February 1998

  • I took in a couple of the offerings at cinefranco, a new and hopefully annual event featuring recent French-language films:

    • Clandestins (Stowaways) (Canada-Suisse-France-Belgique 1997; Dir: Denis Chouinard & Nicholas Wadimoff) **
      A suspenseful story of a group of immigrants to France who, in search of a better life, become stowaways on a container ship bound for Canada. The script tries with some success to capture the fear and desperation of people in this situation. According to the notes at the end of the film, stowaways actually exist and are a problem for ship's crews and harbourmasters, leading sometimes to drastic and not exactly humane solutions. Minor details: If the stowaways are recent immigrants, how come they all speak perfect French without accents? What company would pay to ship a container that is so spaciously empty? And what did the stowaways do about going to the bathroom during the 7-day crossing?

    • Pique-nique (Picnic) (France 1997; Dir: Pascal Pistacio) ***
      A short film about a man who eats lunch at a cafe, and realizes too late that he has forgotten his wallet. As we watch him solve his dilemma in a unique and hilarious way, we experience a slice of French life.

    • Au Petit Marguery (France 1997; Dir: Laurent Benegui) ***
      The film documents the retirement party for the chef and owner of Le Petit Marguery, a fine restaurant. His family gathers for a final meal at the establishment before it closes for good. The film shows the preparation and enjoyment of some delicious-looking food -- don't see this on an empty stomach! The mixed-up lives of the chef's many children provide diversionary subplots. Through a series of intercut flashbacks we learn that the chef is quitting the work he loves because he has an esthesioneuroblastoma, a type of cancer of the nose which has destroyed his sense of smell (and therefore taste). Pathologists look for cancer in little pieces of tissue, but should always remember to think beyond the biopsies to the consider implications of the diagnosis for the patient.
    (26-28 Feb 98)

  • The Yasuzo Masumura film retrospective wrapped up this week at Cinematheque Ontario:

    • Kisses (Kuchizuke) (Japan 1957) ***
      This was Masumura's directorial debut. A James Dean-type (Hiroshi Kawaguchi) visiting his father in prison meets a young artist's model (Hitomi Nozoe) who is visiting her father. They spend an idle day together at the races, on a motorcycle and at Enoshima beach. Fairly standard romantic fare, although the character of the confident, self-made mother of the young man hints at the theme of individualism, which Masumura would further develop later in his career.

    • Afraid to Die (Karakkaze yaro) (Japan 1960) ****
      Features Yukio Mishima, a friend of Masumura's from their Tokyo University days together, as a young yakuza boss. Like Godfather Michael Corleone thirty years later, he wants to get out of the business and settle down with a girl he has met (Ayako Wakao), but he keeps getting dragged back in. Great final scene on an escalator.

    • Red Angel (Akai Tenshi) (Japan 1966) ****
      Set in China (Manchuria?) during the Sino-Japanese War. The affection of a combat nurse (Ayako Wakao) helps a battle-weary, morphine-addled warfront surgeon (Shinsuke Ashida) regain his appreciation of life. The operating room scenes are not for the queasy!

    • The Wife of Seishu Hanaoka (Hanaoka Seishu no Tsuma) (Japan 1965) **
      Apparently a true story about the wife (Ayako Wakao) of the physician who developed an anaesthetic and performed Japan's first mastectomy in the 1800s. She goes blind in volunteering to be a test subject for the drug.

    • Seisaku's Wife (Seisaku no Tsuma) (Japan 1967) ***
      Set in a small village at the time of the Russo-Japanese War. A long-suffering woman (Ayako Wakao) believes she has finally found happiness with a returned soldier, and refuses to have it taken away when he is willingly recalled to the warfront. She blinds him, thinking it will earn him a medical discharge, but it brings him a court martial and disgrace, and puts her in prison. After serving her sentence she returns home, where the soldier has had time to reflect on the error of his militarism and appreciate the depth of her affection.
    (21-28 Feb 98)

  • Today I did an autopsy on a baby with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a type of congenital heart disease. It had been a while since I had seen a case of this and I couldn't find my reference paper on the subject, so on a whim I consulted the Internet. I didn't expect to come up with much on this relatively uncommon disease, but was amazed to find the Left Heart Matters homepage. It has concise, well-illustrated information about the diagnosis and treatment of HLHS, put together by parents of children with the disease. This website shows how sorrow, suffering and loss can be channeled into something positive that is of benefit to others. It is part of the Congenital Heart Disease Ring.
    (26 Feb 98)

  • The Yasuzo Masumura Film Retrospective continues at Cinematheque Ontario:

    • The False Student (Nise Daigakuse) (Japan 1960) ***
      This is adapted from Kenzaburo Oe's story about a ronin (Jerry Fujio), who fakes his enrollment rather than try again to pass the university entrance exam. He doesn't attend any classes, but becomes involved with a student radical group, more for the social life than any political convictions. The radicals suspect him of being a police spy, and detain him in their dormitory. He manages to escape, and reports the incident to the police. An inquiry follows (forcible confinement is a convictable offence), and the radicals deny it all, showing more self-interest than principles. Everyone in this film is living a lie of some sort. The late Juzo Itami has a small part as the student leader, sporting a moptop (in 1960!) that makes him look like a fifth Beatle!

