The movie theme of March is love and lust, we watched 10 films in total, two films per week, five weeks in March. They are Fanny (1961), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), Unfaithful (2002), Sykt lykkelig (2010), Sakuran (2007), Q (2011), Lust Caution (2007), Diary of a Nymphomaniac (2008), In the Realm of Senses (1976), and Spread (2009). In addition, I also watched a few side movies recommended by Mr. Hung, Sisters Of The Gion (1936), Osaka Elegy (1936), A Man and A Woman (1966), Special Treatment (2010), and A Man's Job (2007).
In the last week of March, we watched one of the most controversial films and a must-see "In The Realm Of The Senses" (1976), produced by a French company, with the movie title "L'empire des sens", in Japanese "愛のコリーダ" (literally Bullfight of Love). It's a story of copulation, has nothing to do with reproduction in Homo sapiens!
Being a person interested in Japanese culture and language, I first knew the story of Abe Sada when I was an exchange student at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto in 2000. I saw the film of "Sada" (1998) directed by Nobuhiko Kobayashi on Satellite TV at home, maybe five or six years ago, I couldn't recall the exact date. I like much better the 1976 French-Japanese erotic art film directed by Nagisa Oshima who was charged with obscenity on publishing the screenplay, but was acquitted after a court case that dragged on for four years.
It's a true story in Tokyo in 1936, when Japanese were obsessed with the ambition to conquer the world. Sada Abe (Eiko Matsuda) was a former prostitute who now worked as a maid in a hotel. The hotel's owner, Kichizo Ishida (Tatsuya Fuji), molested her, and the two began an intense affair that consisted of sexual experiments, drinking, and various self-indulgences.
Ishida left his wife and family to pursue his affair with Abe. Abe became increasingly possessive and jealous of Ishida, and Ishida more eager to please her. Their mutual obsession escalated to the point where Ishida discovered he was most excited by being strangled during lovemaking, and he was killed in this fashion eventually. Abe then severd his penis and testicles and wrote, "Sada Kichi the two of us forever," in blood on his chest.
The fatal attraction between a decadent man of no trade Ishida and a young woman hunger for love Abe was inevitable. Their desire became a sexual obsession so strong, they forsook all, even life itself. During the movie, many viewers could hardly bear the graphic scenes of unsimulated sexual activities between the actors. I, on the contrary, felt less offended. Firstly, the movie was dubbed in French, except the traditional songs in Japanese. It was kind of awkward to hear the pillow talk of two Japanese in French. Secondly, I was curious about the interpretation of love and lust by Director Nagisa Oshima and the adventurous souls seeking for escapes and abandonments in the secular world.
Many thanks to Wendy for a splendid idea about a spontaneous house picnic. She brought a loaf of bread to make tuna fish sandwiches. Judy brought a big plate of potato salad. Joy made a pot of stewed bean curds and sea weeds. What a serendipity it was that all three of them thought about the same thing! We even came to an conclusion to make the food and beverage--the theme of movies in June! Wendy also promised to bring a few bottles of wine for dinner to pursue more pleasure of food and beverage pairing with inspiring and sensational movies! Indeed, by nature we desire food and lust!
After the relaxing house picnic, the DVD player was broken at Joy's movie lounge all of a sudden. Even the repairman couldn't fix it. We had to move to Joy's bedroom to watch Spread (2009), a comedy-drama film starring Ashton Kutcher and Anne Heche, directed by David Mackenzie. Ashton was no doubt the leading man of choice. He played the role of a serial womanizer with his jilted lover. During the entire movie, I enjoyed imagining myself being Demi Moore, the famous and front-runner of modern cougar women.Narcissistic gigolo Nikki (Ashton Kutcher) arrived in Los Angeles for his fortune. He's good-looking, passionate, and adept in the sack, moving from one wealthy woman of 35 or 40 to another, a kept boy-toy, drifting from one relationship to another without a steady job or even a place to live. He preyed on women who provided for him till he met a waitress who didn't fall for his charms. It transpired that she was the same as Nikki, scamming rich men for money in the same way he did with women. The movie ended with a mouse fed by Nikki devoured by an African Bullfrog. Very hilarious! After the movie, we had the pleasant discussion over the best creme cheese green tea cake in town brought by Judy.
In April, the movie theme is Destiny and Decision. We shall watch 8 films, The Butterfly Effect (2004), Run Lora Run (1998), Chance or Coincidence (1998), The Castle of Sand (1974), The Road Home (1999), Regarding Henry (1991), A Letter from an Unknown Woman (2004), and Youth Without Youth (2007).
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