Unfortunately, no Minna! Esper dayo! this week. Not having my week tousatsu fix is worse than not having Game of Thrones. Anyway, decided to watch something that I've been meaning to watch for a long time which is the making Love Exposure. I love this Jmovie classic. Its the only movie that I've written two reviews for. One general review and one spoiler review discussing all the subtext. As Mitsushima Hikari says in the making of, its a simple story but its so complicated.
I don't really get to see much stuff about making of Japanese movies. Most of the time with American movies, its everyone kissing each other's asses saying how great they are. The making of Love Exposure starts out with Sono Sion saying to the effect that he's not 100% sure about the movie and he sometimes thinks he shouldn't be making it.
It is very interesting to watch Sono Sion direct. He keeps a figurative distance between him and Mitsushima Hikari and he is not hesitant to tell her that her acting was bad. There's this bit where Sono Sion says he can't feel anything from her acting and calls her baka. As the staff on the movie slink away for a break, you don't know whether Mitsushima Hikari is a mess because its a crying scene or because of the huge pressure the director is putting on her. I'd like to see Sono Sion direct Fukuda Kyoko and scold her for having only 1 facial expression.
I need to rewatch this 4 hour epic with some KFC hot and spicy. Can't believe Sono Sion shot this epic movie in only 1 month! One month to shoot 4 hours of one of the greatest jmovies of all time. Had a look for the Japanese blu-ray and apparently the one they are selling on HMV Japan is the international version cause it has English subtitles and the English name on the cover. Its such an unpopular movie in Japan that there's no blu-ray Japanese version.
