Shunkinsho: Okoto to Sasuke

Okoto and Sasuke is an adaptation from the novel A Portrait of Shunkin (Shunkinsho) by Junichiro Tanizaki written in 1933. Director Yasujiro Shimazu's beautifully composed film was placed third in the 1935 Kinema Junpo Top Ten. Okoto and Sasuke is a riveting melodramatic tale, an unusual love affair develops between the brilliant but difficult blind musician Okoto, and her faithful disciple and servant Sasuke. As the opening credits roll we are treated to a wonderful musical introduction, an outstanding highlight the instruments, the sameisen and the koto which feature throughout along with some marvellous traditional dance. This culturally rich compelling drama is highly recommended along with Sanka from Kaneto Shindô in 1972...

Kinuyo Tanaka has been blind since she was nine. Her rich parents have provided well for her, and she has become a master of the shamisen. Kôkichi Takada, on whom she relies for every act, is utterly devoted to her. There is, inevitably, gossip, although there is nothing to it. Yet when a burglar breaks into her house and her face is scalded, the only person she cares about seeing her disfigured face is him.

Yasujirô Shimazu's movie from Jun'ichirô Tanizaki's novel has been largely cut down to a series of incidents whose significance I can only poorly grasp, but the overall effect is a precursor of the sort of Japanese horror movie that would flower in the 1960s; a story of dedication that seems to have appealed to the Japanese sufficiently it has been remade four times: a movie worthy of Franju.

Shimazu had begun directing in 1921, and like most successful Japanese directors of the era, he worked fast and well. By the time of his death in 1944 at the age of 48, he had directed over 140 features