Takashi Miike films will be playing all this month at New York’s Anthology Film Archives, featuring two New York premieres – “The City of Lost Souls” and The Happiness of the Katakuris. Joining them will be festival favorite Audition.
In “The City of Lost Souls”, The leading character, Mario, played by newcomer Teah, is a Japanese-Brazilian man fighting to save Kei, played by Michele Reis (from Wong Kar-wai’s “Fallen Angels”), a woman who emigrated from China against the wishes of the Chinese Mafia and Japanese Yakuza. The film also stars Patricia Manterola, (well known in Mexico for “Gente Bien” and “Acapulco Cuerpo Y Alma”), Koji Kikkawa and Mitsuhiro Oikawa, both famous Japanese singers. The film’s main music theme is composed by the Japanese rock band SADS (led by Kiyoharu from Kuroyume). “The City of Lost Souls” is based on the book by Seishu Hase, whose other best-selling crime novel, Sleepless Town, was also made into a film.
The Happiness of the Katakuris is just something you have to see to believe. The Katakuri family open a peaceful mountain inn to taste the good life and bond as a family, but their guests keep dying and in order to keep their reputation they have no choice but to chop them up and bury them…bury them all! Oh yeah, it’s a musical too.
Audition is very much like a Japanese “Fatal Attraction”, but way more out of control. After seeing this one, you may not date anyone ever again.
This Takashi Miike showcase will play from August 8-22 at Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Ave. (at 2nd St.), with screenings weekdays at 7pm and 9:30pm with additional screenings at 4:30pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Visit the Anthlogy Film Archives website for more information.
