Watches
March 03, 2022
Wakamatsu's take on Imamura's classic. It's a shame I only found out afterwards, otherwise I would've prioritized Imamura's film before tackling this one. No doubt I'm missing some winks and nudges, though ultimately this is a pretty recognizable 60s Wakamatsu production, so people familiar with his work won't feel too lost regardless.
A man leaves his family behind in Tokyo and goes on a road trip, hooking up with several women along the way. When he returns home, he discovers that his wife is headlining an Imamura-directed documentary about his disappearance, focusing on his wife's quest to track him down.
60's Wakamatsu means short runtimes, black & white cinematography, a hefty dose of erotica and some nouvelle vague-type experimentation (mostly with sound here). It makes for an amusing little film, though the lack of grit and edge is a little disappointing. Not bad, no doubt a little better for people familiar with Imamura's A Man Vanishes.