Sakuran (2006)

Hi guys!
For this week’s post I planned to write about some old sci-fi movie and/or Disney animation, but then I went to a book shop and found this manga:

Sakuran – by Moyoko Anno

It reminded me of the wonderful film they made about it, which I’ve seen a few years ago.
I watched it again yesterday and it left me in awe just like the first time.
I already mentioned I have a fondness for aesthetically appealing movies, those whom every single frame could be a work of art by himself. This one fits perfectly in the category.
Ladies and gentlemen, be prepared to be amazed by the shining beauty of Sakuran.

The film poster.

Technical details:
Director: Mika Ninagawa
Writers: Moyoko Anno (comic), Yuki Tanada (screenplay)
Cast: Anna Tsuchiya, Kippei Shîna, Yoshino Kimura, Hiroki Narimiya, Miho Kanno, etc.
111 mins, colour.

Sakuran on IMDb.
The official website.

IMDb rating: 7/10 (seriously? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 70% (ditto.)
Polenta’s rating: 27 sighs, 13 rainbows and 1 ton of gold.

Plot:
A little girl is sold to Tamagiku house in Yoshiwara, the red-light district of Tōkyō, to become a kamuro -aka the courtesans’ maid- and, once grown up, a courtesan herself. Kiyoha -name given to her after she entered the house- tries many times to run away and is punished a lot for being such a rebellious kid, but her strong attitude will be her key to becoming oiran.

Kiyoha, played by the supercool Anna Tsuchiya.

Polenta’s comment:
This film is full of strong colours, strong characters and strong emotions.
The only black mark could be the acting which sometimes is quite contrived, but it doesn’t bother so much. The lavish brightness of the red and gold is played down by willful and funny anachronisms like the zebra-striped kimono, the goldfish tank on the district’s gate and the modern jazzy soundtrack.
But the charm of the 17th-century courtesans’ world is kept intact thanks to the breath-taking costumes, hairstyle, old-fashioned way of talking -this one only for Japanese speakers, though- and the typically Japanese symbolism that we can find in the blooming cherry trees and the above-mentioned goldfish trapped in his bowl.

When I found the manga, Anna Tsuchiya’s strong resemblance with Kiyoha made me wonder for a moment if they have based the comic on the film, as sometimes happens. Her huge, bold eyes and fiery attitude are just perfect for the role (go to the top of the page for the comparison).
I suggest you have a look at the film trailer here -which is surprisingly well done, considering the Trailer Rule.

If you have watched/will watch/are watching this film and want to tell me what you think about it, feel free to leave a reply.
Thanks for reading, see you soon!