What is this movie about?
I know this board is hopelessly dead, but I'll still try to spark a conversation with the most obvious question regarding this film; what the hell is going on in it?
shareI have almost no idea at the moment, it's been 2 hours since I saw and I'm still speechless, trying to put my thoughts in order. Yoshida really outdid himself with this one: He made a film that surpasses Eros + Massacre, in terms of cinematic beauty! Overall, Eros remains my favourite Yoshida film, but what a beautiful mystery this movie was!
Anyway, It actually looked to me like a movie from another world, like it was the projection of the memories, dreams and fantasies of the protagonists, after they died ("dead end", the final scene) or just before, as they contemplate on the meaning of life and the futility of pointless "revolutionary" acts of violence...
But to simply diminish Heroic Purgatory to a summary is unfair for such a masterpiece. From now on, this takes the place of Marienbad as my number one most astonising incomprehensible movie ever. And Yoshishige Yoshida is definetely the most underrated director of all time and also the greatest living director.(82 and counting!)
There's no tomorrow, just sadness and sorrow...Hold on to the Ancient Dreams
Maybe the Arrow video release and their essays/booklets will shed some light on this peculiar film. I've seen a video interview with Yoshida where he says it was based on his student days and how the basic principle behind the film is the idea of how violence sparks further violence. I can see where he's going from but that still leaves like 95% of the film as incomprehensible as before.
Maybe Yoshida saw the present time (the 1970s) as some sort of a purgatory for the society and the film's characters as opposed to the revolutionary hell of the 1950s and the idealistic heaven of the 1980s (note how the 1980s scenes are painted in dazzling white lights). Okay, now I'm just rambling.
Whatever the case, Yoshida is my favorite director. His films are just so rewatchable, astonishing, atmospheric and puzzling. I actually think his best and most beautiful work is Affair in the Snow, which is actually one of his more "normal" ones. Have you seen some other Yoshida films besides this one and Eros + Massacre?
WOW, they are indeed releasing this film and the rest of the trilogy in a month!! I'm so excited right now! It was about time! Now I am hoping for a Criterion anti-melodramas boxset!!
I can see your point, there is a big antithesis between the past and present scenes and the future scenes. But after a while, everything gets so mixed up that you are completely lost. One of my big questions is about the film within the film: When someone was filming the protagonist with the little girl at the warehouse and then they all watched the film but the girl was missing... What the hell was going on??
Actually, Heroic Purgatory is my 7th Yoshida movie. I've already seen Akitsu, Story Written With Water, Woman of the Lake, the Affair, Affair in the Snow and Eros + Massacre. I will watch Confessions among Actressses and Coup d etat (with huge expectations) in the following days. From what I've seen, Eros was like a landmark, a turning point for Yoshida. Prior to that, his films were a little bit restrained thematically(they are all melodramas at their core, albeit profound ones). Of course, they all were visually gorgeous, and I am talking about top-class cinematography, stunning lightning, amazing camera angles and framing... This guy, even on the sappy Akitsu Springs, can be easily compared with all the renowned masters of cinema. Still, all his 60s "anti-melodramas", as they are known, are easily 8s and 9s for me, with Woman of the Lake being my favorite of the bunch. However, with Eros + Massacre (and then Heroic Purgatory) he let himself all out (maybe it the ATG production vibe) and made a film so thematically deep and profound, with some of the greatest visuals ever, that he instantly became one of my top 10-15 directors and definetely the leading director of the whole "Nuberu Bagu" crew.
There's no tomorrow, just sadness and sorrow...Hold on to the Ancient Dreams
I'm sure you'll enjoy these two, especially Confessions Among Actresses, which I think is one of his very best ones. Coup D'etat has one of the best lead performances I have ever seen and a fantastic horror-like atmosphere.
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