assignment. And now I'm a bit terrified. Part of it is that many other much smarter and more qualified folks have already spilled ink about the thing. I’m not so much standing on the shoulders of giants as I am clawing my way up their backs. But worse is the fact that, other than a charming short, I've never seen another film by Apichatpong "Joe" Weerasethakul.

This holiday weekend, I began to remedy this bit of cine-oblivion on my part by taking in SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY, Weerasethakul's fourth feature. I'd hoped to catch up with all of his work prior to the Tuesday, July 12th DVD release of BOONMEE but, realistically, that's not going to happen. What follows are my flop sweat-drenched ruminations on SYNDROMES.

People On Melodrama

- Brigitte (Brigitte Borchert) fires up her beach-worthy Victrola and blasts "In a Little Pastry Shop" to the delight of her fellow PEOPLE ON SUNDAY. Ms. Borchert appears in the film and, in a mildly revealing documentary that appears as a supplement on the Criterion disc, discusses her memories of its making. Most notable is the fact that she received double the pay of her cast mates and spent her per diem on sausage and potatoes. Like I said: mildly revealing.

- At the end of their outing, Wolfgang and Erwin are down to one cigarette and compelled to share. They smoke and have a laugh about the emptiness of Wolfgang's promise to call Brigitte (his fling-for-a-day) for a follow-up date. It's probably my favorite moment in the film, signaling their exhausted resources as well as their loyalty to each other. My review, for GreenCine, can be found here.

- A wholly different seaside outing ends badly in Raffaello Matarazzo's THE WHITE ANGEL. One of the amazing things about the films in this Eclipse set is the filmmakers' willingness to whimsically dispatch characters -- minor and major -- to their doom, all in service of the feverish plots.

- A rare moment of calm allows Guido (Amedeo Nazzari) a chance to reflect on the hand dealt to him by the screenwri- er, fate. My take on the exquisite Matarazzo set is not yet published but should be soon enough.

UPDATE: Here is said review.

Font Fetish

One of the many pleasures of watching Criterion's new edition of the Ulmer/Siodmak/Wilder/Zinnemann/etc.-helmed PEOPLE ON SUNDAY is that the pristine restoration allows the viewer to luxuriate in the Weimar-era graphic design and architecture. I will be posting a link to a review shortly.