I had no idea what to expect from this movie. From ads I’d
seen it looked like an Asian version of THE SOUND OF MUSIC with a family
cavorting and singing through the tall grass on a hillside. Coming from
director Takashi Miike I knew that this wasn’t likely. But I’ve always enjoyed
the few films of his I’ve had the chance to watch including ICHI THE KILLER and
13 ASSASSINS. He has a great visual style in everything he makes as well as an
off kilter look at the world. No, I knew this was no Von Trapp family outing
here. What I didn’t expect was to absolutely enjoy and love this movie when it
finished.
A word of warning here. Know that I occasionally love movies
that are extremely off the wall and this film fits that category. I’m not
talking offensive movies but movies that are quite unlike anything else made.
Some of those types of films stink but this isn’t one of them. This one made me
smile even when bad things were happening. It was all played for laughs and not
to be taken seriously.
The Katakuri family has seen better days. Dad was a top shoe
salesman looking forward to retiring with a pension one day but who was laid
off. Mom worked at the same store and that’s where the two of them met. Sister
falls in love to easily and as a result has a youngster to take care of, the
narrator of the story. Brother had a few run ins with the law and is laying
low. And Grandpa, well he lives with them all. When word reaches father that a
new highway will be going through a location nearby, he purchases a cottage to
rent out rooms to travelers along that route. Unfortunately as the film opens
that hasn’t come to pass and things are rough.
They get worse when their first guest to take a room ends up
killing himself during the night using the room key to cut his throat. Fearful
that the police will let everyone know that their first guest committed suicide
will make them lose business, the family decides to just bury the man out in
the back end of the property. But this won’t be the first guest that they lose
nor the last person buried on their lot.
Sister has fallen hard for a young man dressed in Navy
whites who claims to be working for the Queen of England. In truth he’s a con
man on the lam and using sister to get whatever he can. When the local
constable drops off a wanted poster she doesn’t notice him their but grandpa
does.
As I sit and type I realize that it’s difficult to explain
all that happens in this movie without giving too much away. So rather than a
start to finish description I’ll move on to the things that make it worthwhile.
It’s funny. Yes it’s in another language but that doesn’t matter. It’s still
hilarious in parts. It’s filled with music, nothing that you’ll find yourself
singing for days after but this movie is a musical of sorts. The first major
number is laughter inspiring as 4 family members enter the room of their first
guest in what appears to be styled like a music video from the 80s, with smoke
pots, mood lighting and posing actors singing out.
Before the end of the film you’ll witness zombies dancing
(not Michael Jackson zombies but bluer zombies that have begun decomposing in
weird ways), clay animated sequences usually involving black birds, an erupting
volcano and a mudslide that nearly destroys everyone in the film. Even through
all of that by the final moments on screen you’ll still be smiling and
laughing. With all that happens in the movie I still felt lighthearted and
joyous at what I’d just seen. And I was left wondering why, since this movie is
14 years old, has no one turned this into a major Broadway production? It’s
ripe for something that would play there. If it doesn’t happen in the next ten
years I will be stunned.
So know ahead of time that this movie isn’t for everyone but
it is a hoot and one that you might just enjoy if you give it a chance. Yes,
there are subtitles but for myself I get tired of people saying that makes it
too difficult to watch. It doesn’t. Get over it. English is not the only
language in this world.
This Arrow Video release is like all of their releases,
filled with extras that actually add something to the movie rather than just
being press packages for already famous stars. Included are interviews with the
cast, a piece on the Claymation animation, a making of documentary, trailers
and a commentary track by Miike himself. All of it makes the movie more
enjoyable. If you like something a little different then I can’t recommend this
one enough. If you’re willing to take a chance you just might wonder about the
whole Broadway thing like I did. This is one I will more than likely pull up
again to watch from time to time.
Click here to order.
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