The very first on my list of movies was "Bunraku" Gackt's movie with Joshua Hartnett. About a month ago I went ahead and purchased the film (it was $10, the same amount I would've spent to see it in theatres if I had known it was playing). However, I didn't watch it immediately. Once I actually got it home I was nervous that it wasn't going to be very good and I was going to be disappointed.
Being sick does funny things to you. Last night, after I re-watched "Inception", I decided to go ahead and take the plunge and watch "Bunraku." Well, first I watched the trailer, which I realized I'd never seen. I like watching trailers for movies. They give you a taste of what to expect from the film. They give you a peek into the acting, the cinematography, the mood of the film, if you will. Before I go into the film, watch the trailer below. Let it sink in before reading on.
Okay, you've watched the trailer (or not, depending). The first thing you'll notice about this trailer is the style in which it is filmed. There is a lot of different lighting and it has a very staged look to it. In fact, that is one of the things I enjoyed most about the film. The cinematography was brilliantly done. However, if you aren't used to it, it can be a little weird and draw attention away from the movie itself. The reason for this style? Well, from what I have been reading "Bunraku" is a type of Japanese puppet theatre. If you take that into account while watching this movie (and Woody Harrelson's love of pop-up books), you suddenly completely understand why they couldn't do a movie titled "Bunraku" in any other style.
The other thing that was interesting was the almost comic book like atmosphere. It was a very interesting way of filming it. Almost all the sets were real, not CGI, not green screen. They were built. Which is so rare in movies now-a-days. It's nice to see someone using their imagination and their hands to create a set, rather than using a computer to do it for them.
It plays off of old Spaghetti westerns and 80's samurai movies. As well as the comic book style, puppet theatre and gangster-ish style. It was brilliant, actually. I thought. I also found the acting to be rather superb.
Joshua Hartnett - He plays a character simply titled "The Drifter." As Woody Harrelson's character points out later (we'll get to him in a moment) he is a "cowboy" in a "world without guns." Which is very true. He also has a moderate to severe fear of heights, giving him a little realism in my opinion. And he is gorgeous. Did I mention that?
Gackt - He plays "Yoshi", a "young" Japanese man looking for a lost family memento. A dragon medallion. I was actually very impressed with Gackt's debut in an English film. His English was perfect for the character and actually much better than I thought it would be. I know the man is fluent in it, but being fluent doesn't always mean you get it right. I also love how he is portrayed as being rather naive and younger than Joshua Hartnett, when in reality he is almost ten years Joshua's senior.
Woody Harrelson - He plays the bartender who loves pop-ups. He has even created a book about a hero named Arachnid. Or if you like, Spiderman, in an alternate universe set roundabout the 1930's. Also, never tell him it doesn't matter which whisky. He'll give you the most expensive one. Which is 55 for a swallow.
Ron Perlman - This was the wild card character in my opinion. I had no idea what to expect from Ron Perlman as far as this movie went. Truly, I had no clue. But his portrayal of "The Woodcutter" aka "Nicola" was superb. I knew he was a great actor, but I suppose I'd never seen him quite like this. Also, I never realized how fucking HUGE this man is. Seriously. He could probably fit Demi Moore's entire face in his mouth! Okay, that's an exaggeration, but seriously he is f-ing big.
Speaking of Demi Moore - She has a small part, really. But her part was interesting. At least to me it was. She plays the lover of Ron Perlman, a former lover of another character. No spoilers for you, because you can figure it out pretty quickly. Her part is brief, but it adds a little something to the film. A certain je ne sais quoi if you will.
There are a few other interesting characters in this little drama. Number one among them is Number 2 killer. He is played by Kevin McKidd. His style of fighting is intriguing and he has a fabulous accent. I also loved his glasses and overall style of dress. It is safe to say that this comic book movie is a mix of 1930's gangster, 1800's cowboy and 1800's samurai.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and it was worth my wait. Opinions are as numerous as flies of course and can sometimes be just as annoying. So I won't say you have to watch this film (except you do) and that you have to love it (because you must). I'm just saying give it a chance and you may be surprised at what happens.
Favorite lines from the movie:
"Do you want to know what took me so long?" - Yoshi (aka: Gackt)
"Not really." - The Drifter (aka: Joshua Hartnett)
"There is always someone more powerful than you." - Nicola (aka: Ron Perlman)
"You wanna kill a man like me, son? You better stab me in the back. That's the catch. Honorable men, well, they die hard, but they still die. It's men like me who survive and conquer. Men like me understand that the fight is not about who's right, but about who's left." - Nicola
"Great lessons are often found in defeat." - Yoshi
"I'm the product of a fucked up generation." - The Drifter
"Sh! Did you hear that...? My bed is calling me." - The Bartender (aka: Woody Harrelson)
"Spiders... don't have superpowers." - Yoshi
"But they can climb walls." - The Bartender
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