Les Feux d'Himatsuri

I borrowed "Himatsuri" from the local library, because I enjoy Japanese cinema, and because the subject matter was intriguing. An isolated fishing village is on the verge of modernization when a marine park is scheduled to be built there. Upon such a premise hangs many a G-rated film, so I was quite surprised to discover that the leading character in this film is a swaggering, boorish, violent man with few admirable traits. Although he (like all of his neighbors) is a Shinto, he is a tree-feller by trade, and has no compunctions against chopping down trees, shooting sacred monkeys, and committing other sacrileges against that nature-based religion. (Indeed, the film is all too willing to graphically depict violence against animals--and none of it is staged.)

The lead character isn't the only one who I found unappealing--the entire cast is quite unappealing. There are a few pointless and rather predictable subplots involving scheming women, lecherous old men and youths on motorcycles, but the main plot has a difficult time expressing itself clearly. The "messages" that humans are becoming separated from nature, that progress comes at a cost, and that crises can cause people to undergo a breakdown are nothing new to most viewers--especially Japanese viewers. And the natural-world issue is undermined by the star's mistreatment of nature. For Westerners, the Shinto element may be of interest. There are at least two good things about Himatsuri: the scenery--much of which is breathtaking--and Toru Takemitsu's haunting music. Otherwise, it's a rather pointless and brutal 2 hour descent into one man's madness. I can't recommend it.

This movie has its moments. The pacing is a double-edged sword. I found myself admiring the time it took to set tone and establish it themes, especially of nature and the main character's reactions to it. On the other hand, the film is frustratingly slow and has nothing truly resembling a plot. It's very much like watching a thunderstorm gathering, beautiful but hard to concentrate on for an extended period. It's very difficult to put a rating on this film, even more so than usual. It's definitely a very good movie, but it's also very hard to enjoy. If you like McCabe and Mrs. Miller, this may be the movie for you.