Review of Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985) by Mjs M — 14 Aug 2009

Here?s a rarity, a Japanese language film made on a relatively large budget by a high profile American director, and in the middle of the eighties long before people like Clint Eastwood or Mel Gibson were allowed to do things like that.

I suppose it had to be an non Japanese person who made this, the man it?s about is just too controversial in his home country. This is a very creative film, an unconventional biopic which must have somewhat influenced Todd Haynes? I?m Not There.

The film takes place on the last day of Mishima?s life but is mainly told through B&W flashbacks and surrealistic adaptations of three of Mishima?s writings. The idea of telling a man?s story through his own writings is fascinating, and the whole thing fits in well with the themes of Paul Schrader like masculinity and sexual frustration, the life of Schrader?s Mishima really isn?t that far removed from Schrader?s Jake LaMotta.