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Avg. Rating: 4.5
Somewhat disappointing feature by Miike
Takashi Miike is known for having made zillions of movies: he films several movies a year, almost all genre films. As a result, he has developed quite a cult reputation. I have seen only two of his films - Audition (probably his most famous film, and one I found to be thoroughly repulsive) and this one. I found Katakuris to be a mixed bag: this combination of a musical with a terror flick - with "The Sound of Music" added just for the heck of it - just doesn't work very well. If it sounds like a bad mix, it is. There are only a few redeeming features that makes it worth watching - there are two musical numbers - one at the end, and the other at the middle called In Love. The other redeeming feature is the presence of Naomi Nishida, an actress I found fascinating since I saw her in My Secret Cache some years ago. She was also in Godzilla 2000, and has a very small role in Swing Girls, a wonderful movie I hope soon becomes available in Amazon.
Tagline: "The hills are alive with the sound of screaming"
Bizarrely brilliant!!
Ever wanted to see a beautiful woman have her palatine-uvula torn from her pretty throat by a winged-imp? Ever wanted to see this happen NOT because the imp is demonic, but because he is infatuated with uvulas? (As in, has little hearts in his eyes when he spies one?) Yeah, we've all been there . . .
Miike's film is completely unpredictable . . . unless, of course, you typically watch films where the undead sing back-up in "awkward" musical sequences AND stuffed animals spring to life to murder pesky crows. (You must have BOTH to qualify for a "yes" answer!!)
The cinematography is simply gorgeous!! Miike did not skimp on the film stock; it is a perfect match for his subject!! The high-contrast is beautiful . . . and enhances the surreal elements of Miike's art.
As for surrealism . . . between the claymation, the musical sequences, the karaoke fantasies ("Everybody sing along!"), the dancing corpses, and the stilted dialog, there is something for everyone;)
Not only does this piece demonstrate Miike's range, but it underscores how mundane Western film has become!! I'll let (pretentious but uneducated) folks rave over Little Miss Sunshine all they want (including the Academy). In the meantime, I'll continue adding to my Japanese collection!
A Different Kind Of Takashi Miike Film: Weird And Hilarious!
"The Happiness of the Katakuris," is not what one would expect from a Japanese film, and even less so from director Takashi Miike. What you have here in this film is a blend of claymation, comedy, horror [tame], and yes a musical. And yet somehow it all works. The Katakuris have recently bought a guest house near Mount Fuji [hearing that a road will be built soon, they expect much business]. However, they don't expect their guests to be leaving so soon, or for that matter, the way in which their guests do exit. The film begins with claymation which serves as a bridge to the film itself. The guests that do arrive are not exactly well-balanced either, which explains why some depart so suddenly.
When Masao Katakuri (Kenji Sawada) moves his family to Mount Fuji, to open his new business [a bed-and-bath] little does he realize that not only is the expected road not yet built, but there are no guests. So much for the family business. However, the guests that do manage to arrive are not what Masao Katakuri and his family had in mind. They all begin to die. And using the wit that Miike revels in, the family instead of being downcast, actually break out into songs [happy ones]. There are some funny scenes in the film that will have you laughing outright: As this is a dark comedy.
There are some very funny scenes when the film moves into another subplot too, as when the divorced daughter, Shizue (Naomi Nishida) and her new love interest Richado Sagawa (Kiyoshiro Imawano) enters the film. No doubt Takashi Miike has a very strange sense of humor; and he is able to weave a very wickedly strange set of characters in the film who are downright funny, and compliment each others acting. You really need to have a sense of humor to appreciate this film, as it is different. And the musical numbers are funny too! I recommend the film, however, it may not appeal to all viewers. However, I thought it was very funny. [Stars: 4.5]
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