Murakami, Ryu: In the Miso Soup

Just before New Year's Eve, Kenji, a freelance nightlife guide, is hired by an overweight American called Frank. As he takes him from bar to bar, we learn that high school girls willingly prostitute themselves as do housewives and it becomes clear that something is the matter with Frank. He says he has had part of his brain removed which causes him to 'freeze' at times and Kenji agrees to a second night with him. The close atmosphere of the seedier parts of Tokyo's night life comes across as the night unfolds with its culmination in a shockingly violent scene, all the more shocking because of the calm, matter of fact way it is described. Kenji is afraid he, too, will be killed but is unable to leave Frank even when the opportunity presents itself and he spends the night in a disused building with him. He tells Frank why 108 bells are rung at the close of the year and Frank talks to him of his childhood including almost throwaway admissions of murder. The book ends with Kenji united with his girfriend as Frank disappears in the crowd assembled to hear the bells. There is a flat unemotional feel to the book even though it deals with Kenji's reactions to what he thinks about Frank and then to what he witnesses. Both with the main characters and those they meet directly there is an air of isolation from the normal world with the sadness of those in the sex industry noticeably present. Not to be confused with the better known Haruki Murakami, this author takes the less savoury aspects of life as his field.

Hiaasen, Carl: Sick Puppy

Another in the series of books about environmental pollution and political corruption in Florida with the usual twists and turns in the plot. A very rich young man spends his time chasing and chastising litter bugs - for example, emptying a full
refuse truck on to an open sports car - before falling for the wife of a lobbyist who is the villain of this book though he is far from alone. Some amusing vignettes - as when the man and the errant wife are about to have sex but she insist on the dog being blindfolded before they start - and some nasty bits though the latter are never drawn out . Well up to the author's standard with sufficient variations in the story to make it fresh even with the same basic theme.

Morgan, Richard: Broken Angels

In the outer reaches of space, man in the 26th century is discovering the relics of Martian colonisation while showing that human nature seem unable to change with greed, violence, treachery and stupidity present to the full. Death can be a thing of the past as the top of the spine or stack can be transferred to a new body or sleeve which is done frequently in armies.
The book tells an involved tale of retrieving a Martian battle cruiser through a hidden portal with many visiccitudes on the way leaving only the narrator and a few others alive (or dead) on their way to a different planetary system. The science seems plausible though unlikely and is not all-encompassing - spaceships take years to cross the galaxy though there is both a
shortened subjective time and the longer real time - and working out the technology used by the Martians is slow and rather limited. A book of nearly 500 pages, it raises some interesting ideas about the environment, human nature and the way that multi-national corporations appear to be taking over from national governments without preaching against the backdrop of an adventure story within the science fiction milieu.

Driving Miss Daisy.

These days we rarely go to the theatre, partly a function of the relative cost compared with cinema and partly a matter of preference. There have been exceptions, more so in the past than now, to see some of the greats such as Gielgud and Guinness, James Stewart, Mickey Rooney and Anne Miller et al. The reason for going to see this film was that it is the only chance to see the great James Earl Jones on stage. While he was good in the role of Miss Daisy' chauffeur, the truly outstanding performance was that of Vanessa Redgrave as Miss Daisy. She, like Jones, is well past the age of retirement,
(he is 80, she 74) but she gave a performance of such bravura excellence that it was a true privilege to watch. Only a short play, some 80 plus minutes with no interbal, but one that will be remembered.

Faust: Alexandr Sokurov (LFF 27.10.2011)

Set in a mediaeval village this is the final film of Sokurov's tetralogy about spiritual shortcomings taking the traditional tale of
Faust. A long film with hints of Murnau at times and of Terry Gilliam at others, I need to see this one again to decide as the
length unfortunately defeated my attempts to pay continuous attention. It was highly recommended by a St Petersburg DVD
seller who had seen it a few weeks earlier so I should give it another go.

