Lost In Translation

The Spider's Stratagem

I have been a big fan of Bernardo Bertolucci and I finally sought out the critically acclaimed The Spider's Stratagem (1971), which was made in between two of his greatest triumphs The Conformist and Last Tango In Paris. The story was inspired by a Jorge Luis Borges story, "The Theme of the Traitor and the Hero," and concerns a young man Athas Magnai (Guilio Brogi) who returns to his father's home Tara in the Po Valley to find out about his mysterious death at the hands of fascists. His father is treated as a hero in the town which has erected a statue in his honor-he is the spitting image of his father which causes consternation among the people in the village including his ex-lover and former comrades and adversaries. Throughout the film, Bertolucci uses flashbacks with the current cast to complicate matters. This is not your typical mass entertainment film, it is something of a complex art house film that challenges the viewer. He makes great use of the ancient town and surrounding countryside. There are great images throughout the film and apt uses of classical framing throughout the film.

Enoken

It was a cold rainy Monday, so I wanted to eat ramen preferably near home. But the two standbys near my apartment were closed so I tried a new one. They feature an original take on miso ramen which is one of my favorite flavors, it was reasonably priced at ¥730. It was good, but to be honest, I like the other two places better, however, the gyoza looks good so I might be back to try that.

Tattooed Life

I'm trying to track down all the available Seijun Suzuki films that i haven't seen yet before reading a book about the seminal Japanese filmmaker. The latest was Tattooed Life (1965) which maybe a conventional yakuza film on the surface, with a story of duty, revenge, and unrequited love. However, in Suzuki's hands, along with his infinitive art director Takeo Kimura, it becomes something memorable. He uses interesting camera angles and has a great sense of making a visual statement through primary colors, memorable costumes with large kanji (Chinese characters) that stand out. The last 15 minutes of the film in particular seems to have inspired Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill. However, it would be impressive to any viewer with the light changing from a red backdrop, to a back-lit window to foreground lit on the vengeful yakuza Tetsu (Hedeki Takahashi) who has just pulled off his black robe to reveal his fighting kimono. It is another impressive film from an oeuvre full of fresh and inventive films.

Taishu Shokudo

Taishu Shokudo is an old school Japanese style diner near Suidobashi station. I went with the chicken nanban (fried chicken with tartar sauce), gnerous portions served with rice and miso soup for ¥850.

No Reservations

I have been a fan of Anthony Bourdain since Kitchen Confidential and have enjoyed all of his TV series-so I thought it would be fun to revisit "No Reservations" through the companion book, No Reservations: Around The World On An Empty Stomach (2007). It is essentially a picture table book with photos taken by his crew for private and promotional purposes with some commentary from Bourdain. The crew is introduced in"Meet The Band" which is followed by an "Introduction." The next several sections are arranged according to geographical location:"Asia," "Africa," "Beirut," "Europe," "North America," and "South America." Then there are four categories: "Food Porn," "Indigenous Beverages," "Bathrooms Around The World," and "Cooks." Then the usual "Resources," "Acknowledgments," and "Photo Credits." The "Resources" section is particularly helpful to the traveler with the subsections: "Where To Eat"-some suggestions of places to eat in the countries he visited, "Hazards"-photos of some of the problems met while traveling, "Tips For Travelers, and "Equipment." Bourdain has a way with words that makes his style engaging and entertaining-the only problem here is that I am hungry for more. I wish it had been more comprehensive.

Let's Get Lost

I recently saw a biopic about the legendary jazz trumpeter Chet Baker called Born To Be Blue and it made me want to revisit, Let's Get Lost (1988), which I saw more than 25 years ago. The truth is more complicated and sad I suppose. A few years after this documentary Baker fell from a window while high on drugs and died. It is a well-made and entertaining documentary and answered the questions about dramatized events from the previous fiction film. All other things aside, he was a phenomenal jazz talent with many great recordings left behind-it was sometime before this film that he was re-discovered and hired by Elvis Costello to play the trumpet solo on one of his biggest hits "Shipbuilding." He paid homage to Costello by playing his "Almost Blue" in his sets.

Kanto Wanderer

It seems that 1963 was something of a watershed year for director Seijun Suzuki since he made four films and two are particularly notable as signature films Youth of Beast and Kanto Wanderer. It is also important to point out this is also the year he began collaborating with set designer Takeo Kimura-who was responsible for the new daring, lurid, and racy backgrounds that consistently appear in the films of Suzuki from 1963 on. This film is a traditional ninkyo (traditional heroes vs. Progressive villains) yakuza story that has been dropped in modern Tokyo. The yakuza wear kimono and use samurai swords, but it also has the modern blight of the early 60s before the economic miracle has cleaned up the blight as well as sailor suite clad school girls with crushes on yakuza. It is also a star vehicle for Akira Kobayashi who wears arch kabuki-like make-up around his eyes and a theatrical scar (would this influence Oshima in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence). The scene above is an example of the Suszuki-Kimura collaboration where after killing two trouble makers in a gambling den the walls pulled down revealing red which is a color code for the red prison uniform for the fate that awaits the killer (as opposed to white-the color of death which is also used in the film). There are several other striking visual scenes such as Kobayashi walking in the falling snow as well as several classically framed scenes in traditional homes and elsewhere. It is an early classic and representative of the kind of films that would follow in the future.

Kyoto Journal 87

I have a review of The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime by Toshio Ban in Kyoto Journal 87 at the request of editor David Cozy. Not my usual thing, but a nice opportunity.

Ginza Tokyu Plaza: Kiriko Cafe

The Kiriko cafe includes a take out area where people can admire the night view of Ginza. I wanted a cocktail so sat in the cafe and received a free Nescafe matcha and a Japanese sweet to go with my yuzu highball.

Farewell My Lovely

Dick Richard's Farewell My Lovely (1975) starring Robert Mitchum, here with another great late career performance, is an excellent Raymond Chandler adaptation and great latter day film noir. Richards catches the seedy underside of southern California and the film boast a handful of supporting roles from the likes of Charolett Rampling, Harry Dean Stanton, and a pre-Rocky Sylvester Stallone.