tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post2192572260307907181..comments2024-03-22T14:34:39.101-04:00Comments on MONDO 70: A Wild World of Cinema: RED ANGEL (1966)Samuel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-40942457252340802772011-02-24T19:56:09.765-05:002011-02-24T19:56:09.765-05:00Hmm, two votes for Blind Beast. And Sam J., while ...Hmm, two votes for <i>Blind Beast</i>. And Sam J., while I know Masumura somewhat by reputation, <i>Red Angel</i> is in fact the first of his films that I've ever watched. I guess Blind Beast'll have to be the second.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-66695025863241193852011-02-23T18:34:32.044-05:002011-02-23T18:34:32.044-05:00"Angel is a curious film for an American to w..."Angel is a curious film for an American to watch. Its serious-minded juxtaposition of war and sex takes it close to camp territory, but I don't know if the Japanese themselves have such a category that would make the story seem laughable in any way."<br /><br />Samuel, I erred at WitD and confused this film with another work. As we both know Masumura is hardly a humanist, (the central character represents the one element that is) but one who uses charged themes, especially sex to inform on a rather perverse underpinning. Nothing of his of course can match BLIND BEAST, but the role of the central character here is most definitely borderline campy, and the film's austerity is mitigated by this bizarre current, which may not be so perverse in Japanese sensibilities. Kobayashi himself orchestrated the excellent black and white photography, and the film's amutation scenes are tough to watch, though this is a walk in the park in this sense when compared to BLIND BEAST, which is nonetheless more abstract and expressionistic.<br /><br />Excellent essay here of Masumura's best film.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149411832127844385.post-9239360281693762882011-02-22T22:18:55.589-05:002011-02-22T22:18:55.589-05:00Excellent review, Sam. I've just ordered this ...Excellent review, Sam. I've just ordered this film after reading your sterling write up. This looks to make a great companion piece with BLIND BEAST.venoms5https://www.blogger.com/profile/13655919099947763891noreply@blogger.com