Himatsuri (1985)
Directed by Mitsuo Yanagimachi
Genres - Drama |
Sub-Genres - Rural Drama |
Release Date - Oct 3, 1985 (USA - Unknown) |
Run Time - 120 min. |
Countries - Japan |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Himatsuri is based on a real life tragedy, in which a Japanese man inexplicably slaughtered his family and then killed himself. Kinya Kitaoji plays the thoroughly self-centered "protagonist," who does what he pleases no matter who he hurts. No one dares question Kitaoji due to his blasting-cap temperament. The only thing Kitaoji holds sacred is the land around him, but he's willing to destroy even that to have his own way. He befouls a lake that is sacred to the Shinto religion, spilling oil into the waters rather than letting them fall into the hands of land speculators. Suddenly experiencing a religious awakening, Kitaoji decides to "atone" -- by murdering his family, then committing suicide. No explanations are offered by director Kenji Nakagami: one takes what one wishes from Himatsuri. The film was released to some English-speaking markets as Fire Festival.
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Keywords
family, lake, murder/suicide, zealot