zetes Review of Strange Circus

Strange Circus (2005)

Not entirely successful, but very interesting

[7/10 · 1 November 2011]

A film that reminds me very much of David Lynch, particularly Mulholland Dr., the way it establishes a reality and then, in the middle of the picture, makes us question that reality. A young girl is forced to watch as her parents make love from inside a cello case. Later on, her father brings her into the bed, too, which drives her mother (Masumi Miyazaki) into a rage. Major spoilers follow: after nearly half the movie, it's revealed that this disturbing scenario is really the plot of a new novel by a woman named Taeko (also played by Miyazaki). So it's a fiction, right? Well, Taeko's not quite sure. She's a bit nutty. Perhaps the scenario is an invention of her sick mind. Perhaps she was the girl in the story, Mitsuko. And perhaps her new editor (Issei Ishida) knows more than she does about the whole situation. End of spoilers. The film is highly flawed. In particular, when the truth is finally revealed, it explains everything a tad too much. It also rips off a particularly effective final twist from Miike's Audition near the end (and it's not as effective here). Still, a very interesting film from one of the most interesting filmmakers working today.