Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by tinear (A) on March 28, 2006 at 05:24:22

This one is a period samurai piece with the ethereal cinematography for which Wong's films are noted. The story line is a confusing web of (I think) three separate stories but which somehow (I think) are connected. Sure, the fight scenes go on interminably and some of the "mysticism" has a hokey, almost Age of Aquarius ring to it... but it's great fun to try and solve this intriguing puzzle.
Just as post-modern, post-abstract artists deconstructed static visual arts, Wong has taken narrative art and turned it on its head. Visually, he also has blazed a new trail: blurs, absurd close-ups which are too close almost for recognition, and splashes of vibrant color would overwhelm other less talented directors' works: with Wong, they compliment the mystery of the narrative.
Though Borges is a writer very short on "flash," he is the closest literary artist to Wong. With both, one is left with images and thoughts which transcend logic, exciting more primitive, icon-and-images controlled parts of the brain.
Certainly, not one of the artist's best works but one which I am looking forward to re-visiting...