The Tale of the Floating World

This film is a continuation and update of Tales of the Floating World, written by Asai Ryoi in 1666. The central topic is Ukiyo; the concept that life is transitory and nothing worldly lasts forever. In the original story Ryoi makes clear how the then ancient conclusion that one must react to Ukiyo by putting one's energy into lasting spiritual matters, has been replaced by urban Edo period ideals which encouraged one to enjoy the pleasures of life as if each day were your last. Alain Escalle does the same thing by showing how ordinary lives of everyday pleasure, are annihilated by the bombing of Hiroshima. As the original text follows a monk who learns his life lessons from debauchery, this film starts with a monk reflecting on his childhood of simple pleasures. Once the bomb is dropped, life itself becomes corrupted and confusion reins. A cultured Koto player from the past is left to roam the wasteland like a ghost. Even the samurai satirized in the original text for his seriousness makes an appearance here; dreaming of a traditional battle, only to awaken to the nightmare of no honorable foe to face in combat. Escalle allows precious little dialog, so the resolution of the story is certainly left up to the viewer; but one might connect the fact that this is all shown as a flashback from the mind of the monk, and reflect on the fact that the boy who experienced this grew up to become that monk. A conclusion of that might be that Escalle is showing how the Edo period ideals of debauchery could be seen to turn back to the original ancient conclusion on the issue of Ukiyo; putting one's energy into lasting spiritual matters. But that's only one way to read the story within this visual feast.