Tokyo Biyori

[Mark Schilling]

Well, Frances, you and I are never going to see eye-to-eye on "Tokyo
Biyori," which is cool. Let a thousand critical flowers bloom. 

But let me raise a few more points before I drop this thread:

1) The film's photographer is called Shimazu, not Araki. Why blame him for
Araki's various sins, artistic or otherwise? It's like blaming the rock
star in "Bye Bye Birdie" for Elvis's poor taste in home decoration. In the
entire film Shimazu does nothing more outrageous than take candid shots of
sleeping commuters on the subway, nothing more erotic than snap away
passionately at his wife while they are floating on a boat down a river.
Far from being the subject of a egotistic "celebration," he is shown as a
mild-mannered type who, despite the occasional marital flareup, is
unconventionally devoted to his wife. A pussycat, actually. 

2) Is Yoko really a passive planet revolving around the sun of her
contolling hubby? When she and Shimazu have a spat after the party that
opens the film, she disappears for three days. When she decides to come
home, she doesn't mope about waiting for Shimazu's return, but quickly
finds a new companion in a neighbor boy. She is, in fact, a free spirit who
goes her own merry way, while Shimazu follows along or, when she suddenly
drops out of sight, worries and frets.  

3) The film has no sense of humor? Well, it's not a comedy, but it does
have a wryly comic spirit that is uniquely Takenaka's. Yoko and Shimazu
play and laugh together in ways that may be goofy and childish, but give
the film a subtle comic lift.Too subtle for some folks evidently. 

4) It's hard to trust a critic who misses or misinterprets basic facts
about a film she is lambasting. It indicates (1) she wasn't paying
attention or (2) her Japanese isn't up to snuff. Which is it Frances?      
        


Mark Schilling (schill at gol.com)   


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