“いっそ抱き殺して...罪の深さに焙られながら めらめら燃える愛の肌ー”
兵隊帰りの若者は、40歳すぎながらまだまだ若くみえる人力車夫の妻と関係を持つ。26歳も年が離れていることを知りつつ若者との関係を断つことのできない女は、ついに若者と共謀し夫を殺害、井戸の中に投げ捨てる。しかしそれから、夢の中で車夫を見たという者が現れ、やがて妻や若者の前にも車夫の亡霊が姿を見せるようになる。
映画化された原作や関連書籍を読んで、映像との違いや独自の世界観を楽しみましょう。
監督: 大島渚
音楽: 武満徹
制作: Anatole Dauman / Shigeru Wakatsuki
撮影監督: 宮島義勇
制作会社: TOHO-TOWA / Argos films / Oshima Productions
I am a great fan of Ôshima's work, though unfortunately I have only seen previously six films of his, all between 1965's 'Pleasures of the Flesh' and 1976's extremely controversial 'In the Realm of the Senses'. This, like the latter, was a period piece that looked at a doomed relationship (this time in 1895), though far less scandalous in its sexuality, though still titillating nevertheless. Exiled and forced to work with the French in order to continue his passion, Ôshima's storytelling, through Yoshio Miyajima's gorgeous camerawork and another exemplary soundtrack by Japanese scoring genius, Tôru Takemitsu, and remarkably passion-ate performances by its stars, Tatsuya Fuji (who separated his shoulder, his acting was so intense) and Kazuko Yoshiyuki (who, I must admit, has the most amazing nipples I have ever seen), was great, earning him Best Director at Cannes. It seemed a reverse noir, with Fuji's Toyoji playing the seducer, and Yoshiuki's once-faithful wife being persuaded to be co-conspirator to her loving (but not fulfilling her desires) rickshaw-driver husband, not to mention a fine ghost story, with Gisaburo's very patient ghost taking three years to finally bring himself justice, by forcing the community to press the horribly-incompetent (almost as inept as Doug McGrath's Sergeant Nash in the original 'Black Christmas'!) Inspector Hotta to eventually torture confessions out of the ill-fated duo. Another film to see with the person you love!...
