Comments on: The Face of Another (1966) http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/ Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:57:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-1436 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:37:45 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-1436 No worries! I decided to remove the numbers today so they won't confuse anymore people. You're not the only one who has been confused. Avant-garde horror is a sort of passion of mine and there are probably hundreds of films I could come up with, but I can recommend just exploring my blog archives, last years DVD list, etc. and you'll probably come across some films that will interest you if you haven't seen them yet. I'm considering starting a new blog where I can write about modern films or just focus on horror cinema. If there were only more hours in the day! No worries! I decided to remove the numbers today so they won’t confuse anymore people. You’re not the only one who has been confused.

Avant-garde horror is a sort of passion of mine and there are probably hundreds of films I could come up with, but I can recommend just exploring my blog archives, last years DVD list, etc. and you’ll probably come across some films that will interest you if you haven’t seen them yet.

I’m considering starting a new blog where I can write about modern films or just focus on horror cinema. If there were only more hours in the day!

]]> by: Film Walrus http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-1431 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:38:11 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-1431 Whoops, I should have caught the alphabetic ordering sooner (darn my failing pattern recognition skills). Reading blogs in reverse-chrono order is not always good for the health. Anyway, great batch of DVD selections by any savvy standards. Pass along any more canindates for "avant-garde horror" if you think of them. (Surely almost everything by Lynch could count? What about Jigoku? I sense a list coming on...) Whoops, I should have caught the alphabetic ordering sooner (darn my failing pattern recognition skills). Reading blogs in reverse-chrono order is not always good for the health.

Anyway, great batch of DVD selections by any savvy standards. Pass along any more canindates for “avant-garde horror” if you think of them. (Surely almost everything by Lynch could count? What about Jigoku? I sense a list coming on…)

]]> by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-1423 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:15:29 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-1423 Thanks Film Walrus! I should point out though that my list isn't in any numbered order (If you read it you'll find that the films are listed alphabetically). I made this clear in my <a href="http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2008/02/11/favorite-dvd-releases-of-2007-part-i/">introduction post</a>, but you may have missed it. I only added the numbers to keep track of the 30 films on my list, but I should probably remove them. I enjoyed your review of the film as well. I really need to see <strong>Woman in the Dunes</strong> again since I haven't seen it for many years and I think I was maybe a little too young to appreciate it fully. <strong>Possession</strong> is a long time favorite, but I've never seen <strong>The Hourglass Sanatorium</strong>. Thanks for mentioning it! It seems like something I'd probably really enjoy. Thanks Film Walrus! I should point out though that my list isn’t in any numbered order (If you read it you’ll find that the films are listed alphabetically). I made this clear in my introduction post, but you may have missed it. I only added the numbers to keep track of the 30 films on my list, but I should probably remove them.

I enjoyed your review of the film as well. I really need to see Woman in the Dunes again since I haven’t seen it for many years and I think I was maybe a little too young to appreciate it fully. Possession is a long time favorite, but I’ve never seen The Hourglass Sanatorium. Thanks for mentioning it! It seems like something I’d probably really enjoy.

]]> by: Film Walrus http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-1421 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:39:11 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-1421 I just took the jump from your Top DVDs of 2007 post and was a little surprised that the Teshigahara box set didn't rank higher (it would have been in my top 5). Great review; an excellent celebration of a Japanese director who managed to out-existential an art film culture that saw its share and then some. I think I like "Woman in the Dune" a wee bit better than "Face of Another," but it was the latter one that I also reviewed (http://filmwalrus.blogspot.com/2007/09/review-of-face-of-another.html). Judging from your 2007 DVD posts and your link sidebar, I suspect we have simular tastes :) I completely agree with you labeling this as avant-garde horror and find it odd that critics get squeamish about fessing up to the combination. Two of my other favorites "Possession" (1981) and "The Hourglass Sanatorium" could also be safely listed in that category. I just took the jump from your Top DVDs of 2007 post and was a little surprised that the Teshigahara box set didn’t rank higher (it would have been in my top 5). Great review; an excellent celebration of a Japanese director who managed to out-existential an art film culture that saw its share and then some. I think I like “Woman in the Dune” a wee bit better than “Face of Another,” but it was the latter one that I also reviewed (http://filmwalrus.blogspot.com/2007/09/review-of-face-of-another.html). Judging from your 2007 DVD posts and your link sidebar, I suspect we have simular tastes :)

I completely agree with you labeling this as avant-garde horror and find it odd that critics get squeamish about fessing up to the combination. Two of my other favorites “Possession” (1981) and “The Hourglass Sanatorium” could also be safely listed in that category.

