Synss

The movie was released at a time when Japan was searching for values to orient its youth and the Yakuza code was heavily used and offered as a model in movies of that period. The whole point of Ichikawa is to ridicule these values, showing Yakuza as a bunch of poor minded wanderers, unworthy cowards following kiddish rules without ever questioning them.

The point of view of Ichikawa is made clear throughout the movie, but without extra emphasis. The movie thus remains very entertaining. The portrait of the ill-fated main character's girlfriend is especially moving.

It is a brilliant parody of Yakuza movies and should definitely give a different look at any Yakuza movie you might see afterward.

In the Japanese countryside, young girls dream of going to the city find a little job like conductress because of the pretty uniform. But conductress is not so much fun after all. Then they dream about Love... And get lost in a labyrinth of dreams.

Seems a simple plot but wait...

That is one of the few psychological thrillers where you keep wondering until the very end if what you think will happen is really going to happen.

Plus great acting (esp. Tadanobu Asano), plus excellent cinematography, black and white and music just add something to the overall mood.

Highly recommended!

Movies by Uchida Tomu were subtitled very recently and are only shown at festivals... but not to be missed.

Here, the demonstration is done that Love never works, through three (or is it one? --- it is one) impossible-love-stories.

It could seem to start like an epic movie, but it is definitely not so: Mixing elements of noh, kabuki and kinky erotic; assumed filmed theater and "normal" movie; and much more, the movie is never messy. The story is complex enough and can be seen a different levels, but it remains clear and understandable. That is art and entertainment. And not depressing though the subject is not optimistic.

Another extremely good Japanese movie from the 60's.