RAMPO NOIR: A Strange Anthology

RAMPO NOIR (Blu-ray)

2005 / 134 min

From Arrow Video

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Edogawa Ranpo was an author apparently considered to be Japan’s answer to Edgar Allan Poe. I'm not familiar with any of his work and have no idea if Rampo Noir is an accurate representation of it, but as horror films go, this one is certainly “out there.” Though sometimes intriguingly (and grotesquely) bizarre, it’s just as often ponderous and pretentious.

Rampo Noir is an anthology film based on four of the author’s stories, each helmed by a different director. The only connecting thread is actor Tadanobu Asano, who appears in all of them. The first story is “Mars Canal,” which consists of a naked man beating a naked woman, then he stumbles to a remote pond and collapses. With no dialogue or sound effects - just an increasingly grating synth drone - good luck trying to decipher what the hell any of it is supposed to mean. Fortunately, this segment is less than 10 minutes long.

“Mirror Hell” is at least more comprehensible, telling the story of a dreamy-but-psychotic mirror maker who uses his craft to kill women that are attracted to him. Though it features one of Ranpo’s most popular recurring characters, private detective Kogoro Akechi (Asano), there’s more emphasis on the unhinged antagonist and his sadomasochistic proclivities. Additionally, the story is pretty poky and comes to an abrupt, unsatisfying conclusion.

The new Captain Underpants.

If you can imagine Johnny Got His Gun being directed by David Cronenberg, you’ll have good idea of what to expect with “Caterpillar,” about a helpless, monstrously disfigured ex-soldier who’s subjected to physical, psychological and sexual abuse by his wife. Attempts at elevated, artistic horror are often offset by overall cruelty and nastiness, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t weirdly interesting.

The final story, “Crawling Bugs,” is arguably the most twisted, but also more disjointed and meandering than the others. The basic story centers on a loony, germophobic limo driver’s obsession with a popular stage actress. Creative, colorful production design enhances an overall surrealistic tone and the main character’s descent into madness. There are also surprising moments of black humor, including a final scene that will either illicit gasps or giggles. 

Like most anthology films, Rampo Noir has issues with consistency and all four stories are longer than they need to be, leaving one with the impression that these directors would have been better off focusing more on pure horror and leaving artier aspirations at the door. Half the time we’re morbidly fascinated, other half we’re certain we can grab a snack from the kitchen without bothering to hit the pause button.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

CROSS THE LENS - This is a 75-minute making-of documentary, shot during the film’s production. I actually enjoyed it more than the movie itself.

INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with director Suguru Yakeuchi, director Hisayasu Sato, director Atsushi Kaneko, cinematography advisor Masso Nakabori, cinematographer Akiko Ashizawa, actress Yumi Yoshiyuki.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - by Jasper Sharp and Alexander Zahlten.

STAGE GREETING - Cast & directors Q&A footage at Rampo Noir’s Japanese premiere.

IMAGE GALLERIES

MERCHANT IVORY: THE DOCUMENTARY : The Story Behind the Movies

MERCHANT IVORY: THE DOCUMENTARY (Blu-ray)

2023 / 111 min

FROM COHEN MEDIA GROUP

Review by Princess Pepper😺

The filmmaking team of James Ivory and Ismail Merchant need no introduction to certain moviegoers. The company they founded - Merchant Ivory Productions - have been longtime purveyors of what’s often referred to as “arthouse” cinema, including a slew of period pieces. A few of them, such as Howard’s End and Remains of the Day, transcended such a label to become big hits.

Though I’ve seen some of their films and acknowledge they are immaculately written, directed and performed - to say nothing of beautiful to look at - this kind of stuff ain’t really in my wheelhouse. On the other hand, some of the best music bios I’ve ever seen were about artists I knew nothing about and whose music I’d never throw on my turntable. As such, I found Merchant Ivory: The Documentary very interesting.

This isn’t so much the story of their films as the filmmakers themselves, and in that sense, it’s kind of revelatory. Despite Merchant Ivory’s prestigious reputation, the studio operated on surprisingly small budgets, often procuring funding for a particular film on-the-fly, with the cast and crew not always certain when they’d get paid. James Ivory generally handled the creative end of things, while the more exuberant Ismail Merchant kept the productions moving forward…sometimes through sheer tenacity. 

James Ivory in time-out.

We also learn much about the duo personally, mostly through recollections of Ivory (Merchant passed away in 2005). Not just a business relationship, they more-or-less remained life partners since founding the company in the early 1960s, which Ivory is enjoyably candid about (I wasn’t even aware they were a couple). But they aren’t the whole story. Significant segments also focus on screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, who wrote a majority of their films, and composer Richard Robbins, who scored them.

Several of the company’s most noteworthy and acclaimed films are discussed, as well as 1987’s Maurice, a gay-themed romance that was pretty bold for its time. There are also plenty of interviews with actors who worked with Merchant and Ivory (often more than once), including Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Helena Bonham Carter, Vanessa Redgrave (cantankerous as ever) and Rupert Graves, just to name a few. Most offer interesting - generally affectionate - views on their experiences.

Merchant Ivory: The Documentary didn’t compel this writer to revisit films I was ‘meh’ on in the first place, or seek out any of their other work. However, the guys behind them have an interesting story and I have a newfound appreciation for what they were able to accomplish…mostly on their own terms.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEWS - Additional interviews with Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Grant, Vanessa Redgrave and Hiroyuki Sanada.

SHORT FILM - Rich Atmosphere: The Music of Merchant Ivory Films

JAMES IVORY & STEPHEN SOUCY INTRODUCTION - From the NY Indian Film Festival.

JAMES IVORY & STEPHEN SOUCY CONVERSATION - From the NYSWI Film Festival.

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