Lost In Translation

Howards End (1992)

I was inspired by the new Howards End miniseries to go back and watch the original film adaptation, Howards End (1992) of the classic E.M. Forester novel from the director-producer team of James Ivory and Ismail Merchant. As I remember there was something of a Forester filming boom as film versions of his other novels were being made: A Passage to India (1984), Ivory's earlier A Room With a View (1985), another Ivory film Maurice (1987),and Where Angels Fear to Tread (1991). Much of the charm of this film lies in the charismatic and convincing performances of the leads in the film Emma Thompson as Margaret Schlegal, Helen Bonham carter as Helen Sclegel, and Anthony Hopkins as the taciturn Henry Wilcox. Again it is a great ensemble piece that it should be noted for the exceptionally cinematic location shots as well. It is something of a modern classic and nostalgic as I remember seeing it in the theater when it originally came out the year I graduated from college.

Howards End (TV Series)

It is somewhat curious that Kenneth Longerman saw the need for a TV miniseries adaptation of E.M. Forester's classic novel, Howard's End (2017), 25 years after the successful film adaptation by Merchant & Ivory. I think a successful adaptation is reliant on the strength of the leads in the story and this series like it's predecessor shines in that department-Hayley Atwell and Philippa Coulthard convey the charisma and charm of the Schlegal sisters Margaret and Helen. Matthew Mcfadyen also reprises the Henry Wilcox role with the proper reserve. However, that being said, it is an excellent ensemble performance really. I know that I read the Forester novel back in the collegiate days but cannot remember it well enough to evaluate if this version is truer to the novel or not. But it seems that it gives the film makers more time and space to fully establish the main players.

Kiyosumi

I was int he Kiyosumi neighborhood after visiting the Fukugawa Edo Museum and decided to hang out for the day.

A local temple.

Kiyosumi Blu Bottle Coffee Cafe

Brooklyn Deli Craft Beer for a bite and some brews.

Daughter Of The Nile (Bluray)

I recently revisited Hsiao-hsien Hou's 1987 early classic, Daughter Of The Nile ,newly released on Bluray. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the 1987 Turin International Festival of Young Cinema.It has been said that Hou was trying to come to terms with the younger generation of Taiwanese in this film. Hasiao-yang has a classic case of alienation-she is bored at school, and loses herself in pop culture listening to her Walkman, working at KFC, going clubbing with her friends-and escaping through a Japanese manga about a young American girl who is transported back in time to the time of the pharaohs, Daughter of the Nile. But she is also enmeshed in turbulent family relations. Her young brother is a small-time host club owner who’s involved with a local gang. Her younger sister has already been caught shoplifting. The three siblings live together in a small house and are occasionally visited by their grandpa and belligerent father, who lives and works far from them. The cinematography is exceptional-especially the night shots with the neon lights of Taipei. But there is classical framing through out the film as well. The 4k restoration includes audio commentary by film scholar Richard Suchenski, a new interview with Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns, the original theatrical trailer, and 2017 re-release trailer.

Fukugawa Edo Museum

I recently met a man who works for a company that builds museums in Tokyo. I asked him which one was his favorite. He recommended the Fukugawa Edo Museum, one that i had not been to. So I decided to head to Koto ward to check it out.  It has a recreated Edo period neighborhood inside a typical office style building. It was similar to the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living that I visited a couple of years ago.

Grave Of The Fireflies

I had long heard that Isao Takahata's film Grave Of The Fireflies (1988) was a classic animation. Takahata recently died, so I thought it was time to finally see it, and indeed it is a powerful film that shows the inadvertent tragedies of war, the collateral damage of of misery that often befalls the citizens of a nation at war-homelessness, starvation and death. The film itself is very cinematic in the camera angles and depictions of devastation as well as the beauty of verdant and unspoiled nature outside the cities. If there is a flaw in the film, it is in the fact it lacks any context. One might think that the US was indiscriminately bombing Japan for no reason. The boy's father is in the navy but none of his missions or whereabouts are never specifically mentioned. Some mention is given towards helping the mother country, but it doesn't say how or why specifically. There is no talk of emperor or fighting to the death if invaded. That being said the film is still effective as an antiwar message and powerfully wrought emotions of loss are generated. It is impressive to think that this and Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro were released in the same year-it was an auspicious debut for the company.

Teien Museum: Art Deco Revival

Today I saw the Art Deco Revival exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Museum in Meguro. Apparently the y restored it to its previous Ar Deco grandeur-there was also an exhibit on French pciture books as well.

Wild Wild Country

There's another fascinating Nextflix documentary out, Wild Wild Country (2018). It is a six part documentary, directed by Mclain and Chapman Way, about the controversial Indian guru Bhagwan  Shree Rajneesh's attempt to establish a commune in Central Oregon in the early 80s. During the time I was an adolescent and I remember it being in the media, but I wasn't following the story the closely, but I find it absolutely riveting to see what happened unfold in retrospect. On one level I can never understand the broken people that allow themselves to be absorbed by cults-especially one in which the leader has a fleet of Rolls Royces. I suppose there are many ways this story could have been approached, but I think the filmmakers were oddly empathetic with the main players. I think the upsides were established first (before showing the evil excesses-that still felt glossed over), but I think that made the later revelations all the more shocking I suppose. I would have like dot have heard more from repentant followers and more from the rank and file-given that it was six hours long. What we get is mainly talking head interviews with the leaders in the commune. I would have liked to have heard from the myriad of people such as the homeless that were brought in-about what they think of the experiment in retrospect. A truly odd chapter in American history and the of the Pacific Northwest-the 80s were a troubling time with eh White Supremacists and White Separatists that culminated in Ruby Ridge Siege in Idaho. Perhaps these episodes were part of the hangover from the tumultuous 60s in which people though society could be changed for the better.

Chronic Tacos

There's a new American based Mexican fast food branch of Chronic Tacos in Tokyo near Corridor in Ginza. It is a nice addition to the area, but I think Frijoles makes better food. The burrito bowl is ¥850 and Mexican beers ¥750.

Andre The Giant

I enjoyed the HBO documentary Andre The Giant (2018) by Jason Hehir, mostly for nostalgic reasons. Andre the Giant was a cultural phenomena when I was growing up-I wasn't a big wrestling fan, but the man was larger than life. It's an entertaining look at a memorable man.