Bullets 'n' Babes

HungFist wrote:No English subs on the German dvd.

Markgway wrote:Love Exposure *½

Original. Unique. Bollocks.

I'll admit that for about an hour I was willing to submit to the extremely offbeat perv humour, even though I didn't "get it" (or the bizarrely unappealing characters), but by the time the heavy-handed religious cult stuff became dominant I was worn out and really not enjoying myself... and there was over 2 hours to go. 'Yoko' may be physically cute, but her personality has all the appeal of a black widow sinking its fangs into your neck. Endless scenes of "Hentai" "Hentai" and pretentious babble about being true to yourself numbed me to the core. I couldn't possibly sit thru this again. Ever.

I know the Japanese are as mad as a bag of spiders, but how did this play in Japan?

HungFist wrote:The critics hated it, but they hate all Sono films. His movies are too honest, so they consider him a national disgrace. The audience usually agrees. Love Exposure was an exception. It was the biggest indie hit to ever hit Tokyo cinemas.

The only Sono film the Japanese critics liked was Be Sure to Share. That's the film Sono himself disliked

just as btw, while I was in Japan a guy from our school was arrested for tosatsu (upskirt photography). There were no victims in the uni, though. He had only been photographing the high school girls from next door.

Then later, I was having lunch with a few female friends and they mentioned (to each other, not directly to me) that someone from our school had been arrested for tosatsu. I spit my rice on the table And they were like, "how do you know what tosatsu means??!!"

HungFist wrote:while I was in Japan a guy from our school was arrested for tosatsu (upskirt photography).

Markgway wrote:Be honest. It was you, wasn't it?

HungFist wrote:Hey, it wasn't me, swear to God

My friend did snap a few photos of those high school girls, though. But that was no tosatsu. The skirts they were wearing were so short you could take a mugshot and you'd still see their panties.

And I'm talking about the official school uniform. That they were wearing in winter. While it was snowing heavily Image

HungFist wrote:His movies are too honest

Markgway wrote:Honest? You mean people like these characters actually exist?

Panty-snappers, Jesus freaks, pornographers, shoplifters, men-hating lesbian feminists... I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't love this sweet-natured romcom?

HungFist wrote:Actually, I'd go as far to call it my favorite love story of all time. It's amazingly entertaining with brilliant soundtrack, totally unpredictable 370 page screenplay, hilariously imaginative tosatsu techniques, movie references (Female Prisoner Scorpion), girl gangs, lesbianism, and even martial arts and Yoshihiro Nishimura gore effects. But first and foremost it's a winsome love story full of energy and youth (“a film to make you feel young again” said one critic). And beneath all this overwhelming energy there’s a surprising amount if wonderful little scenes, like those with Yoko’s little sister, Koike entering the church, Yoko bringing Koike home for the first time, etc.

The film is based partly on Sono's friend, who was a tosatsu maniac, and partly on Sono himself. Sono had quite an interesting youth. He ran from home to Tokyo when he was 17. There he met a charming older lady, and had high hopes of losing his virginity with her. Turned out, the woman was suicidal maniac looking for someone to die with. But Sono didn't want to die, so she changed her plan. She returned to her parents with Sono, with Sono playing her husband. This act continued for a few weeks until Sono "escaped". He never really found out whether the parents bought the act or not. Sono later adapted these events into his film Noriko's Dinner Table.

Later, probably in Tokyo again, Sono joined some kind of a religious cult. He got into trouble with the police while being part of this cult, and said that if he had not quit he would probably have become a terrorist. These events inspired Love Exposure.

Fast forward some years, and Sono has moved to California. He was supposed to be studying, but he spent most of his time watching grindhouse films and porn. He later adapted some of this stuff into a film called Hazard, which he shot in New York.

After this he founded Tokyo GAGAGA, which was a querilla street performance poetry group. This group got quite famous. These days many people like punk musicians have fond memories of the good old days when Sono's group was having aggressive, protest like performances on streets and subway stations. Of course with no permits, and always trouble with the police.

Sono himself was a poet before becoming a filmmaker. He got international recognition in the early 90's when his movies Bicycle Sighs and The Room played in Berlin. If I remember correctly Japan was not happy at all with rebel Sono's movies being shown abroad.

But his final international breakthrough came in 2002 with Suicide Club. Everybody hates it in Japan (too touchy subject and too accurate points) but it become an instant cult classic in in festival circuit. It's popularity is partly based on wrong reasons, though. It's a very challenging movie and you need strong knowledge of Japanese society and Japanese way of thinking in order to interpret it. But it got very popular with foreigners because of its strangness and goriness (which are also part of its appeal, though). I have to admit that while I loved it from the first time, it took me several years before I even started to understand it.

Markgway wrote:It's obviously a matter of perspective because I thought it was the creepiest anti-romance I've ever seen. These characters made me want to take a shower (by myself)...

...The soundtrack was one of the better elements. I rather liked that chirpy song that popped up from time to time.

Markgway wrote:A learning experience for you then?

HungFist wrote:No, no, but... maybe the film doesnt hit quite as hard if you don't live (physically or mentally) in the same world as the characters do. I do very much. This is my Japan. Hirokazu Koreeda and Ozu and go kiss my ass

Markgway wrote:I've never been 'into' Japanese culture and so my appreciation for Japanese film is very much that of a gaijin. I would imagine that my opinion is more reflective of a mainstream western audience than those well versed in Japanese cinema and immersed in their culture (such as yourself).

You may disagree with this (in fact I've no doubt you will) but I found the 'romance' in LE utterly insincere. I never for a second believed that these characters loved each other. I don't think they even knew what love is. Thus I had zero emotional investment in them or the story. At times I wondered if the director was playing a joke on his audience and kept waiting for some sort of ironic punchline.

HungFist wrote:Hikari Mitsushima gravure vid clip. Posting here cause I like the music, but don't have dailymotion account where to favorite the clip
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3xn7z ... shima_sexy

Markgway wrote: This was about the only thing I liked about the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu_9Wr-ORdI

HungFist wrote:US DVD 2011-12-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005QODERG

HungFist wrote:Surely no subs, so muhahahaha motherfuckers

HungFist wrote:Finally! Japanese Blu-Ray announced for July!
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_dvd. ... sid=833704

Surely no subs, so muhahahaha motherfuckers

HungFist wrote:Love Exposure has been edited into a five hour (10 x 30min) TV series. Will contain additional scenes not in the (4 hour) movie. Premiers next month on J:COM.

HungFist wrote:Love Exposure has been edited into a five hour (10 x 30min) TV series. Will contain additional scenes not in the (4 hour) movie. Premiers next month on J:COM.

Info (in Japanese):
http://www.cinematoday.jp/page/N0089259