Sonezaki shinju

With a cinematography of Kazuo Miyagawa (Rashoomon, Ugetsu Monogatari...), no need to say this movie is beautifully shot.

It is actually bunraku, that is traditional Japanese puppet theater (i.e. kabuki with puppets) with the traditional music and way of singing/reciting associated with bunraku and kabuki. The puppets are very expressive (that is all the art of bunraku). You might have seen such puppets in Kitano's Dolls, so you know what I am talking about.

The plot is like half of the kabuki repertoire: a young man loves a geisha, but Japanese society, rules, their respective position, etc. would not allow their marriage. Therefore they chose to flee and commit suicide together. Hence the title.

That's all very beautiful, very expressive, very romantic, very colorful, very exotic.

And the play is a classic.