]]> by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-697 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 01:09:26 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-697 Fascinating and fantastic catch! Tatsuya Nakadai was known for his very expressive eyes. He seemed to use them in a similar way that Kabuki players did. Also, many thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. I came across your blog a few days ago thanks to a post by Neil over at the Bleeding Tree blog and added you to my blog roll right away. I really enjoy what you're doing here and I look forward to reading your further thoughts about the film since it's one of my favorites. I finally watched Teshigahara's <strong>Pitfall </strong>a few weeks ago for the first time and it knocked me over. I really loved it! I've been a little disappointed with the American reviews I've recently seen for Teshigahara's films. A lot of reviewers seem to be overlooking the deeply etched political themes he's expressing in them. Even the Criterion commentary offered on the Pitfall DVD overlooked some obvious ideas he was clearly expressing about the American occupation after WWII, etc. I'm not sure if this lack of understanding is due to a limited understanding of Japanese history and social conditions after the war, or if critics don't understand how politically motivated a lot of fifties/sixties era Japanese directors like Teshigahara were. I want to write more about this topic myself and share some further thoughts about Pitfall soon. It’s great to see others writing about his films! I enjoyed your post about <strong>Pitfall</strong> a lot. Fascinating and fantastic catch! Tatsuya Nakadai was known for his very expressive eyes. He seemed to use them in a similar way that Kabuki players did.

Also, many thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. I came across your blog a few days ago thanks to a post by Neil over at the Bleeding Tree blog and added you to my blog roll right away. I really enjoy what you’re doing here and I look forward to reading your further thoughts about the film since it’s one of my favorites.

I finally watched Teshigahara’s Pitfall a few weeks ago for the first time and it knocked me over. I really loved it! I’ve been a little disappointed with the American reviews I’ve recently seen for Teshigahara’s films. A lot of reviewers seem to be overlooking the deeply etched political themes he’s expressing in them. Even the Criterion commentary offered on the Pitfall DVD overlooked some obvious ideas he was clearly expressing about the American occupation after WWII, etc. I’m not sure if this lack of understanding is due to a limited understanding of Japanese history and social conditions after the war, or if critics don’t understand how politically motivated a lot of fifties/sixties era Japanese directors like Teshigahara were. I want to write more about this topic myself and share some further thoughts about Pitfall soon.

It’s great to see others writing about his films! I enjoyed your post about Pitfall a lot.

]]> by: Arbogast http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-696 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:21:00 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-696 It is an astonishing film and so dense in its intellect and sensitivity that I need a second viewing to really wrap my mind around its ideas. But check out my modest blog... http://arbogastonfilm.blogspot.com/2007/09/i-never-forget-face.html ... for an interesting photo comparison between FACE and another haunting film. It is an astonishing film and so dense in its intellect and sensitivity that I need a second viewing to really wrap my mind around its ideas. But check out my modest blog…

http://arbogastonfilm.blogspot.com/2007/09/i-never-forget-face.html

… for an interesting photo comparison between FACE and another haunting film.

]]> by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-413 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 10:49:05 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-413 Robert - Thanks a lot! I'm definitely in the minority when it comes to viewing <b>The Face of Another</b> as a horror film with science fiction elements. It's really an avant-garde horror film in my opinion, but most critics refuse to use those two words in the same sentence. There's plenty of critics who still won't call <b>Eyes Without a Face</b> a horror film or stuff like Polanski's <b>Repulsion</b> horror because they think the word will "sully" the films, which is just silly in my opinion. Horror can be high-minded and I think it should try to explore new territory. Any movie that opens with images of floating body parts in some modern looking Frankenstein's lab as <b>The Face of Another</b> does is lending itself to be reviewed as a horror film in my opinion. I'm all about breaking down those ridiculous walls that so many critics have built up in regards to horror so that's one reason why I like stressing the horrific elements in <b>The Face of Another</b> even if lots of critics disagree with me. I also hope it might inspire horror film enthusiasts to watch a film that they probably wouldn't see otherwise. I'm someone who thinks directors like Gaspar Noé and Michael Haneke make horror films though, so I seem to be in the minority there as well. A Bravo TV special from a few years ago about horror films (sorry, but I can recall what it was called) really impressed me by daring to mention Bela Tarr’s <b>Werckmeister Harmonies</b> in a program that also covered films like John Carpenter’s <b>Halloween</b> and Argento’s <b>Suspiria</b>. I come from the same school of thought I guess. Peter - It must have been wonderful to see <b>Woman in the Dunes</b> during its theatrical run. It seems strange to me that it's the only film that got the director any attention in the US from critics though. Obviously that's changing but the change has been slow. Robert - Thanks a lot! I’m definitely in the minority when it comes to viewing The Face of Another as a horror film with science fiction elements. It’s really an avant-garde horror film in my opinion, but most critics refuse to use those two words in the same sentence. There’s plenty of critics who still won’t call Eyes Without a Face a horror film or stuff like Polanski’s Repulsion horror because they think the word will “sully” the films, which is just silly in my opinion. Horror can be high-minded and I think it should try to explore new territory.

Any movie that opens with images of floating body parts in some modern looking Frankenstein’s lab as The Face of Another does is lending itself to be reviewed as a horror film in my opinion.

I’m all about breaking down those ridiculous walls that so many critics have built up in regards to horror so that’s one reason why I like stressing the horrific elements in The Face of Another even if lots of critics disagree with me. I also hope it might inspire horror film enthusiasts to watch a film that they probably wouldn’t see otherwise. I’m someone who thinks directors like Gaspar Noé and Michael Haneke make horror films though, so I seem to be in the minority there as well.

