One Director, whose work I come back to somewhat frequently, is Kiyoshi Kurosawa (no relation to master film maker Akira Kurosawa). Most of his films which have received release in America fall into the supernatural, horror, and thriller genres, but some of his lesser known films were genre pieces. Like many director's cutting their teeth in the late 80s and early 90s, Kurosawa made his fair share of Direct to Video/TV Movie features. Films like the Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself series, or Door 3 are examples of this.
When he moved to Horror/Thriller, with Cure, the story about a bizarre link in a series of killings, he was on the cusp of leaving "product films," but at the challenge of a producer friend of his he made two more, in the space of 1 and 1/2 weeks. Not an easy feat, let me tell you.
Those films are The Serpents Path and Eyes of the Spider.
Both films are revenge stories and both films involve a character named Nijima (played by Sho Aikawa), and yet completely different in pace and tone. The Serpents Path, for example, plays like a traditional revenge/detective procedural with a few interesting twists along the way. Nijima is a math teacher who helps a low-level yakuza track down a group of people who were all involved in the rape and murder of said yakuza's 8 year old daughter. We are drawn in because we do not understand until later why Nijima is helping this man. He has an enigmatic quality about him. Why would a man who teaches math at a cram school to students young and old (one of which is an 8 year old prodigy) risk his life and his career to help a low-level thug? Is it out of empathy or does he have an ulterior motive? Does he NEED to have a motive? These questions kept me hooked, regardless of my small laptop screen and awful speakers.
On the other hand, Eyes of the Spider, is completely different. It misleads the viewer into thinking it is going to be another standard revenge procedural when instead the revenge aspect of the story is resolved within the first 10 minutes of the film.
The core premise is the same, with a few important differences. This time, Nijima, who is NOT a math teacher, but some kind of salaryman, is the father of the victim. An average man, he goes to the extreme and finds his daughter's killer himself after 6 years of searching. After satisfying his revenge, his life becomes devoid of meaning and he drifts through each day until a chance meeting with an old high school friend has him leave his salaryman life and enter that of a low-level yakuza gang. The film has a much more philosophical tone and Nijima has to deal with issues like the validity of life and the effect of his actions on his own soul. What is right and what is wrong when the whole world seems to be absolutely insane? And what about consequences?
The world, as we know it, always finds a way to give consequences to our actions. It is no different in films than it is in life. Spider does an excellent job of showing the consequences to all the characters actions, whether they are physical or metaphysical in nature.
Despite these glaring differences, their are also structural similarities that needn't go unlooked. Each film starts with the revenge plot, each film has a bloody climax, and each film has an open ending that begs certain questions from the viewer.
Unfortunately, these films still do not have domestic release, but if you're internet savvy, you can find a way to see them. Definitely worth the watch.
Note: I am in no way, shape, or form, condoning piracy to the readers of this review. As such, I will not be held responsible for the individual actions that any person who reads this review makes.
On the other hand, Eyes of the Spider, is completely different. It misleads the viewer into thinking it is going to be another standard revenge procedural when instead the revenge aspect of the story is resolved within the first 10 minutes of the film.
The core premise is the same, with a few important differences. This time, Nijima, who is NOT a math teacher, but some kind of salaryman, is the father of the victim. An average man, he goes to the extreme and finds his daughter's killer himself after 6 years of searching. After satisfying his revenge, his life becomes devoid of meaning and he drifts through each day until a chance meeting with an old high school friend has him leave his salaryman life and enter that of a low-level yakuza gang. The film has a much more philosophical tone and Nijima has to deal with issues like the validity of life and the effect of his actions on his own soul. What is right and what is wrong when the whole world seems to be absolutely insane? And what about consequences?
The world, as we know it, always finds a way to give consequences to our actions. It is no different in films than it is in life. Spider does an excellent job of showing the consequences to all the characters actions, whether they are physical or metaphysical in nature.
Despite these glaring differences, their are also structural similarities that needn't go unlooked. Each film starts with the revenge plot, each film has a bloody climax, and each film has an open ending that begs certain questions from the viewer.
Unfortunately, these films still do not have domestic release, but if you're internet savvy, you can find a way to see them. Definitely worth the watch.
Note: I am in no way, shape, or form, condoning piracy to the readers of this review. As such, I will not be held responsible for the individual actions that any person who reads this review makes.
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