The summation of Suzuki's life's work. Will be perceived by the lazy audience -- such as the attendees of its screening at the 2002 Seattle International Film Festival -- as a series of style-tableaux and disappoint those hoping for a gem of a story, such as in 'Elling,' a piece of work fit to wrap a fish in. Much more than that -- Suzuki is one of the great Japanese auteurs of all time, -- his reputation hasn't grown to the stature of the big three (Kurosawa / Ozu / Mizoguchi) due to the surface inscrutability / surface "style" of his work. The truth of the matter is that there is great depth in the Suzuki canon. His "style" must be no more mistaken for simple "flashy cool" than one would regard Godard's work. 'Koroshi no rakuin' ('Branded to Kill') is a stunning tour-de-force that examines the emasculation of the male, vivisecting cinematically a one-time master-assassin's slide into madness. 'Pistol Opera' -- the "spiritual sequel" of 'Branded to Kill' (working title was 'Koroshi no rakuin 2') examines the theatricality of assassination -- that is, one of the manifestations of an individual's or society's pull -toward- a universal order. Another manifestation of which is a director's mise-en-scene, -- shot compositions are as meticulously constructed in Suzuki as in Kubrick -- the 1.33:1 aspect ratio of 'Pistol Opera' allows Suzuki the greatest control of the frame-"tableau." (cf. also Kubrick's 1.33:1 framing, employed for all films from 'The Shining' on) 'Pistol Opera' is one of the great masterpieces of our modern cinema.
Review of Pistol Opera
