Angel's Egg (Japan, 1985)

A mysterious young girl wanders a desolate, otherworldly landscape, carrying a large egg.

Angels's Egg has some powerful names to back it up; director Mamoru Oshii who made the highly regarded Ghost in the Shell (1995 and also Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy and Vampire Hunter D fame. The film can be quite hard to grasp at a first viewing, and it's clear that it isn't supposed to be fully explained nor resolved, but rather give you a glimpse into a surreal and fantastical other world. The bones from past civilizations scatter the cities, huge shadow fish swim through the streets and are being hunted by a mysterious army. The film is full of subtle world-building in a way that's very ambitious even compared to films in modern times. You're not given a bunch of answers, instead you're visiting an ancient city and wonder what bygone people once lived there. 

It's almost like a poem coming to life, and in the midst of it all, a girl is searching her way through the dark city with a protector following her. Protecting her, and keeping an eye on that white, giant egg of hers.

Genre: Animation/Fantasy. 1h 11 min.

Taipei Story (Taiwan, 1985)

Lung, a former member of the national Little League team and now operator of an old-style fabric business, is never able to shake a longing for his past glory. One day he runs into a former teammate who is now a struggling cab driver. The two talk about old times and they are struck by a sense of loss. Lung is living with his old childhood sweetheart Ah-chin, a westernized professional woman who grew up in a traditional family. Although they live together, Ah-chin is always weary of Lung's past liaison with another girl.

Hsiao-Hsien Hou, director of films such as The Assassin (2015) and Café Lumière (2003), stars in this gorgeous film made by the late Edward Yang (Yi Yi) which lay bare a not-so-perfect relationship between two people in their thirties. Yang is a master at portraying the emotional weight the lovers carry, and making the characters speak without words. We also get the chance to revel in his beautiful cinematography which is a constant reminder of his ability to look at people, urban landscapes and the smallest but most intimate moments.

Genre: Drama

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (US/Japan, 1985)

A fictionalized account in four chapters of the life of celebrated Japanese author Yukio Mishima. Three of the segments parallel events in Mishima's life with his novels (The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoko's House, and Runaway Horses), while the fourth depicts the actual events of the 25th Nov. 1970, "The Last Day".

Mishima is actually directed by an American film-maker, Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) but a film about Yukio Mishima seems too good to pass up. Mishima was a nationalist and founded his own right-wing militia. In 1970, he and three other members of his militia staged an attempted coup d'état when they seized control of a Japanese military base and took the commander hostage, then tried and failed to inspire a coup to restore the Emperor's pre-war powers. Mishima then committed ritual suicide by seppuku. 

It's a fascinating history and it feels like it easily could have been very melodramatic and unnecessarily violent in the hands of the wrong director, but Schrader portrays the events with the greatest of respects. Not only does he carefully tell the story and all of its context, but at the same time bringing it to life with fantastic, dreamlike cinematography and all sorts of playful ways of using his camera. The films production designer, Eiko Ishioka, was tracked down by Schrader after the team had seen her work on the Japanese poster for Apocalypse Now (1979), and had this to say about the work on Mishima:

"It would be like the sets themselves were characters, as though they were actors, and they would challenge the real actors. So that when the sets and the actors came together, they’d set off a spark and a new kind of energy."

I just really adore how this movie looks, and Eiko's idea of making each of the films segment's be filmed in what looks like theatrical sets gives the film rich, numerous personalities. I could post screenshots from it all day long, but I'll try to refrain from that. Superb film about a maybe somewhat less-known piece of Japanese history. 

Mishima could be called a samurai film set in modern days, with how Yukio tried his best to honor the traditions and ways of the bushido, so in the end when his crushing defeat was unavoidable he also chose to die like a samurai. 

Genre: Biography/Drama

Night on the Galactic Railroad (Japan, 1985)

On the night of a cat village's Festival of the Stars, a kitten and his friend go on an celestial journey on a magical space locomotive. On that trip, they have various stops where they meet strange sights, even more unusual fellow passengers and learn some lessons of life on their trip to the terminus of the Galactic Railroad.

It's usually fairly easy to tell if a movie is a happy one or more sinister, but with Night on the Galactic Road I couldn't decide whether it was sweet and lovable, or dark and foreboding. Somewhere in between, I'd have to say. It was based on a classic Japanese novel from 1934, but replaced the main characters with a bunch of cats. It has a very distinctive style to it, and if you think that it's a simple anime adventure you're way off. It's a philosophical journey through the stars with a handful of larger-than-life questions and thoughts. Starring cats. 

