Film class!

[eurydicebound]

Fell behind on updating for film class, so here we are. There've been a couple of viewings since we last posted. The first, Ugetsu, is a 1959 Japanese film by Kenji Mizoguchi set during the 16th century civil war. It focuses on two couples: Genjuro (I have just butchered that name) and Miyagi and their son, little G. Junior (not his real name) and the couple Tobei and Ohama. Genjuro is a potter and Tobei wants to be a samurai, and both their wives think they're overreaching a bit -- Miyagi when Genjuro gets money crazed when he realizes there's a new market for his pottery born out of the war, and Tobei for thinking he can leave home and become a famous samurai from only being a poor farmer.

The two men set about pursuing their dreams despite the objections of their wives (and with their support, more or less in the case of Tobei). They are forced out of their homes by the war, the men run off and leave their families, and bad things happen back home. They come back to find their lives and wives transfigured, and thus lessons are learned.

The second, Eraserhead, is a David Lynch film that is... gah. Honestly, I couldn't watch this film. You see, my particular minor legacy from the autism spectrum (among other things) is that I'm hyper sensitive and easily overwhelmed from a sensory perspective. Some songs/sounds induce nausea in me, for example, not to mention tactile input. Somehow, Lynch managed to tap into whatever is the perfect storm of making me ill from simply watching a movie, to the point that even short, otherwise not entirely disturbing scenes make me queasy. When we start adding in the disturbing content, I just can't tolerate it any longer. I wasn't feeling well the night of the viewing anyway, but subsequent attempts have reaffirmed my first impressions. Gaaaaaaaaaaah. I can appreciate that it's well made and it has a vision, but it's just beyond me to get through it. Sorry, Mr. Lynch. Then again, if you knew about the visceral reaction I'm having, you'd probably be pleased and proud.

Next up, Run Lola Run.

Oh, and also, I'm writing my paper about The Orphanage, a 2007 film by first-time director Juan Antonio Bayona. It really is an amazing film and I can't recommend it enough. Go watch it and then come back and talk to me about it. :)

Comments

[innocent-man.livejournal.com]

Run Lola Run is a Mage movie. I'd like to see it again, actually.

[doccross.livejournal.com]

Eraserhead is still my benchmark for "worst waste of film that isn't even bad enough to hate". It's a perfect example of why, after dropping acid several times, one should not try to replicate the trips on film.

[amieroserotruck.livejournal.com]

LOVE The Orphanage! You ought to consider submitting that to the film division of icfa.

[fortinbras16.livejournal.com]

I still need to see Orphanage, it's one of those films that I've been wanting to see since it came out.

Lola Rennt is AWESOME. One of my favorite films, and a really interesting premise.

[ennui-13.livejournal.com]

Try watching Orphanage, outside, in a pitch black field. So, the creeps.

[metallian.livejournal.com]

I've got to see Eraserhead one of these days. It's on my Instant Queue.

And yes, Run Lola Run is awesome.