Kitano Takeshi

[Lawrence E. Marceau]

    I have read only positive reviews of Kitano Takeshi's films, both
here and elsewhere.  I haven't seen Hana-Bi, or any of his other films,
and would like to very much.  I expect that I will find them as
important and insightful as the others on the list.

    This is what disturbs me.  As a social commentator, both on
television, and in print, Kitano strikes me as abhorrent--a kind of
cross between Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh.  He has an extremely low
regard for women, for example, and his comments carry with them
disturbing undertones of xeno- and other phobias.

    My question is, as in the case of Mishima, are we experiencing the
appearance of an artistic talent, even genius, that we must recognize as
such, while disagreeing with the politics of the individual behind that
genius?

Lawrence Marceau