Genre: Animation/Adventure/Drama

Vampire Hunter D (Japan, 1985)

In a far-future time ruled by the supernatural, a young girl requests the help of a vampire hunter to kill the vampire who has bitten her and thus prevent her from becoming a vampire herself.

I have already written about Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000) before, but this version from 1985 I left out because I felt that it wasn't nearly as good as Bloodlust. After re-watching it I can happily say that I must have been blinded by the greatness of Bloodlust, because this 1985 film is a phenomenal, Gothic adventure. It's disgustingly graphic, full of gore and presents a ton of nightmarish creatures and evil vampires like there's no tomorrow. Just like Bloodlust it has an awesome blend of genres like science fiction and dark fantasy. Cyborg horses and vampires? No problem. The world of Vampire Hunter D is a place hard not to get interested in, so luckily there's a whole franchise of this stuff.

While watching it I couldn't help but make some striking connections between this film and the video game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997). I guess that's only natural, since both deals with vampires and Gothic themes. Both D and Alucard (the main character in Symphony of the Night) are a sword-wielding dhampir, which is the child of a vampire and a human. They both fight their way through an army of vampires using supernatural powers and graceful sword techniques. 

                                                 Alucard                                           D

I also saw a resemblance in the women that Alucard and D encounter during their travels. 

                                                  Doris                                        Maria 

Just some fun and interesting observations. Great movie and great game.

Genre: Animation/Action//Horror/Sci-Fi

Police Story (Hong Kong, 1985)

Kevin Chan (aka Jackie) is a Hong-Kong cop, who scores his first big hit by virtually single-handedly capturing and arresting a big drug- lord. Of course, the drug-lord isn't too happy about this, and frames Kevin with the murder of another cop (who happened to be on the take). Kevin has to clear his name, whilst keeping himself from getting killed or arrested, and keeping his girlfriend from leaving him.

Police Story is a perfect example of how great of a stuntman and martial artist Jackie Chan could be on film before his american career made him much, much worse. The car chase near the beginning of the film is incredibly cool and is one of many moments where you just want to cheer at the screen at how awesome it is. An often very funny film that's packed with amazing stunts. 

Genre: Action/Comedy/Thriller

Ran (Japan, 1985)

The Great Lord Hidetora Ichimonji has decided to step aside to make room for the younger blood of his three sons, Taro, Jiro, and Saburo, the Lord's only wish now being to live out his years as an honored guest in the castle of each of his sons in turn. While the older two sons flatter their father, the youngest son attempts to warn him of the folly of expecting the three sons to remain united; enraged at the younger son's attempt to point out the danger, the father banishes him. True to the younger son's warning, however, the oldest Son soon conspires with the second son to strip The Great Lord of everything, even his title.

One of Akira Kurosawa's most acclaimed films, and it was the most expensive Japanese movie ever produced up to that time. Kagemusha, which Kurosawa directed a few years before, he referred to as "dress rehearsal" for Ran. It's an incredibly epic samurai drama full of war politics, scheming daimyos and huge battles. A story of greed, lust for power and ultimate revenge. Essential film history.

Genre: Action/Drama/War

Tampopo (Japan, 1985)

A pair of truck drivers, the experienced Goro and a young sidekick named Gun, stop at a small roadside noodle shop. Outside, Goro rescues a boy being beaten up by three schoolmates. The boy, Tabo, turns out to be the son of the widowed owner of the struggling business, Tampopo. When Tampopo asks their opinion of her noodles, Goro and Gun says they'll need some work. After Goro gives her some advice, she asks him to help her make the perfect bowl of ramen.

Tampopo is a fantastic humorous drama with many great side stories woven into its plot that all range from hilarious to bizarre. We get to see a young Ken Watanabe, which of course is a delight. Director Jūzō Itami, who is widely known for his numerous comic satires on Japanese culture, used the Spaghetti Western structure as influence when making Tampopo and it works remarkably well. 

For being a film which is about a ramen shop, Itami manages to squeeze in so much content that it encourages endless rewatching; it's sexy, it's inspiring, it's so much fun and wonderfully optimistic. An adventure into the Japanese cuisine. So go make yourself a bowl of noodles and enjoy this deliciously sensual experience. One of the ultimate food films.

Genre: Drama/Comedy. 1h 54min.