Dendera: Daisuke Tengan (LFF 26.10.2011)

This is a sequel to 'The Ballad of Narayama' in which the women of a village were taken over the mountain to die when they reached 70. The opening sequence sees Kayu being taken up to the shrine over the mountain in the depths of winter to die
but she is found and saved by older women who have themselves survived, the oldest being now 100 years old and the founder of this women only settlement. Kayu is the 50th which decides the matriarch that it is time to return to the village to kill the men. The film shows their life and their training for this but they are disturbed by a large bear which attcks them and ransacks the food store. They regather and set a trap for the bear but succeed only in killing the she-bear's cub. A further attack reduces the number of women but they do set out to carry out their attack only to be hit by a further setback - an avalanche reduces their number even more including the death of the matriarch. Dayu sets out to entice the bear to attack her and a companion - she does this by leading it to the village where it is joined by a male bear killing some of the men. The film ends abruptly with her facing the female, presumably accepting that she will be killed. The photography of the winter landscape is excellent and gives the impression at times of a painting rather than reality. All in all a well done film

Damsels in Distress: Whit Stillman (LFF 24.10.2011)

This was the BFI Members' mystery film, supposed to be a thank you for their support. Certainly that is how it was introduced by Sandra Hebron. Set in an American co-ed college which seems to have students who are well into adult life (Of the three leads who went to school together, one looks well over 30 while the other two look years younger) though this may be a deliberate attempt at humour referring back to the college films of the 30s of June Allyson, Peter Lawford, et al. How the film plays out is something I do not know as the first 30 or so minutes were sufficiently unentertaining and poorly put together for us not to want to see the rest. The only other review I have seen appears to bear out our thoughts. This was the first time we had opted for the mystery film and, on this showing, it will be the last.

The Monk: Dominik Moll (LFF 24.10.2011)

Based on the great Gothic novel by Matthew Lewis, the film tells of Brother Ambrosio, brilliantly played by Vincent Cassel, a charismatic monk whose fiery sermons have spread the fame of his monastery. Local gentry flock to hear his sermons. Then a young man with a masked face is brought to the monastery with a plea that he be accepted as a novice. Though there is
resistance from some of the brothers, this happens and the lad is allowed to dwell alone in a tower room. In the grounds is a
garden which Ambrosio has created which is not used by the others. Ambrosio finds the novice there who reveals that he is
actually a young woman whose bodily charms seduce Ambrosio. He does, however, force her to leave. Approached by a local lady to visit her sick mother-in-law, he does so but finds himself falling for her - he does have sex with her but is found doing so by her fiance - imprisoned, sentenced and punished, he is left finally to the torments of hell. Very well filmed, the
director combines both the fervour of religion and the temptations of the flesh and it is easy to see why the book is looked on as a proto-surreal one. I must read it. In passing, when Cassel strips for the consumation of his lust, his physique could claim to match, male to female, that of his wife!

The Artist: Michel Hazanavicius (LFF 22.10.2011)

Brining together again Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo, the film is a loving portrayal of Hollywood at the time talkies came to
supplant the silent film. Dujardin plays a megastar adventure hero, something on the lines of Douglas Fairbanks, who takes
a shine to Bejo when she gets a bit part in his latest film. This propels her to stardom while he founders by not accepting that sound will change film-making for good. He tries to make his own great epic but this is a complete flop, outgunned in all ways by her latest film which premieres the same night. She saves him when he burns his archive in a fit of despair and nearly dies and, after the usual waverings, the film ends with the two of them dancing together in her new film. What gives the film its great charm is the virtual lack of dialogue though not sound which is used as to point and punctuate. It provides a celebration of that time in the history of the movies without really being an homage. The cast includes some Anglo-American veterans who perform well but the real scene stealer is, arguably, the hero's dog, his performance itself being a
reminder of the wonder dogs of yesteryear.

Last Screening: Laurent Achard (LFF 21.10.2011)

The lead, played by Pascal Cervo, is a quiet cinema manager which is about to be closed although he behaves as if this will not happen, telling regulars that there will be showings the following week. His unassuming nature, however, hides his real
character which is soon revealed. He is a serial killer. Cervo gives a convincing performance as a man in the grip of a deadly passion whil presenting a bland amiable face to the world and the director does a confident job while not hitting any great heights. Certainly he is someone whose future films will be watched.

