The intricacies of Japanese society shown by Mr.Hiroyuki Tanaka

Monday (2000) directed by Sabu

Actors making films is a new trend in Japanese cinema.It is a known fact that many of them are no so successful.The only exception in the history of Japanese cinema is Takeshi Kitano who is good as an actor as well as a film maker.Monday is directed by Hiroyuki Tanaka who is one of the most important actors of Japanese cinema.In this film he has given viewers unfettered access into the minds of various sections of Japanese society.What we see in the film is the way people like a family,a salary man,some yakuzas and some of the police behave in the course of their normal lives.The idea of the film is not to criticize a section to praise a different one.In this film,Sabu wants to show us his protagonists with their real intentions,moods and motives for leading lives which they feel are suitable for them.Monday is also a plea for peace as Japanese people have suffered enormous losses in the past especially during the World War 2.This is the reason why violence has been shunned in this film.PS:kindly watch with close attention the performance of Terajima Susumu who also stars in Sabu's wonderful film "The Blessing Bell".

It is not at all a mistake made by your Video Cassette Recorder.

Kôfuku no kane (2002) directed by Sabu

How would you react to a film in which the last scene becomes its first scene ? Impossible,no no no,how can that be true ...... These will surely be some of the most common refrains to be heard if a question like this is asked.However there is a surprise in store here.Blessing Bell directed by Sabu aka Hiroyuki Tanaka,one of the most talented Japanese actor cum filmmaker has made that impossible possible by using some of the most innovative yet down to earth techniques like no sound,black humor and minimalist film-making. He is ably supported in this endeavor by Susumu Terajima who has appeared in a couple of films made by great modern day master of Japanese cinema Takeshi Kitano.A lesson about life is to be learned as Blessing Bell has a good collection of scenes of daily lives which enable us to lead a life full of spiritual richness.Your VCR is at no fault if you find the repetitive nature of some scenes. They are very well the integral part of this film.