Rito de Amor e de Morte

This is a very hard movie to rate or even review, as it is so foreign. Now I don't mean 'foreign' because it's made abroad, but 'foreign' because the entire story, style and spirit of this short film is alien to many out there who are not from an older generation in Japan. The film is a Noh play that is entirely without dialog--just music, LOTS of intertitle cards explaining the situation and a couple going through a long and drawn out ritual suicide!! See what I mean?! This ain't a Spielberg or John Ford film!! Instead, it's horribly violent and disgusting to watch because it is so real. Yet, at the time of its release, the film was admired because it was a lesson in honor and fidelity! It all stems from a real incident in 1936 when an officer was ordered to execute his friends who had participated in an attempted coup. So, if your idea of fun is watching a couple slowly and silently disembowel themselves, then by all means watch it. After all, the cinematography is amazingly good and is one of the prettier black & white films I have seen and the music is lovely as they eviscerate themselves. Sadly, I had hoped that the short was instead an explanation of WHY the coup was attempted in the first place--now THAT would have been interesting.

Kids: Don't try this at home!