A Bravo TV special from a few years ago about horror films (sorry, but I can recall what it was called) really impressed me by daring to mention Bela Tarr’s Werckmeister Harmonies in a program that also covered films like John Carpenter’s Halloween and Argento’s Suspiria. I come from the same school of thought I guess.

Peter - It must have been wonderful to see Woman in the Dunes during its theatrical run. It seems strange to me that it’s the only film that got the director any attention in the US from critics though. Obviously that’s changing but the change has been slow.

]]> by: Peter Nellhaus http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-412 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 22:57:28 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-412 I also saw the MOC version of <b>Face of Another</b> a couple of years ago. Very interesting insight into Japanese identity. I saw <b>Woman in the Dunes</b> around thirty years ago theatrically, as well as his documentary on Gaudi who I was not familiar with before. I'm looking forward to checking out <b>Pitfall</b>. I also saw the MOC version of Face of Another a couple of years ago. Very interesting insight into Japanese identity. I saw Woman in the Dunes around thirty years ago theatrically, as well as his documentary on Gaudi who I was not familiar with before. I’m looking forward to checking out Pitfall.

]]> by: Robert Monell http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-410 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:25:50 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-410 I never thought of relating FOA to horror, but it's one of the most unsettling films I've ever seen. Mysterious, haunting in the way David Lynch is at his best. I've seen both FACE and WOMAN... a number of times on videos from my local library back in the 1990s. The quality was dodgy and I can't wait to see them on this set! What I like most about his work is that each time you watch these films they seems totally different as if a new aspect takes over. They get more interesting on repeat viewings whereas I can't watch 99% of current mainstream junk even once! These films can be watched in many different ways: as horror, allegory (social or psychological), experimental/art films or just plain journeys into unknown territory. My favorite DVD last year was Criterion's MR ARKADIN and this could equal it just in terms of what you get. I liked WOMAN better but your blog gives me a new take on FACE... I'll HAVE to get this. Keep up the great work. Thanks. Robert Monell I never thought of relating FOA to horror, but it’s one of the most unsettling films I’ve ever seen. Mysterious, haunting in the way David Lynch is at his best. I’ve seen both FACE and WOMAN… a number of times on videos from my local library back in the 1990s. The quality was dodgy and I can’t wait to see them on this set! What I like most about his work is that each time you watch these films they seems totally different as if a new aspect takes over. They get more interesting on repeat viewings whereas I can’t watch 99% of current mainstream junk even once! These films can be watched in many different ways: as horror, allegory (social or psychological), experimental/art films or just plain journeys into unknown territory. My favorite DVD last year was Criterion’s MR ARKADIN and this could equal it just in terms of what you get. I liked WOMAN better but your blog gives me a new take on FACE… I’ll HAVE to get this. Keep up the great work. Thanks. Robert Monell

]]> by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-409 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 13:54:24 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-409 I think you would really enjoy the film AR! It truly has some of the most striking imagery I've ever seen and the film is beautifully put together and edited. I think you would also be really impressed with the music and sound editing as well. I'm glad I can help fill up your rental queue! ;) I think you would really enjoy the film AR! It truly has some of the most striking imagery I’ve ever seen and the film is beautifully put together and edited. I think you would also be really impressed with the music and sound editing as well.

I’m glad I can help fill up your rental queue! ;)

]]> by: AR http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-408 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 11:48:42 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-408 This looks like the sort of film I would enjoy. Thanks for the write-up! I'll have see it at some point, though, my goodness, I've been getting so many good recommendations from you lately. My poor Netflix queue is already stretched to 80 films, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to see any. This looks like the sort of film I would enjoy. Thanks for the write-up! I’ll have see it at some point, though, my goodness, I’ve been getting so many good recommendations from you lately. My poor Netflix queue is already stretched to 80 films, so I’m not sure when I’ll be able to see any.

]]> by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-406 Tue, 10 Jul 2007 21:52:25 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-406 Thanks! I hope you give the film a look soon Jeremy. I think you would really enjoy it. Woman in the Dunes is well worth a look too, but I prefer The Face of Another. I can't wait to check out Pitfall soon myself! Thanks! I hope you give the film a look soon Jeremy. I think you would really enjoy it. Woman in the Dunes is well worth a look too, but I prefer The Face of Another. I can’t wait to check out Pitfall soon myself!

]]> by: Jeremy http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-404 Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:23:58 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/07/09/hiroshi-teshigaharas-the-face-of-another-1966/#comment-404 Interesting post Kimberly, I'm ashamed to say that I have never seen any films by Teshigahara but I have wanted to for quite a while. I'll definately put these titles in my Netflix que...thanks for the fascinating review... Interesting post Kimberly,
I’m ashamed to say that I have never seen any films by Teshigahara but I have wanted to for quite a while. I’ll definately put these titles in my Netflix que…thanks for the fascinating review…

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