start 20h15, 1974, 100min. english subs
Review from Weird Wild Realm
Himiko (1974) is a name for Yametsu-hime (Princess Yametsu) known in
China as Pimiho. She was a Japanese ruler about 238 C.E., according to
ancient Chinese records. She quelled barbarian uprisings in Yame (north
of Kyushu), & was variously described as queen, oracle, warrior,
& priestess. Upon her death, one-hundred of her thousand female
servants buried themselves (alive) with her. Her thirteen year old
daughter, Iyo-hime, ruled after mother's death in 247. The Chinese,
Korean, & Japanese folk tradition about women's position in those
ancient times suggest most strongly a matriarchal system was in place,
which today's Japanese school children take for granted as a fact.
If you can't tell by looking at
the screens, you'll know the second that you hear the awesome, and
weird, music that makes up the soundtrack. A dreamy film full of images
that burn themselves into your mind, it takes the traditional Japanese
folk tale and turns it into a Felliniesque, surreal odyssey of the
absurd. Great stuff.
ca.22h10, 1972, 90min, english subs
Matsu, known to the prisoners as Scorpian, is locked away in the bowels
of the prison as revenge for disrupting the smooth operation of the
prison and for her disfiguring attack on the warden. Granted a one day
reprieve due to the visit of a dignitary, she takes advantage and
attacks the warden again. This leads to more brutal punishment and
humiliation. But the punishment gives her an oppurtunity to escape along
with six other female prisoners. Their surreal flight from prison pits
the convicts against the guards, the warden and each other.
One of the favorite movies of Quentin Tarantino and Roberto Rodriguez. It's a wonderfully
psychotic vision, I often sat there thinking "Where the heck is the camera?
How did they get that angle?". The opening shots of Matsu and the warden in
her cell were simply incredible. Throughout the film there are surreal
interruptions of the narrative in a "Theatrical" style where the location
turns into an obvious backdrop and the lighting becomes more intrusive.
These scenes usually highlight what's happening behind the eyes of the
silent Matsu.
This movie is one of the high points for me of Japanese commercial
cinema - gloriously over the top, sexy, outrageous, cinematically
stylish and daring and still deeply satirical and intelligent. They
just don't make 'em like this anymore.
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