Seeing 'House' in 35mm!

A poster for House (1977) at the Shin Bungeiza. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday, March 6, I returned to the Shin Bungeiza theater for a screening of House (1977), the infamous pseudo-horror movie directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi. The screening was in 35mm, and it was my second time to see it this way. Even though it is well-regarded in the West, largely due to the fact that it's been available through the Criterion Collection for years, I have my own thoughts.

I first saw House long before it had any kind of reputation outside Japan. I bought an unsubtitled bootleg in 2002, which I ordered just because I knew it was a "Toho horror movie" from the '70s. I watched maybe a third of it, but it was giving me none of what I was looking for in such a flick, so I remember turning it off after a while, figuring I'd finish it later. (I never did.)

At the end of 2010, I picked up the Criterion DVD and gave it a proper viewing for the first time. At the time, I thought of it as weirdness for its own sake and not much else. I also found the experience a bit depressing, as it really seemed to end the production of Showa-era genre films with a whimper. Then, in July 2016, I caught a screening of it in Japan and liked it a bit better than I had before, I guess. Even though I no longer despised it the way I used to, I still didn't think its reputation in the West was deserved.

With Prof in July 2016.

So that's where things stood when I went into screening. I more or less expected to have a repeat of my 2016 experience, in other words, thinking the movie was OK but overrated. Unfortunately, my opinion is a bit closer to where it was in 2010 but perhaps not quite as negative.

I was more or less onboard with the movie in the first half, but the directionless chaos of the second half wore me out. Absurdity is fine in movies, but, when it just meanders about in random ways, I lose interest after a while. I also got the sense the filmmakers thought they were being much more clever than they actually were, which is always annoying.

Believe it or not, my favorite parts of the movie had nothing to do with its overhyped weirdness. There were wistful shots in the film that, for lack of a better word, evoked a sense of nostalgia. I found myself wishing I were watching that movie instead of this one. Sometimes you don't need singing cats or dancing skeletons to make a good movie.

After the screening, there was a Q&A with a film critic, but, as we have learned from the positive reviews of this movie in the West, "one has to dismiss everything they know about film criticism" when reviewing House, and "the 'rules' of film criticism are almost impossible to apply to it," so I'm not sure what they were going for there.

In the House!

Ai Matsubara onstage, about to perform. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight, when work was finished, I immediately headed over to Yokohama to attend a live performance by actress-singer Ai Matsubara. Matsubara-san is best known for playing Prof in the whacked-out Toho romp House (1977). She also appears in Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980) and Shogun (1980). 

I'd first met Matsubara-san in the summer of 2016 at a screening of House. I really enjoyed meeting her, and as time went by, I was surprised I never had a chance to see her again. I'm glad I finally had the opportunity tonight.

Matsubara-san, naturally, was great. She's a wonderful singer and a talented performer. On this night, I for one enjoyed being in the house!

IN YOUR HOUSE! The Toho Cult Classic Is Revived for a Special Screening!

House screenwriter Chiho Katsura (left) joins actress Ai Matsubara (right) to discuss their memories of making this cult classic. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

On July 30, I was privileged to attend a screening of the Toho cult classic House (1977), for which two luminaries from the film join us. Screenwriter Chiho Katsura joined actress Ai Matsubara (who played the bespectacled Prof) to discuss the behind-the-scenes facts of the flick.

Screenwriter Chiho Katsura recalls writing House. Photo by Brett Homenick.

House, I must admit, is a movie that I never fully warmed up to. I first tried to watch an unsubtitled copy circa 2002 or '03, but after watching about half of it, I stopped, fully intending to finish it another day. (I never did.) At the time, very little information was available about the film, and I suppose I was expecting a more straight-forward horror film. When I realized that the movie was more confusing than anything else, it got indefinitely put on the shelf.

It wasn't until late 2010 or early 2011 (right before I moved to Japan) when I purchased the Criterion DVD that I finally watched the film in its entirety (with subtitles). Suffice it to say, I was still underwhelmed. I guess I never found the film as interesting as it wanted me to. Movies that try too hard to shock me almost always fall flat. Your mileage may vary.

Actress Ai Matsubara shares her memories of playing Prof. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Still, I was quite motivated to see the film in 35mm, and I was very interested to meet the guests of honor. I did enjoy the movie more this time around, but I still have some quibbles with it. While it can be a fun flick, it does run out of steam too often, and some of the gags just don't work for me. A little of the strangeness goes a long way. Despite that, I'm glad I saw it again.

I really enjoyed meeting and speaking with Chiho Katsura, who surprised me by speaking quite a bit of English! He told me he studied English for many years because he loves America. He saw the movie Easter Parade (1948) during his youth and was really inspired by it. (Remember the next time you watch House that the man who wrote it loves Judy Garland musicals!) Katsura-san also wrote the Nikkatsu thriller Assault! Jack the Ripper (1976), which actor Yutaka Hayashi considers probably to be his best film. When I mentioned several Japanese directors I liked, I rattled off the name Masaki Kobayashi (Kwaidan). Katsura-san grimaced and said he didn't like him. He didn't elaborate, but I certainly found that tidbit fascinating.

Ai Matsubara was a very lovely lady. She even sang a karaoke for us! (She works mostly as a singer now.) Her other acting credits include Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980) and Shogun (1980), which are rather impressive. Matsubara-san was not aware that her character's name in English was "Prof," so when I told her that, she lit up. She loves the name, so I think it's going to stick!

Another great event with wonderful guests has wrapped. I can't wait for the next one!