The film tells the story of a family on the remote Kurage Island. The family is completely inbred, making storyline a bit confusing with sisters being daughters. Set in the 1960s (or present day as it's known back then), an engineer from Tokyo arrives to create an airport. The Futori family is incredibly superstitious and spiritual, with a crazy old granddad, a father who is sentenced to dig a hole until a boulder falls down it, an even more crazy daughter and a strange but dedicated son. You thought your family had problems...
Imamura is known for his primitive, revealing and violent directing, and this film fits all three. The family is primitive and almost cavemen like with their beliefs and how they live. The violence comes towards the end, with some startling scenes likely to linger in the memory.
The astounding cinematography oozes out colour from all surroundings, and the setting is gorgeous. I had no idea the Okinawa islands existed, but it turns out they are a holiday destination for the Japanese. Yes, the island of Kurage is purely fictitious, but I find it strange I haven't even heard of these islands. Some of them are closer to Taiwan, creating a bizarre mix of cultures.
This is one of those films where you could take a snapshot at any second during the duration, and it would be a great photograph. I must warn you the short musical numbers are quite painful,
TO CONCLUDE
Approaching 3 hours long, this film isn't an easy sit. However, if you are a fan of the Japanese New Wave, and/or lush landscapes and cinematography, you should enjoy it to the end.
SCORE
82
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