Kwaidan: a lesson in four parts about having contact with the spirit world
Masaki Kobayashi, “Kwaidan” (1964) Often billed as a horror film, “Kwaidan” is in fact a quartet of fantasy stories of which three were based on traditional…
nausika
The Eel: tale of redemption labouring under too many complex abstract themes
Shohei Imamura, “The Eel / Unagi” (1997) Japan’s boys in blue have an enviable record in obtaining a near 100% rate of criminal convictions and never…
A Tattooed Life: underrated yakuza character study expressing anti-nationalist nihilism
Seijun Suzuki, “A Tattooed Life / Irezumi Ichidai” (1965) A surprisingly touching and quite emotional drama, told in a traditional way, this is an underrated yakuza…
British Films, Russian and Soviet Films
Spotlighting systemic racism in Britain on “Sputnik: Orbiting the World with George Galloway (Episode 4)”
George Galloway and Gayatri Pertiwi, “Sputnik: Orbiting the World with George Galloway (Episode 4)” (RT.com, December 2013) In this episode, the Galloways enquire into institutional racism…
British Films, Russian and Soviet Films
Sputnik: Orbiting the World with George Galloway (Episode 3) – talk-show politics and current affairs with a very slick media performer
George Galloway and Gayatri Pertiwi, “Sputnik: Orbiting the World with George Galloway (Episode 3)” (RT.com, November 2013) In addition to representing Bradford West in the British…
Royal Space Force – the Wings of Honnêamise: a handsome coming-of-age film about individual and communal redemption
Hiroyuki Yamaga, “Royal Space Force – the Wings of Honnêamise / Ôritsu uchûgun Oneamisu no tsubasa” (1987) A very visually handsome and often stunning film to…
Steamboy: epic cyberpunk film shooting its load too quickly and running out of steam
Katsuhiro Otomo, “Steamboy / Suchimoboi” (2004) A decade in the making, Katsuhiro Otomo’s second full-length film is an epic cyberpunk fantasy that carries a message about…
Suicide Club: gory horror flick intended as interrogation of the state of modern Japanese society
Sion Sono, “Suicide Club / Jisatsu Sakuru” (2002) Famous for its controversial premise, full-on gory presentation and an arresting opening sequence of 54 school-girls jumping off…
German and German-language Films, Middle Eastern Films
Wild Iran: interesting film on a photographer’s journey across Iran
Herbert Ostwald, “Wild Iran” (2011) This documentary follows the Iranian-German wildlife photographer and environmentalist Benny Rebel on a 6-week journey across Iran taking photographs and videos…
Branded to Kill: existentialist yakuza thriller parody of the corporate rat-race and its values
Seijun Suzuki, “Branded to Kill / Koroshi no Rakuin” (1967) After his previous gangster flick “Tokyo Drifter”, director Suzuki fell afoul of his bosses at Studio…