432-433 Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters & Patriotism

[Jeff]

I wonder if they will include Mishima's Yokoku as an extra?

I think it has a very good shot. I would say that this BBC documentary would also be a very likely extra, and hopefully they will at least be able to port the Schrader commentary from the Warner release.

If this is indeed licensed from American Zoetrope (which seems by far the most likely scenario), that would bode well for inclusion of the commentary. Zoetrope have been producing their own extras for years, and may own the rights to the commentary themselves.

[bluesea]

In terms of literature, The Sound of Waves is a good place to start with Mishima. As for the OOP Mishima film, I had it, watched it, got rid it. It may be good cinema, but in my opinion it does not come close to capturing the man. I would go so far as to say its pretty lame. If you want Mishima on film, find a copy of Hideo Gosha's Tenchu, in which Mishima hauntingly plays a role that comes much closer to showcasing his politics and his death. See the man, hear his voice, watch him perform harakiri in front of the camera less than a year before the actual event.

[Cronenfly]

If this is indeed licensed from American Zoetrope (which seems by far the most likely scenario), that would bode well for inclusion of the commentary. Zoetrope have been producing their own extras for years, and may own the rights to the commentary themselves.

I guess you're right, Jeff: thinking it over, Toho seems like far too much of a long shot (and Zoetrope has licensed out the titles they own the rights to before [when they own them outright], as in One From the Heart to Fantoma). Schrader mentions recording his commentary at the Skywalker Ranch, so there's a chance it'll be carried over (same for the Chishu Ryu deleted scene and production featurette, maybe depending on whether Warner puts up a fight or not). A new commentary with Schrader (especially with someone else on the track with him) wouldn't be such a bad thing, as the one on the Warner is a bit flat (though still one of Schrader's better ones and well worth the inclusion if possible).

It may be good cinema, but in my opinion it does not come close to capturing the man. I would go so far as to say its pretty lame.

In terms of Mishima the man, I would have to agree that the movie fails at fully evoking his person, a good deal of which probably has to do with Schrader's interpretation of the material. However, I still think it's as good an entry point to an artist as I've ever seen in a biopic, and (at the very least) certainly a fascinating cinematic construction in its own right.

[zedz]

Further to the above, and to be fair to Schrader, he was reportedly operating under rather oppressive constraints from Mishima's wife, specifically with regard to Mishima's homosexuality.

[Cronenfly]

Anyone think that this is coming in January '08? It could just be wishful thinking from me (I was betting big on December before), but it just seems right, given the timing of the Bailey telecine on it being so close to (before, even) Days of Heaven. Reading some of the IMDb posts on the release, the early word on it seems to date back over a year, which would seem to be a healthy gestation for a release. Maybe a bit too healthy: my thinking is that it'll be a January dump after being worked on for a while (a la Monsters and Madmen). Not that I think that Criterion was shelving it, but rather that its production had dragged out and now the package just needs a few finishing touches. Not only that, but it isn't a film that fits in with any particular wave or style, so its idiosyncrasy makes it well-suited to a month that usually doesn't match too well (just look at Jan. '07's releases to see what I mean). All hopeful speculation, of course: I'm just ready for it now. And, just to top off the above, here's some more direct confirmation, from the imdb boards, sent in March/ April/May '07, it would seem, if not earlier:

Sorry for the delay in response. It is true that we will be releasing MISHIMA though we don't have a release date set at this time. Please check back in a few months for more info.

Hell, there's even some post from July 2006 saying it should've been out within a year:

Criterion is indeed working on a new DVD. I know Paul Schrader and from what I've heard Criterion is putting an incredible amount of effort in tracking down the best prints of the film for use on DVD (oddly enough, they found a near-perfect master print in Japan). They're also producing new supplements including interviews with the Japanese cast and crew. It might not come out by the end of 2006 but should be out within a year. Also a new commentary is being recorded.

Another person called it for July '07:

Apparently it's coming out in July. They're doing color timing work on it now.

All speculation, I know, but backed with the knowledge of the release we now have, it would seem to point to Criterion's releasing it very soon, barring any additional delays, of course. I'm betting/hoping that it's going to be spine # 415, making it the single possible December release I was hoping most for to materialize (no offense to Two-Lane). Oh well: it's just one more month (if luck prevails)...