Let The Bullets Fly: Jiang Wen (LFF 20.11.2011)

An action comedy set in rural 1920s China with fast-moving action, double-dealing and a duel role for the King of Cool, Chow Yun Fat. A notorious bandit robs a train containing the new Governor of Goose Town and his wife. The latter becomes the Bandit's mistress and he takes on the Governor's identity, making the latter his advisor. Chow is the Mr Big of Goose Town, and also his slow-witted double, who seems to be a willing co-operator in the renewed search for the bandit while actually trying to remove the Governor and retain control of the town. Much mayhem occurs in a series of scenes with the ending seeing Chow blown up and the bandit now deciding to go to Beijing for further advancement. A complete riot of a film which does not need or would bear any serious criticism - a film to sit back and enjoy.

Nobody Else But You (Poupoupidou): Gerald Hustache- Mathieu (LFF 29.10.2011)

A writer of crime novels goes to Mouthe on the Franco-Swiss border in mid-winter for the reading of an aunt's will to find that his inheritance is a stuffed dog which he leaves in a roadside dump. Checking in to a local hotel, he becomes intrigued by the recent death of a local beauty who was the weather girl on the local TV. Her body had been discovered in a patch of
land neither Swiss nor French, a 'No-Man's Land'. The film alternates between his seking answers and the girl's life in flashback which shows that she thought she was the reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe. Definite parallels exist from her beauty queen days to her becoming the mistress of the region's leading politician, this culminating in her singing 'Happy Birthday' to him at a local award ceremony with a deliberate dress malfunction as the climax. The politician drops her but she threatens to cause a scandal which leads to her death. Although serious, there is a light comedic touch to much of the
action which does end up with the writer, who had been suffering from a block, telling her story with success. The snow-bound surroundings are well photographed but the tenor of the film means it should not really be compared with the other
winter thriller of recent years, 'Fargo'.

Tales of the Night: Michel Ocelot (LFF 18.10.2011)

A 3D animation from France in six disparate episodes, most of which I managed to doze through apart from the first "The Werewolf' which was more than acceptably done. Animated films from different countries seem to have very different styles and this one reminded me both of 'Kirikou and the Sorceress' by the same director and the work of Lotte Reiniger.

Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai: Takashi Miike (LFF 17.101.2011)

A restrained remake of Kobayashi's film of a story which attacks the inhumanity of feudal Japan. Set at a time when the Shogunate had led to many samurai becoming unemployed, it deals with the consequence of one of them begging a local lord for funds to save his sick wife in return for his own ritual suicide. This is something that others have done without then
killing themselves but this time he is forced to follow the traditional form even though his sword is only bamboo. We learn this as it is told to another applicant wishing to kill himself on the same grounds. Like a Chinese puzzle box unfolds, we
learn of the ronin's life, then his enforced suicide and his wife's death with the revelation that the current request has been made by the father of the dead man's wife. A rather leisurely but beautifully filmed development erupts in the final reel into a fight between the father and the full complement of the lord's household with the inevitable conclusion. Quieter and more
thought-provoking than last year's '13 Assassins' but less enjoyable.

The Fairy: Abel, Gordon and Romy (LFF 15.10.2011)

The three directors also take the leads in this anarchic farce which combines brilliant physical comedy with surreal images.
Abel is a night manager in a small hotel into which Gordon checks telling him she is a fairy and giving him three wishes. He
asks for the first two but saves the third. She is hospitalised but rescued by him in a marvellous string of physical gags which are worthy of Keaton at his best. This is later topped by a brilliant sequence in which the two of them are trying to
recover their infant child off the back of a moving car. In between, a slightly drawn out scene in a cafe run by a very myopic Romy with the local ladies rugby team drowning their sorrows does slow things down without minimising the charm.