Cruel Story of Youth
(Seishun zankoku monogatari, 1960)

Oshima Nagisa

Japan

96 min, color, Japanese (English subtitles)

Review © 2001 Branislav L. Slantchev

Note: Also known as Story of the Cruelties of Youth and Naked Youth.

Mostly known for his infamous artsy porn In the Realm of the Senses, director Oshima has been invariably described as an iconoclast, an unflinching social critic, whose trenchant camera reveals the hollowness of the industrial revitalization of postwar Japan. Unlike his illustrious contemporaries, Oshima is firmly rooted in the present: his films deal with the failures of democratic society, the tragedy of lost hopes and broken dreams. This early film is no exception. Through the prism of a chaotic hedonistic rebellion of two youths against the complacency of those around them, Oshima seeks to expose, ridicule, and condemn the brutality of 1960s Japan which hides under the thin veneer of propriety but prowls the streets at night.

The 'seduction' on the logs	An apology of sorts

Makoto (Kuwano Miyuki) is a naive and careless young woman, who hitches a ride home one night. When the man tries to rape her, she is saved by Kiyoshi (Kawazu Yusuke), a dashing young man, who beats up her assailant and then extorts money from him by threatening to take him to the police station. The next day, the city is in the throes of a student demonstration against renewing of the US-Japanese treaty, but Makoto and Kiyoshi ignore the bustle and go instead to the docks, where Kiyoshi first hurts and then rapes (?) Makoto. She, however, has fallen in love with him and it only takes a little tenderness to make her forget everything and want to stay with him. Their "romance" quietly evolves with much passion, not always loving, and much rage. Makoto eventually moves in with Kiyoshi and the couple starts running an extortionist scam, which replays the events of their initial meeting. The scandalous behavior of the two earns Makoto the condemnation of her own sister, and of her friends, while Kiyoshi gets entangled with the criminal underground, and the two eventually land in jail, only to be released without learning anything.

Makoto forced to watch Kiyoshi protecting her	The older generation failing the new

The youthful rebellion against society, the activity, in which all of us have indulged and none have succeeded, contrasts with similar, earlier, failures: those of the nation and of the previous generation. The first is symbolized in Makoto's father, once a stern disciplinarian, but now a meek and apathetic bureaucrat. Having tried to build a new society upon the dream of democracy, and failed, he no longer knows what to teach his young daughter, he provides no guidance, and no corrective to her excesses. Just like her school, which cannot teach her anything except preach spurious morality, he abjures responsibility for her actions, and deserts her to her own devices.

Makoto refuses to return home	Can't make a career out of this

The second is symbolized by Yuki (Kuga Yoshiko), Makoto's elder sister. Seemingly a respectable older woman, she has quite a few skeletons in her own closet: an early romance with Akimoto (Watanabe Fumio), a doctor whom she abandons to seek security in a relationship with an older man, and then visits to seedy hotels after her failed marriage. She tries to instruct Makoto and warn her that the heady love affair with Kiyoshi can never succeed in breaking through the bonds of "normalcy" and is therefore bound to perish. Inspired by the blind faith and conviction of her younger sister, Yuki attempts to revive her own dreams and visits Akimoto, who has now degenerated to a shady local doctor, who performs illegal operations and abortions. The two can do no more than toast to the death of their second dream.

The joys of juvenile delinquency	Gratuitous shot of Kuwano Miyuki

Inspired by nothing but their contempt for the people around them and driven by nothing but their desire not to conform to the stale standards set by the static society, Makoto and Kiyoshi lash out against everyone and everything. Unlike the demonstrating students, whose rebellion, set within the confines of the democratic specter, does not appeal to the couple, they find their temporary catharsis in sexual rage and physical violence. Almost emotionless and yet full of expression, the two rage even against each other, and end up hurting each other out of desperation. This rebellion cannot but be consumed by the flames of its own making.

The unwanted pregnancy news	Be nice to me, sweetie, or I will leave you

Although quite powerful at times, the film is somewhat slow and sometimes tedious. Oshima's camera positioning is claustrophobic --- he is always staring into the eyes of the actors, moving as close as possible, and filling every frame with full view of their faces. There is no space left to breath, no nook or cranny where one can breathe. The stilted atmosphere is unsettling, and although some of the discomfort may have been intentionally evoked, I found it irritating after the first 20 minutes. The minute long close-up of Kiyoshi pensively gnawing at an apple has to be the crowning achievement.

Not the most honorable way to score the quick buck	Strangely misplaced rage at Makoto's straying

On the other hand, there are memorable images that linger way beyond the end of the film. For example, the highly metaphorical "love making" scene on the quay, upon floating wood that is still anchored, neither able to drift away, nor stable enough to rely upon. The performances were also solid, although I found the fights unconvincing.

What goes on in his head?	The other couple with ideals overrun by reality

There is one huge gripe that I have and it has to do with the translation. As with Ozu's Tokyo Story, New Yorker Video perpetrated another abomination. Roughly 30 per cent of the dialogue is not even translated! Why bother? Again, this is outrageous, especially since they insist on charging these ridiculous amounts for their releases and also protecting them in various infernal ways. I would not mind paying good money for a superior effort, but what NYV does is careless, smacking on dilettantism.

We cannot fail for we have no dreams	On the road to nowhere

March 2006 Update. I watched the Italian Raro Video DVD and it's not all that bad. The picture is presented in OAR 2.35:1 (not anamorphic) and even though the quality is better than a VHS, it's not as sharp as I would have liked. Still, it is by far the best subtitled version out there (optional English and Italian subs), and the Japanese monoaural audio is decent. The extras include a trailer and a short video interview with Adrian Apra. Part of a 2-disc set (the other is The Sun's Burial). Comes with a 60-page booklet in English and Italian.

September 14, 2001.