I did screen this one about a year ago, and the cinema was packed to the ceiling.....and some people unfortunately had to be turned away. Therefore its time to screen this one again I feel.
This counter-culture film is a landmark in poetic cinema, and is so rare here in the West that you might not have another possibility to ever see this one again. The extraordinary soundtrack alone has become legendary in Japan for being far before its time.....so i hope you can make it to CAVIA for this VERY special screening!
- Jeffrey
TUESDAY DECEMBER 8
THROW AWAY YOUR BOOKS,
RALLY IN THE STREETS
Sho o suteyo machi e deyou (1971)
Directed by Shugi Terayama
138 minutes
In Japanese with English subtitles
Terayama Shuji was Japan's infant-terrible of the sixties of the last century. Genius, avant-gardist, iconoclast, photographer, director, playwright, novelist, filmmaker, cultural critic and poet. In his time, his work incited scandal and outrage. Today, he is a cult hero. He is one of the favorite directors of the music group STEREOLAB and they called their 1996 album after his short film Emperor Tomato Ketchup.
While driven to create art in many genres, Terayama nurtured above all his role as outsider, encouraging disaffected youths to rebel against social convention. His theatrical troupe, Tenjô Sajiki, was a haven for talented pop artists, transvestites, dwarfs, circus performers, and gamblers. His directorial style was so idiosyncratic that it was generally believed that his theatre works could not be remounted after his death.
In 1971 Terayama created this wild film THROW AWAY YOUR BOOKS AND RALLY IN THE STREETS which still divides modern Japanese audiences like hell....it is considered a masterpiece by many (especially the young) but also draws a lot of critical flack (especially from the establishment). It is dreamily composed of wonderfully noisy music, trippy colored filters, psycho-sexual imagery and a broken free-form narrative full of psychedelic surrealism. Its plot is elliptical and loose, and it seems to have been a big influence on Harmony Korine's GUMMO. Its been called a "phantasmagoric masterpiece of Rebellion."
Here is what one viewer had to say about this film :
"Another hugely rewarding experiment from the Japanese underground, this is the reason I soak up forgotten independent cult cinema like a sponge. The film focuses on several young Japanese people and their various trials and tribulations... but the way it's presented is utterly fresh and unique. Accompanied by an outstanding noise/proto-punk/psychedelic rock soundtrack, colourful characters, startling visuals, odd camera angles ,flashy editing and a blatant disregard for cinematic conventions, this comes with my highest recommendation. It's runtime is used to full capability with not one dull moment in the slightest. A vital, fresh, important and above all terrifically fun slice of anarchist cinema. Perhaps influential on Harmony Korine, among many other great modern filmmakers this film has gone unnoticed for far too long. Join the cult, spread the word and see this wonderful cinematic treat."
Ciné INTERZONE
Filmhuis Cavia- Van Hallstraat 52-B
Time: 20:30
Nightly membership- 3 Euros
Filmhuis CAVIA is a non-profit volunteer organization committed to the importance of cinema
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