Wednesday 21 July 2010

Dolls




Dolls is a 2002 Japanese film by Takeshi Kitano.

This film is apparently a "highly stylized art film" and has been praised for "its cinematography (Katsumi Yanagishima) and features costumes by Yohji Yamamoto"

Opens with a scene of Bunraku dolls. Film tries to take itself seriously from the start. The characterisation is awful, as is the acting. I bet some of these actors were in Battle Royale or some crap like that. Really stupid music/soundtrack by a guy called Joe Hisaishi who does stuff like the Spirited Away anime soundtrack... Yeah, it sounded really stupid. Kind of like the opening to a TV show or something.

This film isn't realistic at all, but it obviously tries to be, as the internet and interviews with the director or whatever will confirm. Some female character supposedly has a break down; I didn't buy it anyway. Just seems like she's acting as a little Japanese schoolgirl, rather than a vegetable.

The director is involved with Battle Royale (apparently played in it), and some comedy show called Takeshi's Castle (if you're from the UK probably seen it on challenge with Craig Charles narrating getting away with racist jokes) .

Film felt like it was trying to imitate good film and cinematography, rather than genuinely presenting its own. Just feels like an anime made into a film if you ask me. Oh, and they constantly use the shame shot of the guy and girl walking from a distance - does it for other characters too. What's so good about the costumes by the way?

Can't believe this film got such praise. I saw totally through it anyway. I watched about 65% of it. No point wasting time with this. Looked through it later on, was the same stuff. Got better films to watch :-)




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