Japanese New Wave Cinema: Masahiro Shinoda's "Pale Flower"

Masahiro Shinoda's "Pale Flower" is a terrific yakuza, or gangster, film made in the mid-60's. It was inspired, according to the director, by Japan's post-war malaise, in particular its side-lining by the major players of the Cold War. It's main characters are accordingly frustrated, bored, spiritually bereft, as they speed between high-stakes gambling venues in search of thrills.


Gambling is central to the story, and the film features many excellent scenes which present the activity in artful, almost fetishistic, detail. Indeed, the repetitive, rhythmic monotones of the dealer, the spellbound congregation in the hall, seem to bring the characters as close to church as they ever get. I should mention that Shinoda's presentation of gambling in "Pale Flower" led to the film being banned in Japan!

The superb modernist soundtrack was composed by Toru Takemitsu.

"Pale Flower" is sheer class all the way through, and a must-see for fans of classic cinema. American Cinemateque's DVD contains a very good transfer of the film.

I can also highly recommend Shinoda's "Silence" (a forerunner and companion piece to Joffé's "The Mission"), and "Assassination".