Asian

DVD REVIEW . Zigeunerweisen

Director: Seijun Suzuki
Starring: Toshiya Fujita, Yoshio Harada, Naoko Tani
Genre: Japan, Drama

Believe it or not, I think I have just witnessed my favorite Seijun Suzuki film. And this isn’t an idle claim of a Suzuki newbie. I’ve seen a good number of them (close to 8, plus or minus a few), but Zigeunerweisen has to be, hands down, his most cohesive, interesting, and most artistic work I’ve seen to date (Note: With this review I’m assuming some familiarity with Suzuki on the part of the reader. If you’re not up to date, you’ll want to check out his Wikipedia entry.)

This being the first film Suzuki made following his 10 year “blacklisting” by Nikkatsu studios (again, check the wiki), Zigeunerweisen sees a break from his usual tales of heroic hitmen, yakuza drifters, and fun-loving prostitutes. Instead, Zigeunerweisen tells the tale of two academics: Aoichi (Toshiya Fujita, dir. Lady Snowblood), a stoic German professor, and Nakasago (Yoshio Harada, The Fearless Avenger), his former colleague turned (possibly murderous) wandering rogue. The two meet up after years apart on a desolate beach, the latter being accused by the locals of murdering a young woman, and the former attesting to his innocence. Satisfied with the Aoichi’s vouching, Nakasago is let free, and the two go on their way, settling in at a local inn. There the two encounter a geisha, Koine (Naoko Tani, Zatoichi), fresh off a funeral, who, in accordance with Nakasago’s demands, sets about entertaining them. Nakasago becomes smitten with the girl, while Aoichi maintains a respectful interest – married as he is. Flash forward one year, and Nakasago has married Sono (Tani again), Koine’s possible doppelganger, and proudly shows her off to Aoichi. The act sets in motion a bizarre series of jealousies, restrained pinings, supernatural mysteries, half-imagined romantic transgressions, and much much more (special thanks to the dvd cover for helping me craft such a concise summary).

Fans of classic Japanese cinema will no doubt notice similarities in tone and feel to Teshigahara’s Woman in the Dunes, The Face of Another, and Pitfall, while watching Zigeunerweisen – and not without good reason. Based on a novel by Uchida Hyakken, a famous Japanese modernist writer with a penchant for the supernatural and surreal, Zigunerweisen’s narrative shares many many similarities with the works of famed surrealist (at least, as I would classify them) authors Kobo Abe and Haruki Murakami. The story itself unfolds slowly, adhering to ever-shifting dreamlogic, peripheral moods, and subconscious intuition moreso than any concrete logic or dramatic narrative setup – perfectly in line with the aforementioned authors’ favorite themes of logical men forced to face the completely illogical. In many places the tale dabbles in absurdist comedy (in the case of the blind trio of musicians), only to immediately catapult the viewer into spookier supernatural settings (ie: visitations by ghosts), all the while maintaining a signature Suzuki visual style. And really, what a wonderful style it is. The film is, in a word, exquisite. Every sequence is lovingly framed, lushly photographed, fit to be made a still and hung in an art gallery. Some might even argue that the visuals take precedence over the story, but I for one think they’re a perfect synthesis between style and substance.

In the interest of keeping this review short, and allowing you to come up with your own interpretations, I’ll cut this review off here. Zigeunerweisen is one of Suzuki’s best films — if not the best. Amazingly photographed and exceptionally detailed, with stellar performances from all involved, it is one film that proves as rewarding for the eye as the mind. Watch it, digest it, and discuss it with your friends. Good stuff.

The DVD

Kino’s DVD marks the first time Zigeunerweisen has been available in the US, and it’s a pretty nice package to boot. Overall the transfer is quite decent, a bit light, but still clear. The Japanese audio track is rendered nicely, and subtitles grammatically correct.

Aside from the film, the DVD includes an interesting interview with Seijun Suzuki on the creative process behind Zigeunerweisen and the resulting Taisho Trilogy, a lengthy Suzuki bio/filmography, the original theatrical trailer for the film, a gallery of key art and press images for the film, and a print essay (located on the back of the amray insert) discussing the Taisho trilogy in depth. This is all very nice stuff, and provides a number of welcome insights into Zigeunerweisen’s complex story and Suzuki’s artistic skill.

If I have one complaint about this disc, it would have to be the DVD cover art. As much as I like Kino, this is some of the worst art I’ve ever seen on a legitimate DVD release. In fact, the art is so bad that, were a person not to notice the title or Suzuki’s name on the cover, it would most likely make a potential buyer pass it up at first glance. Here’s hoping this review can make them think twice.

All in all, this is a nice little disc from Kino. If you’re only seen Suzuki’s gangster pictures, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up. Awesome awesome stuff.

About the Author

Chris Nelson has been a film fanatic since age six. A former film and English major, he is now a Software Engineer and contract Technical Writer living in the Silicon Valley.