Love Letter

I'm still trying to decide whether SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY is the greatest movie ever made or not. If it were the greatest movie of all time, you'd think it would be a bit better known surely? But I really can't think of any movie I've ever seen that was better. This is obviously something of a difficult position for Shunji Iwai to find himself in, in relation to me. If the first movie of his that I saw was the greatest movie ever, then surely no matter what efforts he goes to he's never really going to impress me again.

Knowing that SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY is very different to the rest of his filmography, in terms of themes and sheer scale of the production, I was quite apprehensive about paddling deeper into Shunji Iwai waters. The rest of his movies don't/didn't really sound like "my sort of thing".

LOVE LETTER is based on a strange premise of unlikely coincidence. Two years after his death, Itsuki Fujii's fiance Hiroko (Miho Nakayama) is still having a hard time moving on with her life. When she comes across his old address in his high school yearbook, Fujii's mother tells her that the house was demolished for a highway years ago. Hiroko hence figures that it is safe to send a letter there, seeking closure.

"Itsuki Fujii, O' Genki desu ka?", she writes. "Genki Desu, Hiroko Watanabe".

("How are you, I am well")

Not the most heartfelt expression of mourning, it must be said. Still it makes her feel better... but when she receives a reply to the letter she is a little confused.

"Mostly well... but I have a cold now. Itsuki Fujii"

Is it a letter from heaven? She would like to believe it is. The viewer, however, knows that the reply is actually from a different Itsuki Fujii - a woman (Miho Nakayama) who lives in the same town where Hiroko's fiance grew up. Once the confusion is eventually cleared up, Hiroko and Itsuki begin to write to each other as pen-pals. It turns out that Itsuki Fujii (female) was in the same class as Itsuki Fujii (male), so she tells Hiroko stories and memories from her youth.

The attentive amongst you may have noticed that Miho Nakayama is credited twice above. No, it's not an even more unlikely same-name co-incidence. The same actress plays both Hiroko and Itsuki... I suppose it worked out cheaper that way. The movie is hence hinged heavily upon her performance(s), as most of the 115 minutes is filled with her either writing or reading letters to/from herself.

Thankfully, she is absolutely fantastic in both roles. I think I would have cast her as all the other characters too if I were directing. Thankfully, Shunji Iwai is more sensible than me and kept it to a more manageable 2 parts.

A movie about 2 people writing letters to each other sounds kind of boring, right? The movie is filled with such gorgeous music and imagery that it never gets at all boring though, and Miho Nakayama has such a beautiful voice (and face for that matter) that I could happily listen to her talk for a very long time.

It's not all letter writing though - we also get invited in to see all the little details of both women's lives, and through flashbacks we see quite a bit of the two Itsukis' youth as well (the young actor & actress playing these roles are also very good).

You probably gathered by now that I enjoyed the movie... a lot in fact. It is an absolutely beautifully crafted piece of cinema in every aspect, and utterly fascinating and beautiful to watch. It's a slow movie... at nearly 2 hours it could maybe have benefited from the tiniest bit of editing perhaps... but an incredibly powerful one. I have to admit that it left me in tears when it finished, and I doubt if there are a dozen other movies that have ever had that effect on me.

There is no doubt in my mind that Shunji Iwai is a god of modern cinema. His movies are so well crafted it's almost like he's ripping his talent out of his body and shoving it right up in your face... but not quite so disturbing as that would be. Kurosawa, Kubrick, Iwai... not sounding incongrous to me at the moment. All demonstrate a transcendent understanding of film as a medium, and make almost every other film maker out there look like an amateur!

I didn't find any part of it boring! The only regret of mine is that I have not seen this film in the cinema. Instead I watched it on vcd. Nevertheless, the beautiful shots came through, and the story all the more touching.

May sound silly that identical girls are related to the same man. But in fact, you wouldn't have any trouble identifying which girl is which, because they are so "different". One is sad and soft-spoken, the other humorous and tomboyish.