Edit: Confirmation from Kim Hendrickson, though nothing we didn't really already know:

Your email about MISHIMA was forwarded to me.

We will be releasing the title on DVD in the first half of 2008. We will try to retain as many of the original features as we are able to license, but there will be many new additional features as well.

Not quite the resounding affirmation of an imminent release I was hoping for, but good to see that it's definitely coming sometime soon.

[kinjitsu]

Tom Mes on Yukoku

[denti alligator]

Playwright and novelist Yukio Mishima predicted his own suicide with this ravishing short feature

How does one "predict" one's own suicide? Seems like a wrong choice of words.

[jaredsap]

Can someone tell me how this compares with the last edition? What has been been ported and what has been left out? Thanks.

[domino harvey]

Playwright and novelist Yukio Mishima predicted his own suicide with this ravishing short feature

How does one "predict" one's own suicide? Seems like a wrong choice of words.

Should be "prophesied" maybe?

[jaredsap]

Prefigured.

[denti alligator]

Prefigured.

That's better. You can't "predict" or "prophesize" something that you yourself will be carrying out. I predict that I will drink a cup of coffee tomorrow morning...? I predict that I will kill myself tomorrow morning...? Makes no sense.

[Cinephrenic]

I had predicted this was coming from Criterion....really.

[denti alligator]

I had predicted this was coming from Criterion....really.

Yeah, and...? You're not the one who decided it should be released.

All this talk of prophesying and predicting is making the add at the bottom of the page suggest some kind of Nazarine Bible College....

[Jeff]

Can someone tell me how this compares with the last edition? What has been been ported and what has been left out? Thanks.

Nothing has been ported. The old disc featured a Schrader commentary, but this is a new one. All of the other features are new.

I have to wonder if there is not a very good reason for releasing Patriotism separately. Peter Becker recently wrote about the decision not to package The Red Balloon and White Mane together:

I, for one, feel passionately that White Mane (Crin Blanc) has lived too long in the shadow of The Red Balloon. The film is a masterpiece in its own right and, as no less a figure than Pauline Kael said, “one of the most beautiful films ever made.” For decades White Mane has been treated as a kind of B side to The Red Balloon, but it is far too good for that...We made a similar decision when we uncoupled Alain Resnais’ thirty-one-minute Night and Fog from Hiroshima mon amour. Those two shared a VHS tape as well, but in our view it did both films—and their very different audiences—a disservice

Including Patriotism as a supplement to Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters may have relegated an important film to that "B side" status. If anything, Patriotism may be a bit overpriced for a 30-minute film, but they're not being stingy with the supplements.

[manicsounds]

I was always disappointed that the English subtitles were not removable. They need to redo them, if possible. I certainly hope the English subtitles for the dialogue is removable this time around. I thought there were problems with the timing on the Warner disc, and also the translation wasn't very good.

As for people that said Warner's old disc looked 'great', maybe for its time, but I remember it being quite grainy when i last saw it, and that was one of the first I ever bought.

This movie is still unreleased in Japan. I once saw the used region 1 going for more than $100 in a second hand store a while ago, and that was when it was still in print.

I've already sold my Region 1 for a lot (its still not out in Japan)

[kinjitsu]

Donald Richie reviews the Japanese DVD of Patriotism as well as shedding some light on the production and his participation as "music director."

It would appear that we're getting some (if not all) of the supplements on the Japanese set.

[Tommaso]

Dammit... I was only going to buy the Schrader film for finally getting "Yukoku", and now that they release this as a single-disc, I have to reconsider

Well, not really. Though I wasn't overly amazed about the Schrader film way back in the 80s (the only time I saw it), both releases appear to be gorgeous extra-wise, so I guess they are both must haves. I'm really keen to hear the Mishima audio recordings and the interview excerpts. I would assume he spoke in English there? Otherwise I wonder how they wanted to subtitle him if it's just audio, and I can't imagine they would put out a purely Japanese audio track on an American disc.
Has anyone seen the BBC documentary on the Schrader disc, btw?

And looking at the other new releases: the first really good month for CC this year.

