Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
Yukio Mishima was a complicated and complex man, so a movie about his life would be equally interesting and complex. In the occupational sense, Mishima was a prolific writer who wrote novels, plays and poems. But he was also a man obsessed with art: making it and joining it to physical action. His desire to see the two intersect even extended to the creation of a private army, established in order to bring back the Bushido code. And it’s this complicated life that’s presented in Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters.
The beauty of the film, directed with unabashed confidence by Paul Schrader, is the way that the film mixes a number of styles and stocks. The movie is comprised of three distinct styles: the straight forward color and shooting style of his final day, the glorious black and white of his past, and filmed sections of scenes from a selection of his books. It’s these sections where the film reaches new level of artistry. It’s shot with a film stock much different from the section about his final day, giving the literary areas a distinctly 60’s appearance with deep, rich Techinicolor-like look. The sets in these sections are also hyperstylized and colorful, without a single practical location. Mishima is an art film in the way that it uses different styles and moods, yet the movie maintains a cohesion of narrative. For few exceptions, we always know what’s going on, and when we don’t it soon is described in an interesting and surprising way.
But really, the look wouldn’t matter if there wasn’t an exciting and intriguing story to back it up. But Mishima’s life was so intriguing and diverse, that every single facet of it provides some glimpse into his possibly very disturbed psyche. Taken as individual sections, each of these parts (his life, his past, his obsessions) seem to have no interconnection and often seem contradictory. It’s when they’re taken as a whole that you gain an understanding (but perhaps not an apprection) of Yukio Mishima’s life.
Movie Grade: A
Video: 3.5 out of 5
Given the age and preservation techniques of the past, I’m pretty impressed. Some of the “last day” sections have some grain, but the black and white looks about perfect. At the very least, it’s done in a way that you can differentiate instantly between the two color sections.
Widescreen Anamorphic – 1.85:1
Audio: 4 out of 5
There’s really no “dub” on this disc. The movie has all dialogue in Japanese, for the sole exception of a narrator who reads Mishima’s work. The film was released like this. But, for the Japanese market, they substituted the English voice for lead actor Ken Ogata’s. That’s the only difference between the tracks. That said, I do like the stark contrast between the English language and the rest of the Japanese in the film. Like Mishima himself, it’s a bit contradictory.
English (Dolby Digital 2.0), Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Extras: 2 out of 5
Schrader’s commentary is more recent and proves to be an interesting listen, the man certainly knows his subject. The other extra is about 15 minutes of behind the scenes shot on film, presumably for some promotional use. It’s not too in depth, but interesting nonetheless. Last up is a trailer.
Overall: 5 out of 5
Why Mishima hasn’t garnered more attention over the years is a wonderment to me. It’s an accomplished movie as evidence from its great writing, directing and acting. Well worth a rental.
Year: 1985
Written by: Chieko Schrader and Leonard Schrader
Directed by: Paul Schrader
Starring: Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya and Junkichi Orimoto
Details: 121 mins / American Zoetrope / Rated R
Buy Mishima and Support Lights Out Films