Masumura Yasuzo

[Aaron Gerow]

Arnault Castel asked about some Masumura films, so here are some brief 
comments on a few:

>     - Kisses (Kuchisuzuke)

This is certainly a landmark film: one of the sparks of the Japanese New 
Wave and much praised (as well as criticized) by Oshima.

>     - The precipice (Hyoheki)

Unfortunately, not one of his better films.

>     - Giants and Toys (Kyojin to Gangu)

One of his masterpieces: a lurid but brilliant critique of the new 
consumer culture.

>     - The bogus student (Nise Daigakusei)

A different take of the 1960 Anpo demonstrations.  Quite interesting.

>     - The wife of seishu Hanaoka (Hanaoka seishu no tsuma)

A very cold biography which left me with very little.

I was sad to see they are not showing _Tsuma wa kokuhaku suru_ (1961), 
which I think is one of his best films and the best one he did with Wakao 
Ayako.



Aaron Gerow
Associate Professor
International Student Center
Yokohama National University
79-1 Tokiwadai
Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501
JAPAN
E-mail: gerow at ynu.ac.jp
Phone: 81-45-339-3170
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