Lost In Translation

Dr. Akagi

Dr. Akagi (1998) aka "Dr. Liver" is a Shohei Imamaura film adapted from a novel. This is clear in some of the themes and characters. Nature and animals often play symbolic roles in Imamaura films and this is no exception. Imamaura is also fascinated with earthy, sexual women who act as natural beings rather than constructs of society--and the comic prostitute Sonoko fills this role in the film. Dr. Akagi is a rural doctor on a island in the Seto Sea near the close of the war who is battling against an outbreak of hepatitis, which is a metaphor for the mindless patriotism that drives people to sustain an unwinable war. Imamura also shows tolerance for the weakness of his characters: Sonoko's prostitution, the priests drinking, the escaped Dutch prisoner, and the other doctor's morphine addicition. The film is subtly critical in making allusions wartime atrocities like "The Nanking Incident" and the doctors who did cruel experiments on POWs, Unit 731 (going as far to suggest that Akagi's son may have been complicit in the group since he was stationed in Manchuria). The ending shows the fruits of this patriotic disease as the Japanese experienced it in Hiroshima nd Nagasaki.

The Savage Detectives

The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano came out in English to much fanfare in 2007 (NY Times, LA Times, Washington Post, New York Magazine Top 10, etc.), and it piqued my interest. But first I read and enjoyed, By Night In Chile, because I was daunted by the length of this novel, weighing in at 648 pages. It is an epic, sprawling novel with a cast of hundreds-dozens of testimonials from characters recalling the founders of the "visceral realists" movement, dozens of dozens of Latin writers name checked, allusions to history, language, as well as taking place in dozens of locations throughout the world. That being said, it is primarily about Mexico, as the inscription from a favorite under appreciated novel suggests:

    "Do you want Mexico to be saved? Do you want Christ to be our king?"

    "No."  Malcolm Lowry

This aspect of the novel gave me an appreciation for Mexico City as a cosmopolitan place full of culture (it is on my short list of places to visit).

But I found the prologue, "Mexicans Lost In Mexico 1975," a challenge to get through. This section was told through the perspective of a newly initiated true-believer of the "visceral realists", Juan Garcia Madero. I found the beginnings of the movement and the petty politics and militant proclamations of the self-absorbed young poets somewhat tedious and a bit of a slog. However, I think Bolano was able to sneak in moments of clarity regarding the human condition throughout the novel, even in the more tedious sections. But it wasn't really until I was a good 350 pages into the novel, (and well into the second section "The Savage Detectives 1976-1996") that it really began to pick up for me and ended up on a upbeat note even though the final section, "Sonora 1976," was a return to the story told from the young Juan Garcia Madero's point of view. That being said, my lack of knowledge about the history, literature, and Spanish language might have something to do with my fits of disinterest. No doubt a fascinating course on Latin American history, literature, and language could be mined from this book alone. But I have to be honest, at the beginning it felt like eating broccoli.

Bullitt

Bullitt (1968) directed by Peter Yates is a quintessential Steve McQueen film. He is the ultimate cool guy who can drive like a maniac, a sharp dresser, who scores babes like the young Jacquline Bisset. I'm pretty sure I've seen it before but dozens of years ago, but was interested in revisiting it after seeing that Yates also directed the Robert Mitchum vehicle, The Friends Of Eddie Coyle, which I saw last year. Great muscle cars: a Mustang and a Pontiac Charger race through the streets of San Francisco. There's an early Robert Duvall performance in the film as well. Entertaining with plenty of style, if not a little over long.

Izumi Campus: Spring 2012

The new library will be open May 1st, too bad we'll only get to use it for a year, since the School of Global Japanese Studies will move to the new Nakano campus in 2013.

The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom now as well.

Ota Memorial Museum Of Art: Harunobu・Kiyonaga・Utamaro and Their Ages

The Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum Of Art is having an interesting exhibition until the end of the month, April 26th, Harunobu・Kiyonaga・Utamaro and Their Ages. Utamaro is one of my favorite ukiyo-e artists and the subjects are mainly "bijin" (beautiful women). Only ¥700 for adults.

In The iPod: April 2012

The Shins (or should I say James Mercer has) have returned to form with their latest Port Of Morrow (2012). "Simple Life" is one of those classic like "Turn A Square," "Gone For Good," or "Turn On Me." There are several standout tracks including: "September" and "For A Fool." All in all a strong album all around and probably one of the year's best.

I was a huge fan of Wire's seminal punk album Pink Flag, so I tracked down the follow up albums 154 (1978) and Chairs Missing (1979). Both of the albums have strong points and show the growth of the band, but neither lives up tot he brilliance of the debut. 154 has a droning sort of mood to it and my favorite tracks are "I Should HAve Known Better," " Map Ref. 41º N 93º W," and The 15th." I think I may like Chairs Missing more. One of my favorite bands, Luna, did a cover of "Outdoor Miner" and there are several other standout tracks like "Practice Makes Perfect," "Another The Letter," "I Am The Fly," and "Mercy," however, both albums are worthwhile.

I recently saw a film, Young At Heart, about a chorus of old people who did covers of unusual songs and I was intrigued by their cover of Sonic Youth's "Schizophrenia"-which has a great drum line throughout and is from the 1987 recording Sister. I remember my college room mates playing this one a lot as well, and I also really like "Tuff Gnarl" and "Kotton Krown."

In preparation for the Contiuum 33 1/3 book on The Rolling Stones 1978 album Some Girls. It is considered by many to be last decent Stones album, however, I have a soft spot for 1981s Tattoo You. Of course I was already familiar with hits like "Miss You" and "Shattered," but "Beast Of Burden" was always my favorite. The deluxe version has plenty of extra tracks as well.

Wong Kar Wai is an auteur who has excellent choices in music for his films, so recently I got his soundtracks for Chungking Express and  Fallen Angels, when I decided I also needed the soundtrack for In The Mood For Love (2000). There are two great Nat King Cole songs, "Aquellos ojos verdes (Green Eyes), bolero for voice" and "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (Quizas, Quizas, Quizas)." I also like his use of "Yumenji's Theme" from Seijun Suzuki's film Yumenji. There are some other traditional 60s Chinese songs that work as well as original scoring from Michale Glasso.

Homeland

Homeland is a 2011 Showtime series starring Claire Danes based on an Israeli TV show called "Abduction," that garnered a lot of critical praise last year. Thus I decided to check it out, and wasn't disappointed. Danes plays a CIA operative, Carrie Mathison, who believes that former POW Nicolas Brody (Damian Lewis) has been turned into a terrorist operative. Lewis does some excellent work in this series and like Danes was nominated for a Golden Globe (Danes won and Lewis lost). There are plenty of plot twists and turns (excellent writing) and there is a great support cast, especially Mandy Patinkin as Danes' mentor and boss, Saul Berenson. It is Showtime so there is gratuitous nudity and adult language. I'm looking forward to Season 2.