The central metaphor of Big Man representing a post-1989 deflation era Japan bloated with self-doubt, resignation to fate and an overbearing ally, simply couldn't make sense in any other country. What parallel could a Big Man America offer to the final battle with the impish North Korea/Kim Jong-Il monster?
Now, a sequel might be fun, with a BMA as an arrogant bully that hits flies with sledgehammers and swims the oceans to force others to fight the battles he starts might work, but I don't see the audience for it.
― 美国有很多丰富的傻瓜 (Sanpaku), Monday, 6 June 2011 13:31 (twelve years ago) link
Hitoshi Matsumoto's first three films - Big Man Japan, Symbol, Scabbard Samurai - are arguably among the best director/writer auteur triptychs that have ever been and will ever be. 2013's R100, which I watched a few nights back, is comparatively less spectacular though no less outrageous. Worth a watch but keep your expectations much more reasonable.
Symbol, on the other hand, is one of my favorite films of all time.
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 19:46 (four years ago) link
I stuck my head in on the first ep of this and walked away somewhat confused, may need to try againhttps://www.amazon.com/HITOSHI-MATSUMOTO-Presents-Documental-Season/dp/B07C63KLVV
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 19:56 (four years ago) link
was gonna reply "Holy shit!! I have!!" then was reminded that I started this thread
― frogbs, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 20:05 (four years ago) link
but have you seen scabbard samurai or symbol?
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 20:15 (four years ago) link
nah...I looked for a Symbol DVD but couldn't find one at a decent price and then kinda forgot about it. maybe time to look again.
― frogbs, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 20:41 (four years ago) link
or on the internets! First time i caught it was on mubi. It is - and i say this as somebody who absolutely loves big man japan - MUCH better than big man japan.symbol is near impossible to explain in a pithy line but it is in essence a mediation on the nature of god with lots of cutaways to luche librescabbard samurai is an edo era slapstick take on Scheherazade
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 21:20 (four years ago) link
Symbol is better watched without knowing too much about it, so don't read any synopses or reviews. It has a completely absurd premise, capped with one of the most ridiculously awesome endings I've ever seen in a movie. The fact the guy even got the budget to make it is a miracle.
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 21:33 (four years ago) link
And yeah, it's better than Big Man Japan.
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 21:35 (four years ago) link
holy shit I have!! I knew nothing about it going into a late showing at Toronto film festival. I laughed so hard that my now wife wanted to get up and sit someplace else. Classic.
― maffew12, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 23:00 (four years ago) link
Symbol I now can't recall.... I'll have to try that again.
― maffew12, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 23:01 (four years ago) link