BT1886

Pale Flower

“I love these wicked nights.” In the midst of the Cold War, Japan was in quite a difficult spot — sandwiched between the US and Communist Russia, being forced to choose a side (some would say, against their will). It is considered, by many, a moment in time where the Japanese felt adrift, as if they had no sense of control towards their future. In 1964, Shochiku released Masahiro Shinoda‘sPale Flower— a stylized, brazen noir reflecting on the political and social upheaval occurring with Japan, personified by its sullen protagonist Muraki, a Yakuza member released after a long prison sentence only to be met with a different world from the one he knew. Shinoda creates a damp, interesting world for his characters to inhabit. The ever present tone of surrealism is such a heavy focus, it bleeds in to the score itself — a dissonance of notes that juxtapose perfectly with the film itself. I can by all means continue gushing about it’s amazing use of framing and musical score, but I digress. Personally, it’s a hard to follow technical marvel. Where the story lacks that gripping quality, the film makes up in style. And, by God, is it stylish. CC Spine #564