Tribeca Film Festival
Official Selection
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Scenes from a Visit to Japan2011
A short travelogue shot in super-8 and divided in three sections. Eschewing narration, the film is more of a poetic (rather than prosaic) documentary, conveying impressions through the aesthetic concept of yūgen (evocation by what is left unsaid).
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1 member likes this review
This travelogue encapsulates the feel of wandering through the cities and rural areas of Japan. Scenes from a Visit to Japan conveys moments of overwhelming city life and the peaceful nature of Shinto shrines and cemetaries. We get the cramped alleyway restaurants that serve chicken gizzards, the Great Buddha, language, and temples. Not just a travelogue, but a window to the Japanese culture. We see the Japanese love for film photography (a nice compliment to the super 8 film used for this).
Scenes from a Visit to Japan is shot on super 8, so the colors are saturated and the film grain gives the travelogue a timeless feel. It looks fantastic on a big screen (great if you have a projector).
top reviewer
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Member Reviews (2)
top reviewer
This travelogue encapsulates the feel of wandering through the cities and rural areas of Japan. Scenes from a Visit to Japan conveys moments of overwhelming city life and the peaceful nature of Shinto shrines and cemetaries. We get the cramped alleyway restaurants that serve chicken gizzards, the Great Buddha, language, and temples. Not just a travelogue, but a window to the Japanese culture. We see the Japanese love for film photography (a nice compliment to the super 8 film used for this).
Scenes from a Visit to Japan is shot on super 8, so the colors are saturated and the film grain gives the travelogue a timeless feel. It looks fantastic on a big screen (great if you have a projector).
1 member likes this review
top reviewer
Admittedly this is not going to change anyone's life, but it doesn't purport to. Rather, it is a little travelogue of a trip to Japan split into four scenes--the airplane ride, rapid jumpcuts through Japanese language signs, a grill/bar, and some Buddhist and Shinto shrines. The second half works better than the first and the shrine visit is really quite touching.