What Bergman was doing for the Sweden (and the Northern Europe) of the sixties, Teshigahara, Kobayashi and Imamura were doing for Japanese society. _The Face of Another_ is one of the finest examples of this school, now overshadowed in popularity by the work of Kurosawa, which it splendidly complements.
The film is a philosophical, contemporary and surprisingly lasting reflection on an old theme: that of the double. The originality of the Abe screenplay (and novel) lies in the fact that this is a self-double, a device that adds an exotic as well as an erotic dimension to what is a personal psychological drama rooted in a Japan that was trying to put on a new face, metaphorically speaking, trying on this and that, in an attempt to be something. That the attempt looks desperate on film only reaffirms the message: a lonely crowd in a crowded place and a lonely man in a lonely crowd. Thus, the film is a cold shower, even chilling at times.
A special word for Japanese starts Tatsuya Nakadai and Machiko Kyo (both still with us), accompanied by a splendid cast. The black and white photography is magnificent and the subtle soundtrack punctuates rather than underline.
In summary, this film is mandatory viewing for anyone interested in Japanese film, and particularly for those interested in the sociology of postwar Japan and of the developed world generally. It is an excellent companion film to David Riesman's classic study _The Lonely Crowd_. I can think of no better introduction to master artist Teshigahara.It is a great pleasure to have this pristine DVD of a forgotten masterpiece.
The film is a philosophical, contemporary and surprisingly lasting reflection on an old theme: that of the double. The originality of the Abe screenplay (and novel) lies in the fact that this is a self-double, a device that adds an exotic as well as an erotic dimension to what is a personal psychological drama rooted in a Japan that was trying to put on a new face, metaphorically speaking, trying on this and that, in an attempt to be something. That the attempt looks desperate on film only reaffirms the message: a lonely crowd in a crowded place and a lonely man in a lonely crowd. Thus, the film is a cold shower, even chilling at times.
A special word for Japanese starts Tatsuya Nakadai and Machiko Kyo (both still with us), accompanied by a splendid cast. The black and white photography is magnificent and the subtle soundtrack punctuates rather than underline.
In summary, this film is mandatory viewing for anyone interested in Japanese film, and particularly for those interested in the sociology of postwar Japan and of the developed world generally. It is an excellent companion film to David Riesman's classic study _The Lonely Crowd_. I can think of no better introduction to master artist Teshigahara.It is a great pleasure to have this pristine DVD of a forgotten masterpiece.