Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageThe Written Face (1995)
Director: Daniel Schmid
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
This portrait of kabuki artist Tamasaburo Bando explores the art of the Onnagata, the male performer who specialises in female parts. Alongside lengthy stage excerpts, where music, movement and dazzling costume changes trace the refined expression of loss and longing, the man himself attests that he's 'never seen the world with the eyes of a woman', while several actresses who've inspired him attest to the longevity of their own careers - Tsutakiyomatsu Asaji, for instance, still singing at 101. Schmid's approach is reverent, if slightly functional, but he comes a cropper when attempting a kabuki-style celluloid drama of his own, and the use of Madame Butterfly is surely a misjudgment. Occasionally captivating none the less.Author: TJ
Cast & crew
Director: Daniel Schmid
Producer: Marcel Hoehn, Kenzo Horizuka
Cast: Tamasaburo Bando, Han Takehara, Karuko Sugimura, Kazuo Ohno, Yajuro Bando, Kai Shishido full cast
Duration: 93 mins
Top Stories
Ben Drew aka Plan B interview
The singer, rapper and now film director discusses his debut film 'Ill Manors'
Cannes Film Festival 2012: final round-up
Dave Calhoun draws the curtain on the world's greatest film festival
Ridley Scott interview
Director Ridley Scott tells Cath Clarke why he's making a science fiction comeback
What do you think?
Post your review now