A light and funny show, and you'll sigh when it's over and hope it isn't yet. The ending is the climax, you'll love it!

Wonderful performance by Nagayama Miho! She speaks a few simple words (won't tell you what words) and I felt like crying, not because it was sad.

Believe me, watch it and smile for the rest of the week as you recall those "high school days".

Okay, at first view I had to admit the dialogue and the the intercourse between the people seemed rather incongruous and false, somehow very strange in terms of social relations and interrelations, but, the second time, man it's it just might be Japanese mental setting that differs from the usual Hollywood stuff, still, the Idea, I mean, I'm a Poet and appreciate this kind of playing, that s what I thought, but man, its everything but, its, just so true, and think about it sending a letter to a dead sweetheart, its sentimental but also very true in the poetic sense of the word, and the dualism, the way the persons intertwine, all this is very unwestern and refreshing, since this movie was the directors breakthrough in the west.

And well, in the summer of 2005 I didn't understand this movie, tried to analyze it as I watched, but then at the end when the music started I cried, all thru the credits, it was purifying, a very true experience a very true movie, very touching, very poetic, and VERY Japanese.

The best movie I've seen.

Itsuki Fujii writes letter for her dead boyfriend who died in climbing accident few years ago. And all of a sudden, she get's reply.

The movie is warm and beautiful description of longing for a lost love and nostalgia. Miho Nakayama is ever so beautiful and innocent, and her acting as both Itsuki Fujii and Hiroko Watanabe is just professional. I rather say, couldn't be better. The music and the very atmosphere of the movie is somewhat Japanese, it has something really distant and beautiful. In movie which deals with love, always good sign is that if it does have very few or none scenes where love is physical such as kissing or making love. This movie shows love as somewhat ideal very mindfull and platonic. Works for me, for you, I don't know. Really beautiful movie what I can recommen to everyone. I rated this 10, since couldn't find any reason to give 9.

This is one of the best romantic movies in my life. It doesn't have a kiss scene or even a hug scene like typical Hollywood movies, except for scenes recalling the past. The setting of the movie is winter in Japan. The director Suhnji Iwai made this film with many poetic scenes. I can recall the time when I was in high school. This movie reminded me of the pure feeling of love.

Hiroko (Miho Nakayama) goes to her ex-boyfriend's memorial service. Itsuki Fujii died on a mountain climbing accident two years ago. When she visits the house of her ex-boyfriend's mother, she finds his high school year book and takes notes of his address. She struggles to overcome the grief coming from losing him at that moment. She sends a letter to Itski Fujii because of romantic reason. Surprisingly, she receives an answer from him. Hiroko knows the address does not exist any longer after it was demolished for a highway construction.

Another female, Itsuki Fujii is a Hiroko's ex-schoolmate who shared the school days with him. Coincidentally she has the same name Itsuki Fujii and she tells many stories about male Itsuki's school life when they were young. Corresponding with letters for that time between them, Hiroko looks back on Itsukii's past and feels slightly jealous about female Itsukii. Moreover, female Itsukii finds another truth that she didn't know about the past. It seems like they are in a love triangle beyond time.

Miho Nakayama plays roles of two women-Hiroko and female Itski -at the same time. Her acting is impressive, especially her crying monologue is very famous. The story is sad but she does not play her role with grief all the time. She acts with the sad feeling in moderation. With her beautiful voice, her acting sparkles pure and elegant.

The director made this film with special camera effects. Some parts of this movie don't have the clear scene and instead he used the foggy, dreamlike scene intentionally. I think he wants to express his feeling with great delicacy, not directly.

Considering only this story, it may look boring but it isn't boring at all while I watch this movie. It is filled with enormous mountain views and poetic music. The background piano music is very popular among people.

In this film, the actors don't say many words but we can feel more than their lines because the dialogue is full of suggestions.The images from this movie still linger in my mind.