Pages tagged “mishima: a life in four chapters”

Um, whoops. Somehow, it's been over a month since the last installment of Rhymes With Five-- sorry, things got a little busy around here. But fret no more: PasteMagazine.com's very finest aimless roundup of non sequitur whatevers is back and... well, whether or not it's "better than ever" or "here to stay" is debatable, but for now, at least, here we are.

This week, I stumbled across three separate DVD covers that knocked me on my feet. Turns out, they're all upcoming releases from The Criterion Collection-- and, turns out, Criterion has churned out some really beautifully designed DVD packages over the years.

This morning, I spent way longer than I should have (shh, Internet, don't tell anyone I was dilly-dallying during magazine deadline) browsing through titles and cover art on their website. In addition to the staggering visual impression of their full catalog, I was struck by just how many great films I'm wildly unfamiliar with.

So, in celebration, here are my five favorite Criterion covers of movies I've never seen (that I probably should soon). What are yours?

Director: Paul Schrader
Writer: Leonard Schrader, Paul Schrader
Cinematographer: John Bailey
Starring: Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya
Studio: Criterion Collection

Beautiful portrait of tortured artist

With its meticulous execution, Paul Schrader’s gorgeous examination of enigmatic Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima doubles as an homage to Japanese film and culture. Interpolating the last day of Mishima’s life with scenes from his wrenching novels and his youth, Schrader evokes films like Kurosawa’s Rashoman and Kobayashi’s Kwaidan, while also exploring the themes of masculinity, honor and dedication that resonate both in Japanese culture and in the director’s other work. As Mishima, Ken Ogata turns in a determined and bravura performance, while Phillip Glass’ modernist score lends an ethereal, intense undercurrent. The pristine high-definition transfer brings out all the nuance of John Bailey’s cinematography, and the host of great supplements—including a BBC documentary on Mishima’s life—offers rich additional perspective.