After seeing the superb Pop-Art of 1961's Killers on Parade,I spoke to fellow IMDber ManFromPlanetX about other movies from Japan he would rec. Having got hold (and been meaning to view) since Christmas, I was excited to see PlanetX give high praise for this film, which led to me finally getting the toys out of their boxes.
View on the film:
Advertising from Takeshi Kaikô's novel,Yoshio Shirasaka's adaptation has a cynicism that feels timeless, centred in the (m)ad men controlled industry,where quality of the product is ignored for which business/ad agency can come up with the most attention-grabbing gimmick. Pulling Shima kicking and screaming into the industry, Shirasaka attacks the public personal connection with the "brand" with mischievous satire breaking the cogs of the three major companies, who are led by grinders whose goal is to crush Shima/ customers that chomp on the profits.
Made years before the first notes of modern Pop music were played, director Yasuzô Masumura & cinematographer Hiroshi Murai follow Shirasaka with an ultra-stylisation that is ahead of its time, via the ad men offices and mountains of future gimmicks being washed in dazzling Pop-Art that gives the sharp satire a candy coloured shine. Dancing to Shima's fight for independence with a left-field dance number, Masumura opens up the corporate culture with pans across board tables, glances at stacks of glossy mags and overlapping images of machines drilling into the mindset of the ad men.Caught in the middle of the ruthless ad wars, Hitomi Nozoe gives a fantastic performance as Shima,whose chocolate wouldn't melt in her mouth endearing innocence Nozoe brings her in with,is moulded by Nozoe into a snappy,business savvy eye of escaping from the world of giants and toys.
View on the film:
Advertising from Takeshi Kaikô's novel,Yoshio Shirasaka's adaptation has a cynicism that feels timeless, centred in the (m)ad men controlled industry,where quality of the product is ignored for which business/ad agency can come up with the most attention-grabbing gimmick. Pulling Shima kicking and screaming into the industry, Shirasaka attacks the public personal connection with the "brand" with mischievous satire breaking the cogs of the three major companies, who are led by grinders whose goal is to crush Shima/ customers that chomp on the profits.
Made years before the first notes of modern Pop music were played, director Yasuzô Masumura & cinematographer Hiroshi Murai follow Shirasaka with an ultra-stylisation that is ahead of its time, via the ad men offices and mountains of future gimmicks being washed in dazzling Pop-Art that gives the sharp satire a candy coloured shine. Dancing to Shima's fight for independence with a left-field dance number, Masumura opens up the corporate culture with pans across board tables, glances at stacks of glossy mags and overlapping images of machines drilling into the mindset of the ad men.Caught in the middle of the ruthless ad wars, Hitomi Nozoe gives a fantastic performance as Shima,whose chocolate wouldn't melt in her mouth endearing innocence Nozoe brings her in with,is moulded by Nozoe into a snappy,business savvy eye of escaping from the world of giants and toys.