This is based on a 10th century Japanese folktale
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter that has been covered in a few other films -
one being the wonderfully animated The Tale of Princess Kaguya in 2013. But
they add a little Close Encounters of the Third Kind at the end here which
is kind of cool if a bit of a sellout. Still the film for my taste was a
bit turgid at two hours but grows in power towards the end. The costumes are
lovely and there are a few ravishing shots but not enough to make up for
the slow going. After watching it, I was surprised to see that it was directed
by the great Kon Ichikawa who helmed such serious fare as Fires on the Plain,
The Burmese Harp and The Tokyo Olympiad. But you have to be commercial sometimes.
In fact, Ichikawa said he had wanted to make a "film of pure diversion".
It was made for Toho's 50th anniversary and did well at the box office.
Same basic story if you are familiar with it. A poor couple lose their daughter
(in some versions they are unable to have a child) to illness and bury her
in the bamboo forest where the father goes every day to cut bamboo. One day
there is a great bright light and explosion. When he goes into the forest
he discovers a baby in a casement. She comes out and grows up to the age of
his dead daughter in a matter of minutes and looks just like her. He takes
her home and his wife falls to her knees and blesses God for returning their
child. Well not exactly her child but close enough and the girl's eyes are
this eerie deep blue that the kids make fun of. Turns out that the casement
was made of pure gold and with his riches he and the wife move to town near
the Emperor. Meanwhile the daughter Kaya grows up very quickly to be a beauty
that every man wants to marry. Like an old mythical tale she sends three of
them on impossible tasks far away from Japan. Then the Emperor gets interested.
Finally, the moon calls. Ring ring. Hello. Moon calling. Time to come home.
Toshirô Mifune is the big name in the cast as Kaya aka Kaguya's father.
For Kaiju fans this might be a small treat. The Princess is played by Yasuko
Sawaguchi who was in Godzilla vs Biollante and Gojiro (1984) . And the blind
girl is Megumi Odaka who played Miki Saegusa in six of the Godzilla series.
I have seen nearly no Kaiju films so it means nothing to me. Something, someday
I want to rectify. The mother is Ayako Wakao, who has her share of classics
as well.
