Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Nobody Knows

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Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 02-21-2005, 02:48 PM:

This film in Japanese with English subtitles, the fifth directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, is based on the true story of four children abandoned by their mother in a small Tokyo apartment.

Twelve year old Akira displays amazing responsibility for his eight year old sister, his six year old mischievous brother Shigetzu, and the baby, Yuki. We see everything from the point-of-view of the children, as the film, almost in cinema verite style, slowly seems to move in real time. The disintegration of their welfare is mirrored in the slow but devastating changes in the environment of the apartment, in which they at first hide like Anne Frank, fearing discovery.

Seeing the innocence of childhood this way gave me the creepy feeling that the outer adult world would intrude catastrophically at any moment...

The director's ability to show the children being themselves yet achieving such perfect drama is truly uncanny.

I could not really grasp the nature of the mother. Her abandonment, despite her excuses, seemed implausible to me, and her weird, screechy voice-- as incongruous as that of a "valley
girl" ghost in a Noh drama--grated on my nerves.

This is a well-crafted film, and were I to view it again, I would look to trace the symbolic significance of the little red "Mary Janes" at the foot of the memorial stone; the seeds planted (and whose failed to grow); and the bulldog carried by the landlady.

When I recover from the emotional whammy of this film, I intend to read Scott's definitive review in the New York Times
on the webb.

At the Kew Gardens Cinema, Queens, NYC.

Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 03-05-2005, 03:45 AM:

Great film. I hadn't read any reviews so I had no idea what to expect. THis one has one of those endings that makes you mad because there is really no resolution.

Saw this the other day at Edwards Park Place 10.
Too bad some unknown film fest trashed the print before this theatre got it. The green lines changed position and intensity at every reel change. nice [puke]

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 07-05-2005, 10:06 PM:

Finally got to see this one a few weeks ago. I decided to walk the four miles home from the theater just to have some time and solitude to deal with the story. Very, very moving.

* * * * *

Typical indifferent presentation at the Regal Village Square 18. Pretty beat up print, projected with a very under-sized aperture. Soft edges on all four sides of the picture.

Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 07-05-2005, 10:21 PM:

very strange! I actually got to run this for a week, month or so ago. The print I got was in good shape. There was nothing odd about the aspect ratio or the position of the subtitles, no need to use anything other than your standard lens and plate. Something funny was going on at the theatre you went to!