    • Swastika: All Mixed Up (Manji) (Japan 1964) **
      An update of a Junichiro Tanizaki story about a bored Osaka (Kyoto?) housewife (Kyoko Kishida) who attends an art school at the suggestion of her husband (Eiji Funakoshi), where she gets involved in a lesbian affair with a younger woman (Ayako Wakao). A bizarre love triangle ensues, becoming a quadrangle when the younger woman's fiance shows up. Wild fashions! Bad acting! Good practice for listening to Kansai-ben. Risque subject matter for the time.

    • Play (Asobi) (Japan 1971) **
      An apprentice yakuza (Masaaki Daimon) befriends a teenaged factory worker (Keiko Sekine) who is unaware that his assignment is to recruit girls for his oyabun. He has a change of heart, and the young couple leave their dismal pasts for an uncertain future. A window to Japanese life on the wrong side of the tracks. Exuberant if unrefined performances.

    • Warehouse: Blind Beast (Mohju) (Japan 1969) ***
      A blind sculptor (Eiji Funakoshi) kidnaps a model (Mako Midori) and imprisons her in his warehouse atelier. They explore the realm of the tactile world to its gruesome extreme. This film got a reaction out of everyone: some cringed, some laughed, some left!

    (19-20 Feb 98)

  • Inspired by Canadian "Reefer" Ross Rebagliati's Olympic gold medal slalom run in Nagano, I drove about an hour north of Toronto to Mount St. Louis Moonstone to work on my snowboarding. It's not much of a hill for skiing, but is perfect for novice rider like me (third time). Though the runs were a bit icy in spots, overall I had a satisfying -- unenhanced -- experience.

    Mount St. Louis Moonstone, north on Highway 400 past Barrie. Beginner's snowboard package $44 for rental, lift ticket and lesson.
    (15 Feb 98)

  • I took in some of the Yasuzo Masumura Film Retrospective at Cinematheque Ontario this weekend. There is great interest locally in Masumura, a director who until recently was not well known outside of Japan -- each screening had a sell-out or near-sell-out audience (almost all non-nikkei).

    • Giants and Toys: The Build Up (Kyojin to Gangu) (Japan 1958) ***
      Three candy companies compete for the caramel crown in this satire of the cutthroat world of marketing. One gains an appreciation for the onerous demands on the sararimen whose lifestyles (and lives in some cases) were sacrificed during Japan's Economic Miracle.

    • Black Test Car (Kuro no Tesuto Kaa) (Japan 1962) ***
      Intrigue surrounds the development of new car models by two competing auto manufacturers. This is business as war: the inner workings of an industrial espionage unit are shown, and we see that anything goes -- bullying, blackmail, betrayal, and more. Great ensemble cast. One wonders whether things are any different today (and suspects they aren't).

    • A Wife Confesses (Tsuma wa Kokuhaku Suru) (Japan 1961) ***
      A young wife (Ayako Wakao) stands accused of having murdered her older husband while mountain climbing. A fascinating portrait emerges through a series of flashbacks in this courtroom drama. This didn't seem like a particularly Japanese film to me, although the ending probably would have been different had Hollywood gotten a hold of the story.

    • Thousand Cranes (Senba Zuru) (Japan 1969) ***
      The son of a tea ceremony master relives his dead father's love life in this strange tale of cross-generational romantic transference. Machiko Kyo is great as the meddling nakohdo (arranged marriage go-between), but the scenery of beautiful old houses must withstand significant chewing by the rest of the cast. Cultural elements like kimono, yakimono (ceramics) and the tea ceremony make up for any shortcomings.

    These films, all set in the year in which they were made, give me an idea of the Japan my parents took me away from when they emigrated to North America.
    (13-14 Feb 98)

  • Argh, I've had enough! After suffering through listening to the English CBC commentators struggle with Japanese names for the past four days of televised Olympic action, I've come up with The Runker's Brief Guide to Japanese Pronunciation (though they probably won't see this):

