Die gelbe Venus von Kamakura

I was curious about this movie when I first heard about it, but I was not sure what to expect. Thankfully this movie is a bag of chips, with dip and beer.

The movie revolves around the exploits of well to do Japanese teenagers (possibly early 20's), in post WWII Japan. We mostly follow around two brothers, Natsuhisa and Haruji. They go off to the coast where they hang out with friends, water ski, swim, sail, drink, smoke, go clubbing, get into fights and play a game where they try to pick up as many women as possible. They don't have any responsibility and mostly just lie around, complaining about how there's nothing interesting to do. Just like in the Beatniks they are out looking for thrills.

The conflict in the movie arises from Haruji (the younger brother). Out of the group, Haruji is the youngest and most naive. He meets a beautiful girl, Eri and brings her to one of their parties. She catches the eye of Haruji's older and more "experienced" brother, Natsuhisa. Thus the triangular conflict is set and ready to go.

The movie is quite graphic, considering this movie was made in 1956. In the same way the Beatniks (and other similar period movies) depicted disenchanted and "sinful" teenagers in the US, Crazed Fruit does the same for Japan.

The final scene of the movie is a classic, worthwhile and carnal. I highly recommend this movie.

-Celluloid Rehab

Ko Nakahira's Crazed Fruit is, to put it mildly, an immensely welcome addition to the Criterion roster. It is uniquely modernist, impressionistically rendered, sensual in its physicality, and absolutely unlike anything to precede it in Japanese cinema. To put it bluntly, Ko's film is as significant a break from aesthetic (and moral) traditions as Godard's Breathless would prove to be two years later. The story – nominally an attempt to cash in on the "sun tribe" fashion, whereby children of the wealthy would wile away their summers sun bathing and boating (an unthinkable luxury before the 1950s) – follows the travails of two selfish and licentious brothers whose love of the same girl yields to hyperbolic tragedy of epic proportions. Whether the ending is meant as a conservative suggestion of the moral repercussions precipitated by the making idle of one's hands, or something more bleakly Sartrean, is up to interpretation. What is clear is that none who see it shall ever forget. An epochal masterpiece, based on a book by the current mayor of Tokyo!

This film is about a bunch of young men who live the good life (none have jobs, but they have money) in post-war Japan. The film focuses on two brothers and their mutual affection for a young lady named Eri. I don't blame them for being infatuated with her, she is next to beautiful. First its the younger brother Haruji who is able to woo her. Then the older brother Natsuhisa goes for her, out of both desire and jealousy. Eri turns out to be married to an American who spends very little time with her, so she is able to be involved in these affairs. Although this may seem a bit tame now, it was a scandalous film in 1956. It ushered in a Japanese new wave, or it at least suggested one was imminent. The film becomes better with time, as you focus on the love triangle. The actors and Mie Kitahara, who plays Eri, are all convincing. The DVD has commentary from Donald Richie, who is an authority on Japanese film. Again, risqué for the time, tame now (but so is "Rebel Without A Cause" and thats a great film), it is definitely worth your time.

What starts as a young adults at the beach, coming of age story slowly devolves into a morality tale rooted in an overused love-triangle plot device. This time it involves two brothers vying for the same woman. What lifts this one above the rest are the technical elements.

The direction is solid. The lighting and cinematography are wonderful, especially the moonlit scenes. The cast does a great job, with the female lead giving a shining performance. The subtle ukulele-driven, Hawaiian-inspired soundtrack provides the perfect moodiness; and the costuming deserves a shout-out.

Of the "Sun Tribe" movies I've seen, this one feels the most Hollywood-ish. I realize that the infiltration of Western culture into post-war Japan was a major theme in Japanese cinema for a while, but this film feels like it actually exhibits more of stereotypically Hollywood style.

I anticipated the explosive ending; however, it still provided a fantastic jolt!

The title "Crazed Fruit" probably has different connotations in Japanese...but in English, the title seems to suggest the viewer is in for a trashy entertainment. In fact, "Crazed Fruit" is a brilliant, thoughtful, and powerful film.

The film succeeds through its strong writing and strong performances. The director seems to have a clear vision for the film -- unusual, considering it was his debut feature.

What gives "Crazed Fruit" its depth and richness is the subtlety of the plot and performances. The film ends in tragedy, but this outcome has its origins in ordinary, minor human flaws that anyone could identify with. The three main characters' weaknesses combine in a particularly unfortunate way, to produce a spectacularly bad result. The younger brother is blameless and pure in his desire to know true love; the older brother is understandably overcome by the strength of his feelings of love and passion; the girl is blameness in her desire to experience an innocent and powerful form of love. Yet together, the three work to bring about disaster.

Highly recommended.