9/7/2009

It takes a ‘robot’ to enliven Japan’s dullest performing art

Japanese Bunraku puppetry is Japan’s and perhaps the world’s dullest performing art. To save you from the boredom, you can check out these videos showing the most “exciting” part.

Brain fart 1:
Yes, I know these YouTube videos have been floating around the Internet a long time, but I just suffered through three hours of Bunraku (Wiki) yesterday on my knees on tatami mats, so I felt compelled to you save you from the pain, ha, ha.

Brain fart 2:
My favorite current gaijin author who writes about Japan, Isaac Adamson, became bogged down when he used bunraku as the hook to his last novel, Kinki Lullaby. The topic of bunraku is so ponderous Adamson has never written again about Japan*

Kinki Lullaby.

Posted by Taro in Arts/Culture, General, Not exactly news but it's news to me | 4 Comments »

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1. Taro Says:
   September 7th, 2009 at 3:37 pm

   *The-rest-of-the-story:
   Besides the fact that bunraku is so ponderously boring, another reason that Adamson has not written again about Japan is because he got suckerpunched when Hollywood optioned his best novel of the series, “Tokyo Suckerpunch.” For many young authors, when Hollywood options their first novel they just sit on their hands until the movie (and DVD with extras) is released—Bad move since only 10-15% of optioned novels ever end up as completed movies.
   According to IMDB.com, the “Tokyo Suckerpunch” film is now in production by Sony Pictures Entertainment and scheduled to be released in 2010.

   2 June 2009 — IMDB.com ….Anne Hathaway has signed on to star in Tokyo Suckerpunch, reports say. The actress, who will play an editor opposite Tobey Maguire’s writer character Billy Chaka, will serve as the film’s love interest, according to Empire. The movie is being adapted from an Isaac Adamson novel by screenwriter Ed Solomon, who wrote the scripts for Men In Black and Charlie’s Angels. “It’s a romantic comedy.”

   More negative news was expressed byslashfilm.com …

   slashfilm.com 2009/June/01…...Besides developing this picture as a director, Gary Ross has been scripting the Creature From the Black Lagoon remake. That movie recently lost Breck Eisner as a director which might – just might – have a trickle-down effect on what happens next with Tokyo Suckerpunch. Whatever happens, it needs to happen soon or not for a good long time – Maguire’s going to be needed back in the Spider-Man suit just seven short months from now.

   
   Read the INTERVIEW with ISAAC ADAMSON explaining the state of the film back in January 2009 (before the film became totally bogged down in delays).

2. Cbass Says:
   September 8th, 2009 at 12:31 pm

   Mr. Taro….those dolls totally freaked me out, i don’t wanna see them anymore, you know it’s 23.28 here and I’m about to crash in my bed. Having all those awful robotic faces crawling inside my head would make me dream nigthmares tonight :C

   Thanks.

3. Behan Says:
   September 8th, 2009 at 7:53 pm

   Is Bunraku worse than Noh? They both must be cures for insomnia.

4. Taro Says:
   September 8th, 2009 at 9:55 pm

   Behan Says:
   Is Bunraku worse than Noh?

   She-e-e-e-it. Bunraku literally is a copy of Noh in slow-motion with puppets!

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