[kinjitsu]

Has anyone seen the BBC documentary on the Schrader disc

Of Yukio Mishima

''The Strange Case of Yukio Mishima'' is not hyperbole. As tonight's episode of ''The Creative Edge,'' at 9 o'clock on Channel 13, confirms, Mishima, the most popular Japanese writer of his time, was afflicted or inspired by broodings on violence, power, heroism and death. He is doubtless best remembered for his public suicide by ritual hara kiri in Tokyo in 1970, fulfilling what he called his heart's leaning toward glorious death.

The interviews with associates, friends and lovers and the excerpts from his works, read by John Hurt, add up to a surrealistic portrait. Mishima was at once an intellectual and a body builder who posed for poster art; a husband and father who had love affairs with female impersonators; a right-wing militarist and a draft-dodger; a Western-style celebrity and a tradition-minded nationalist. A friend describes him as ''part gentleman and part gangster.''

Pride in his samurai heritage ran powerfully through both his writing and his actions. ''I want to make a poem of my life,'' he wrote; part of that poem consisted of developing a muscular torso so that he might destroy it as an act of defiance of nature before age took its course. It is not surprising that he identified with paintings of the martyred St. Sebastian.

Toward the end of his life (he was only 45 years old when he killed himself), his disgust with his country's eager acceptance of Western values led him to create the Shield Society, described here as ''the world's least armed, most spiritual army.'' His handful of followers were dedicated to defending the divinity of the Emperor, opposing Communism and reviving the national spirit.

No assessment is attempted of the work of a writer who was nominated three times for the Nobel Prize, but in illuminating the impulses that moved him, this fascinating documentary leaves the impression that for all his allegiance to the spirit of his ancestors, he was very much a man of the politically and spiritually turbulent 1960's.

New York Times literary critic Michiko Kakutani on Yukio Mishima and Schrader's film.

[Cronenfly]

I'm certainly a very happy camper with regards to the Schrader Mishima release; it would've been nice to see the Chishu Ryu deleted scene, featurette, and old Schrader commentary ported over, but in my own case, I don't mind having gotten rid of the old edition (all the above features are only really worth a once-over anyways). Hopefully the cover art will be good (this one is pretty hard to do badly, to my mind). I'm sure the subtitles will be new, and that the Scheider voiceover will be restored (those were the most glaring problems with the old disc to my mind, though the new extras, transfer, etc are more than welcome too).

My two cents on Patriotism is that it isn't at all overpriced for what's included; there's no filler in those supplements, and there are two versions of the film on the disc. Especially given the price of the Japanese import set, I think Criterion charging $30 list for this release is plenty reasonable.

[jbeall]

Apologies if it pulls this thread off-topic, but kinjitsu's post reminded me of this picture:



I first saw it b/c it's on the cover of Joel Black's The Aesthetics of Murder (which is an interesting book for those interested in cinematic violence). The portrait of San Sebastian, which this pic explicitly imitates, apparently caused Mishima's first orgasm.

Anyway, to say that Mishima was inspired by "broodings" on violence may be a bit of an understatement.

[Tommaso]

I find this picture most pertinent to this thread! It perfectly captures the eroticization of death that was so close to Mishima in his later years, especially in "Patriotism". That whole film's soundtrack has the music of Wagner's "Liebestod" from "Tristan and Isolde", and not by chance.

[jbeall]

Now I'm really intrigued. Consider me sold on Patriotism (even if it is only 27 mins. long).

[Dr Amicus]

Has anyone seen the BBC documentary on the Schrader disc, btw?

Assuming the BBC showed this in the early 90s (?) when they showed Mishima for the (I think) first time, it is excellent. It really helps watching this before the film if you don't know much about the man (which I didn't) - as the film is hardly a conventional biopic, it gives a good grounding to be able to appreciate the film that bit more.

[Tommaso]

Thanks, you all got me completely convinced now that I need that Schrader disc. Immediately, that is.

[kaujot]

I'm a bit surprised that Patriotism isn't a bit cheaper than a normal 1-disc-no-commentary release, but I suppose with the inclusion of the short story, it's necessary.

That said, its features, whilst a bit more substantive than those found on the Night and Fog disc, are NOT that much better. A making-of doc and audio excerpts. Hopefully substantive, but still, I think they should knock $5 off for a not-even-30-minutes long film.