The Mystery of Rampo

Rating:
Summary: Warui eiga
Review: The filmmakers have invented an incident in the life of the Japanese author of mystery and the macabre Edogawa Rampo (Naoto Takenaka). He learns of a woman (Michiko Hada) whose husband has died under circumstances identical to those in a novel of his that has just been banned by the government. He is driven to seek her out and she becomes a kind of muse for him. The film becomes a surreal mix of fantasy and reality.

Unfortunately, it turns out to be a mess. There is some interesting stuff early on, and I feel that there was the potential for a decent film here, but the director simply didn't know what he was doing. Perhaps part of the problem was that producer Kazuyoshi Okuyama seized it from the original director and reshot more than 60% of it. I really wanted to like it and was waiting for the fantasy and real-life tracks of the story to culminate in some kind of coherent resolution. Instead, it collapses into a pointless, ridiculous montage of breaking glass, firecrackers, and other meaningless images. Okuyama is an incompetent director. I give it two stars because I'm a nice guy.


Rating:
Summary: One of the Greats in Asian Film
Review: The Mystery of Rampo is a film shot with the Asian flair for finding the grandest of visuals in simplicity. Containing a gripping story that is heartfelt, and a musical score that touches the soul, one cannot help but be pulled into the psychological struggles of the main characters. As the fiber of the work is completed through the final scenes, one is left with the same wonder found in gazing at a dew-soaked spiderweb, glistening in its own beauty. If you enjoyed the visual tecniques seen in "Ran", then this film is for you. Full of motion and gorgeous lighting, the sequences build tension in an ever-so-slight manner. I highly recommend this film!!!!

Rating:
Summary: The Best Movie Ever Made!!!
Review: This movie is the most creative I've ever seen, story wise as well as filming wise. it has great special effects and you will want to own it because it takes several viewings to start to solve this mystery. I have seen it a countless number of times and will see it countless more.

Rating:
Summary: A visual and aureal delight.
Review: This movie moves Amadeus aside to rule supreme as the best film I have ever seen. The musical score by Akira Senju is pure magic. The visuals are stunning. The film reaches the most sacred part of your heart. It mixes dreams and reality into one unforgetable artistic experience. Sheer intellectual and spiritual delight.