Junji Inoue’s semi-autobiographical film is a love letter to independent cinemas — and their fans. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2024/04/04/film/hijacked-youth-dare-to-stop-us-2/ #culture #film #kazuyashiraishi #japanesenewwave #kojiwakamatsu #cinemas

Since it is by late Koji Wakamatsu, romanticism of a road movie is absent in Cycling Chronicles (2004, but beautiful scenery and poeticism still remain). Instead, the national guilt weighs heavily on him and his protagonist, a reserved 17 year-old kid on his bike, running away from an unspeakable crime. In an effort to bridge the generation gap, Wakamatsu places a couple of old characters on the road to talk about Japanese war crimes and how imperialism, helped by the US policy, created hollow culture and selfish post-war generation. Even though based on a real life crime story where a teenager killed his mother, Wakamatsu shows great sympathy for the younger generation. He understands the burden of living a pre-destined life & the pressure of conforming to the rigid society. Early in the film there is a scene where teenagers talk about headlines after headlines of teens going berserk and how understandable it is to be ticked off and going over the edge. #kojiwakamatsu #japanesecinema

It starts out w/newsreel of the 60s violent student demonstration against the riot police, double exposed w/our protagonist getting his head bashed in. He flees but only to get into an argument w/ his older brother who is a cop. During the struggle, the brother gets shot by his subservient wife. The two flees to the North Country haunted by guilt. They become sullen lovers. Running in Madness, Dying in Love is #KojiWakamatsu ‘s protest against the rigid, conservative society. #Japanesenewwave