2022’s home releases get off to a dynamite start with Criterion UK’s Blu-Ray of this legendary arthouse shocker by Nagisa Oshima, alternatively known as Ai no Corrida but not – despite the persistent mistake – known as In the Realm of the Senses. (The misunderstanding stems from the opening credits, […]
Nagisa Oshima
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) The Sexual or the Spiritual? (Review)
Released to Blu-ray by Arrow Academy this last week, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is the renowned Japanese new wave filmmaker Nagisa Ōshima’s 1983 adaptation of Sir Laurens van der Post’s semi-autobiographical works, The Seed and the Sower from 1963 and The Night of the New Moon from 1970, each inspired […]
An Actor’s Revenge (1963) Pays thoughtful homage to Japanese theatre’s Kabuki history (Review)
It’s late Edo-period Japan. An acting troupe from Osaka has arrived in the capital city to perform. Thieves and pickpockets stalk their prey among the paying audience, while merchants and aristocrats watch from the balcony seats. Yukinojo, a slightly paunchy onnagata (kabuki actor who plays female roles), sits centre stage, […]
Cinema Eclectica 36 – The Mixing Desk is POWER!
This week we get unnecessarily vengeful about a children’s Christmas film. Off the Shelf features Nagisa Oshima’s Cruel Story of Youth and Haskell Wexler’s Medium Cool – both from Masters of Cinema. Meanwhile, Ryan delves into the underrated Sympathy for Lady Vengeance and Graham takes on Pop Goes the Easel […]