The Bottom Line
- Fairytale-like story of displaced characters in contemporary Japan
- Stunning cinematography
- Evocative score
- Official selection of Cannes, Toronto, London and New York Film Festivals
- None
Description
- Directed by: Takeshi Kitano
- Starring: Miho Kanno, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Tatsuya Mihashi, Chieko Matsubara, Kyoko Fukada
- Based on traditional Bunraku doll theater
- Distributor: Palm Pictures
Guide Review - Takeshi Kitano's "Dolls"
The man keeps his partner on a leash, a long red cord, to keep her from wandering away; the girl's failed suicide attempt binds them together forever, ironically after he has broken off the engagement to marry a woman he does not love. Kitano interweaves this tragic tale with two other elegiac stories. In one, a woman brings lunch to a park for over three decades, waiting for a lost love to return. In the third, a disfigured pop star is followed by a devoted fan who would go to any length for the chance to meet her.
Inspired by traditional Japanese Bunraku doll theater, "Dolls" is a departure from Kitano's trademark Yakuza thrillers ("Violent Cop," "Brother," "Zatoichi"). Moody and intense, the simple stories in "Dolls" are reminiscent of his equally enthralling "Fireworks."
