Experimental Films of Nobuhiko Obayashi At Anthology Film Archives

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Monday, 24 September 2012 16:12

Written by Renzo Adler

On December 9, 2012, the Anthology Film Archives (32 Second Avenue, New York) will be screening Nobuhiko Obayashi: Early Experimental Films. Obayashi started out as a darling of the Japanese experimental film boom of the 60’s and utilized his visual flare by making commercials through 70’s, and eventually shifted his focus to feature length films.

By applying the camera trickery and style of his experimental films, his commercials made him a renowned director and even featured celebrities like Kirk Douglas and Charles Bronson (search Mandom on YouTube).

In 1977, Toho wanted a horror film to compete with Spielberg’s Jaws, so Obayashi was assigned his first feature film and made House. Based on the nightmares of his young daughter, House is about seven young girls that are devoured by a haunted palatial estate. Simplistic premise aside, House is as bright and gleeful as it is sadistic and bizarre, like a marriage between Hello Kitty and Evil Dead.

Even though Obayashi has only recently caught the eyes of Western audiences when the Criterion Collection released House on DVD, he is revered in Japan as a master director to the point where whole generations of film-makers were dubbed “Obayashi’s Children.” These early films of Obayashi set his playful tone for decades to come and are a rare treat since almost none of them have been released in the states (except for Emotion as an extra on the DVD for House).

Obayashi’s films are dream-like in quality, as they can be sad and contemplative, or madcap and bizarre. The works of Obayashi, whether experimental, commercial, or cinematic, represent an enthusiam for cinematic experimentation that reminds me why I love Japanese cinema.

To learn more, go to: http://anthologyfilmarchives.org

Nobuhiko Obayashi: Early Experimental Films
December 9, 2012

The Anthology Film Archives
32 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10003

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