Setouchi munraito serenade (1997)

Note Générale:

5,6/10   

Réalisateur:

Masahiro Shinoda

Scénaristes:

Yû Aku (novel)
Katsuo Naruse (writer)

Date de sortie:

15 mars 1997 (Japan)

Genre:

Drame

Intrigue:

Opens with a journalist reporting on the 1997 Kobe earthquake, as he remembers a trip made as a young boy...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Récompenses:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Avis des utilisateurs:

Excellent

Ensemble

Kyozo Nagatsuka	...	Koichi / Elder Keita
Hideyuki Kasahara	...	Onda Keita, younger
Jun Toba	...	Koji
Shima Iwashita	...	Fuji
Hinano Yoshikawa	...	Yukiko
Michiko Hada	...	Komachi
Junji Takada	...	Black Marketeer
Toshiya Nagasawa
Sayuri Kawauchi	...	Onda Hideko
Shohei Hino
Choichiro Kawarazaki
Akaji Maro
Takashi Tsumura	...	Interpreter
Kimiko Yo	...	Woman Gambler
Frankie Sakai

Autre(s) titre(s):

Moonlight Serenade (USA)
Setouchi Moonlight Serenade

Durée:

USA:110 min

Pays:

Japan

Langue:

Japonais

Couleur:

Couleur

Son:

Dolby Digital

Société:

Pony Canyon

Connexions:

figurer Casablanca (1942)

Excellent

This movie works well on many levels. The story is gently paced but, after about a fifteen minute warm-up, absorbing and fascinating.

The use of music is first class. From the theme and title source, Glen Miller's Moonlight serenade (emblematic of the US occupation), to the use of Japanese folk songs and popular tunes, the music beautifully counterpoints and complements the story all along.

The lead actors give competent performances. But the support actors are a blast ! Comedian Junji Takada is a delight as the black marketeer. The illegal movie projectionist and his scenes are sheer magic, and the teacher who went mad when his students died as soldiers in the war gives a short but very moving performance.

Also, the film features clips from a wartime Japanese samurai flick "The Rickshaw Man", and "Casablanca".

The film starts off on a serious note, and sustains it, mainly by the device of members of the family carrying their dead kin in a box in a sling, carried at the front of the body. But the mood gently turns to comedy, and manages to be very funny and often charming.

This film is a gem, and is likely to stand up well to repeat viewing.