Oshima Nagisa 2 Stylistic Self-negation

Changing Styles A variety of visual and narrative styles. Different visual and narrative styles employed in each film Deliberate refusal of relying on a constant and enduring visual (narrative) styles.

Changing Styles Referential and self- referential style - formal characteristics made of cinematic quotations Reference to Brecht Theatre, films of French ‘nouvelle vague’ (Jean-Luc Goddard) and Alain Resnais, British social realist films, etc. Self-referential: conscious about his own film styles

Experimental film making Style is different in each film but is con- sistentely experimental. New, unexpected, unpredictable and the most importantly challenging and subversive (aesthetically and politically) Unconventional and non- realistic On the verge of being vulgar and offensive

Unconventional film making Throughout the film the camera are tilted – crooked, precrious images Corresponding to the film’s subject – insecurity of a boy of a single parent The Town of Love and Hope Oshima’s first film.

Unconventional film making Bold compositions making most of the wide screen format Garish, raw and lurid colours in Oshima’s second film, Cruel Story of the Youth

Unconventional film making Sexual energy in utter hopelessness and poverty is expressed by the use of symbolic colour - red in Sun’s Burial Red of the national flag Red of blood (hemorrhage) Red of hot desire

Experimental Film Making 100 minutes discussion and debate about the Japanese politics and political betrayal in the setting of a wedding reception. Brechtian chamber drama Night and Fog in Japan, Alain Resnais’ Nuit et Brouillard (Night and Fog)

Experimental Film Making The film is made of only 43 shots (c.f. 2,000 in Violence at Noon) Even more jagged camerawork with hand-held camera Format of chamber drama, ‘discussion drama’ shot in sets - 1& 2/1 hour debate on the left-wing politics in 1960.

Powerful and Subversive Images Direct expression of sexuality and pleasure in Pleasure of Flesh Struggle between sexual repression and liberation in Violence at Noon.

Experimental Film Making Reference to soft-porn film genre Reference to gangster film genre Avant-garde and surrealistic narrative and images In Pleasure of Flesh

Experimental Film Making Mise-en-scène constructed by close-ups and extreme close-ups. Overexposed, whitewashed photography Frenetic pace of editing (2,000 shots) Godard-like jagged jump cuts Complicated flashbacks in Violence at Noon

Experimental Film Making In the format of a typical ‘coming-of-age’ film, Oshima vents his frustration with the apathy of young generation in Japan through this image of frigidity in Sing a Song of Sex Oshima created a series of politically subversive images.

Experimental Film Making Changes in gender roles - a girl obsessed with sex and a man with death in Japanese Summer: Double Suicide Signs – written words and symbols became conspicuous elements of Oshima’s films

Experimental Film Making Shifting styles - in the beginning the film is shot in somber instruction film - later, it adopts more self- reflexive avant-garde style (characters and Oshima speaking to the spectator). Artificial compositions – symmetry, profile, straight-on, and framing

Experimental Film Making The Diary of a Shinjuku Thief, one of the most experimental of Oshima’s films Reference to Goddard’s La Chinoise

Experimental Film Making Shot as a cinematic collage (Collage = a picture made by sticking other pictures, photographs, cloth etc.) Collage of documentary film, (avant-garde) theatrical performance, words and the cameo appearance of cultural icons of the 1960s (Yoko’o Tadanori, Tanabe Moichi, Kara Juro, etc.)

Experimental Film Making Entirely shot on location from Kochi to Hokkaido. Cinema-véritè like realism shot with long lens and hand-held camera. Shot with available, natural light Fidelity to landscape and figures in it. ‘Boy’ did not have previous acting experience.

Experimental Film Making Image of loneliness - a boy denied education and happiness in The Boy Long shots against the background of forlorn landscape and indifferent cityscape.

Experimental Film Making The Ceremony A grandiose set was constructed by the art department of Daiei Kyoto Studios Solemn photography and stylized mise-en-scène Events are shown in bold flashbacks. Conventional representation with Brechitian detours.

Experimental Film Making Stylized and contrived compositions in Ceremony – symmetrical and unsymmetrical, bold compositions Metaphor for patriarchal order and disorder

Powerful and Subversive Images Individuals crashed with the weight of family - image of claustrophobia in Ceremony

Late Film Making Styles Pursuit of total pleasure and happiness at the time of the Sino-Japanese War in In the Realm of Senses. Shot in lurid colours and bold composition

Late Film Making Styles Its mise-en-scene creates claustrophobic atmosphere. Strong and deep colours with low-key lighting (Eastmancolor). No demarcation between spiritual and physical love - solemnity and gravity of love-making images rYhttp:// rY

Late Film Making Styles Pursuit of pleasure and the price to pay for it - image of uncontrollable passion and guilt in Empire of Passion Shot in somber and rich pastel colours

Late Film Making Styles Underlit - dominated by deep green and brown colours. Styles closely associated with genre movies - film noir, ghost film and historic drama. The same motif but a lot less intense than In the Realm of Senses

Late Film Making Styles Oshima shifted his film subject from heterosexual to homosexual love Shot in more conventional war-film style

Late Film Making Styles Mixture of stylistic and impressive images and conventional visualization. Mixture of sloppiness and sophistication Star vehicle: David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Beat Takeshi

Late Film Making Styles Ideas shocked the viewer – Max, Mon amour Forbidden love with an animal

Late Film Making Styles Highly aesthetic historical drama Beautiful and stylized set design Audacious costumes designed by Wada Emi Mesmerizing sword play Deep and strong colours