(Originally posted at LiveJournal on August 15, 2008.)
Archive for August, 2010
too many meetings
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
(The One True) Blue Beetle
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
The Ted Kord Blue Beetle was my favorite super-hero when I was a kid. When DC mercilessly killed him off, I was sad about it for days — and yes, I felt ridiculous about it.
On Multiplex and cut-and-paste comics
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
(Originally posted at LiveJournal on July 29, 2008.)
Review: Four films by Seijun Suzuki
Monday, August 16th, 2010
Underworld Beauty
Starring Michitaro Mizushima, Mari Shiraki, Yusuke Ashida, Toru Abe and Hideaki Nitani.
Tokyo Drifter
Starring Tetsuya Watari, Tamio Kawaji, Ryuji Kita, Chieko Matsubara and Hideaki Nitani.
Branded to Kill
Starring Koji Nanbara, Joe Shishido, Mariko Ogawa and Annu Mari.
Kanto Wanderer
Starring Chieko Matsubara, Hiroko Ito and Akira Kobayashi.
Seijun Suzuki worked as a director in the Japanese studio system from 1956 to 1967, until, after filming Branded to Kill, he was fired for making an “incomprehensible” film, and, after having seen four of his films, it’s pretty hard to argue that claim. Taking the unprecedented act of suing his former production company, Nikkatsu, he won, but soon found himself blacklisted and didn’t make another movie for 10 years. Seijun Suzuki’s films are shockingly innovative on a visual level, and his characteristic narrative tangles have been a huge influence on modern-day filmmakers from Wong Kar Wai to Quentin Tarantino.