By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Takashi Miike
Starring: Keiko Matsuzaka | Kenji Sawada | Kiyoshiro Imawano | Naomi Nishida | Shinji Takeda | Tetsurô Tanba
Original language title: Katakuri-ke no kôfuku
Country: japan
Year: 2002
Running time: 113
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0304262
Michael says: “What can I possibly say about this most amazing film?
“Takashi Miike, director the also incomparable AUDITION serves up a musical/comedy/horror flick about a family running a lonely guest house. As the bodies pile up, so do the musical numbers. And that’s barely scratching the surface! I can’t say more because it has to be experienced to be believed.” 4 1/2 cats
Scot says: “Happiness IS ‘The Katakuris!’
“From the ‘what the hell is THAT?’ opening scene, (nobody told me there was CLAYMATION in it as well!) to the heartwarming finale, I was hypnotized. Miike is a master. I’m still not sure what he is the master of, but I’m sure he is one. I would love to tell you all about this … this … I can’t even put a word to it. Just know that I laughed my ass off, I gripped my armrests in exquisite tension, and I even tried to sing along to the karaoke number. Okay, so I was worried that the performances wouldn’t be grounded or polished from the first couple of scenes, but when that first musical number hit — boy, howdy — my fears were buried, as it were. And it just gets better as it goes along.
“Believe it or not, I may nominate this one for cinematography, so I hope others get a chance to see it.”