A classic

To be honest, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this flick but since it was included in the ‘1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die’ list, I was quite eager to check it out. I have to admit that I’m not really familiar with Kenji Mizoguchi’s work but it is really neat to finally discover this great Japanese master. Anyway, I was rather impressed by how modern this tale actually turned out to be. Indeed, it was basically a story dealing with stardom, art, and love but it could just as well have taken place nowadays. Seriously, I could really picture a modern version dealing with the son of some popstar. Anyway, the main character was such a lonely guy who always lived in the shadows of his illustrious father and, basically, during his whole life, no one really ‘spoke’ with him. Instead, they kept giving him some empty and fake compliments and it’s so interesting because you can be pretty sure that’s how things still go nowadays with most celebrities. Of course, it might seem dubious that he would fall in love with the very first girl that finally tells him something real but I think it’s actually understandable. Indeed, for someone like him, to finally have an actual conversation with another human-being must have been quite intoxicating, even irresistible. On the other hand, you might wonder what Otoku really did get from this relationship but there is no denying that both characters somehow felt a deep connection for each other. I also loved the idea that an actor is like any other artist, in order to become great, they probably should have to face many obstacles because, eventually, how could you portray an emotion that you have never experienced? Anyway, to conclude, even if it might not be an easy watch, I really enjoyed the damned thing and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.