    • Vowel sounds: A - ah (as in "Say, 'Ah'"); I - ee (as in "evil"); U - ooh (as in "groove"); E - eh (as in "bread"); O - oh (as in "Oprah").
      e.g. Sato : not "Say-toe"; correct = "Sah-toh"
      e.g. Yano : not "Yeah-know"; correct = "Yah-noh"
      e.g. karaoke: not "CAREyOKEy"; correct = "Kah-rah-OH-keh"
    • Emphasis: Usually on first syllable for words with three syllables; flatter and with more even timing than what I've been hearing:
      e.g. Nagano: not "NuhGONNo" or "NAWWgunno"; correct = "NAH-gah-noh"
      e.g. Sagara: not "SuhGAIRa"; correct = "SAH-gah-rah"
      e.g. Kariya: not "KuhREEyuh"; correct = "KAH-ree-yah"       *
      Sometimes on the second syllable:
      e.g. Suzuki: Soo-ZOO-kee
      e.g. tatami: tah-TAH-mee
      e.g. sashimi: sah-SHEE-mee
      e.g. ganbare: gan-BAH-reh
      Variable for words with two syllables:
      e.g. first syllable: SENsei, RAmen, SUshi
      second syllable: uDON, fuTON
      Usually third syllable for words with four syllables:
      e.g. Watanabe: not "WaTAWna-bee"; correct = "Wah-tah-NAH-beh"
      e.g. Sunohara: not "SUNNOhair-ah"; correct = "Soo-noh-HAH-rah"
      e.g. Nakamura: not "NACKuhMYUra"; correct = "Nah-kah-MOO-rah"
      e.g. Hashimoto: not "HASHyMOdo"; correct = "Hah-shi-MOH-toh"
      e.g. Marubashi: not "MAREooBASHy; correct = "Mah-roo-BAH-shi"
      e.g. Kazukoshi: not "KAZzooCOEshi"; correct = "Kah-zoo-KOH-shi"

    It's not completely straightforward, and the game is the main thing, after all. I suppose I could just press the "MUTE" button, but this is a matter of professionalism for announcers, and should be reflected by adequate preparation and due cultural sensitivity on their part. Their counterparts in the French-speaking media like those on Societe Radio-Canada don't seem to have any trouble with this. Most of them, anyway -- there is always an exception

    * - I've never heard Paul Kariya say his own name, but I wouldn't be surprised if he uses an anglicized version, as most sansei (third-generation Japanese Canadians) and yonsei (fourth-generation JC) do -- they lead "Canadian" lives, can't speak Japanese, have probably never been to Japan, and don't deal with people from Japan in Canada, so they've never heard how their names are supposed to be said. The minority who use the proper pronounciation are expressing an awareness of their heritage (sort of like African Americans who take on Muslim names?).
    (10 Feb 98)

  • With the effect of El Nino, winter in Canada has been exceptionally mild this year. There's no snow in Toronto, but if you drive just over one hour north, you'll find Horseshoe Valley and its great system of cross country skiing trails. They have three groups of paths, rated for all ability levels and groomed for classic and skating styles. The snow looked like it should last one, maybe two more weekends!

    It's hard to convince Japanese people to go cross country skiing. Modern Japan is a country of such comfort and convenience that an activity requiring so much personal effort isn't really viewed as pleasureable. Attendance at Olympic cross country skiing events is down considerably in Nagano, compared to the sellout crowds in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994.

    Horseshoe Resort, P.O. Box 10 Horseshoe Valley, R.R.#1, Barrie, ON (416) 283-2988 E-mail: Resort_Info@HorseshoeResort.com 24-hour Snow Reports (416) 291-4335. Trail fee is $14/day (half day beginning at 1300 h is $9). Rentals and lessons are available.
    (08 Feb 98)

  • I helped distribute the halftime obento at the 1998 Toronto Japanese Language School Benefit Dance. One of my classmates at the school did a great job as emcee for the evening. He's a Canadian who lived for many years in Japan and now runs a consulting firm specializing in cultural orientation for Japanese businessmen stationed in Canada. There is almost no interest in the Japanese language among young Japanese Canadian sansei and yonsei, so non-nikkei students like my classmate are the reason why the TJLS can still operate, as an article in their newsletter points out.
    (07 Feb 98)

  • The 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics started today -- I have two countries to cheer for!
    (07 Feb 98)

  • I took in stained glass artist Susan Obata's talk at the new JCCC tonight. All art can be considered public, but hers is more so than usual, being displayed in government buildings, on university campuses and, of course, in churches, which are the source of most of her commissions. Japanese art, with its bold lines, lends itself to the stained glass medium. The window panels in the main hall at the Momiji Seniors Centre in Scarborough are an Obata creation. Using slides she explained how their symbolism tells the history of Japanese Canadians. One occupational hazard for stained glass artists is the risk of lead poisoning. She checks her body's lead levels regularly, so we can expect many more beautiful works from her in the future!

    This was another in the 5 Lines / 5 Elements programme of artist talks presented by the committee for the Gendai (Contemporary) Art Gallery, a facility which will be part of the new JCCC.
    (04 Feb 98)

  • This evening I attended the Scotch Nosing Event hosted by the Canada-Japan Society of Toronto. A representative from Glenfiddich spoke about the history of scotch, how scotch is made and how to "nose" scotch. Much of the information is probably available on the Internet from sites like WhiskyWeb, except for his entertaining jokes! (Thanks to Sarah McLellan for this link!)
    (03 Feb 98)

  • The 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics are coming! I will return Rui Umezawa's favour from this past summer and recommend that you check out his contributions to the CBC Nagano Olympic Website (click on "Japan")!
    (02 Feb 98)

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