Suzuki Seijun, Visual Poet of Illusion - November 1978

Suzuki Seijun, Visual Poet of Illusion - November 1978

Seijun Suzuki (1923 - 2017) was known as an unorthodox figure in Japanese cinema, captivating filmmakers around the world with his originality, visual beauty, and poetic expression. (1966) and "KENKA EREJI" (1966). These films transcended the framework of action and yakuza films, transforming cinema into a dreamlike otherworld through experimentation with color and composition. However, his bold style was met with disapproval by Nikkatsu's upper management, and he was forced to leave Nikkatsu after the release of "Killing Brand" in 1967.

From then on, Suzuki went into a long period of silence, and in the 1970s, despite being away from the world of commercial cinema, his films gained a cult following among film enthusiasts. Western filmmakers and critics, in particular, marveled at his innovative visual sense and proceeded to re-evaluate him as an important expressive figure in the history of Japanese cinema. Then, in 1978, young directors held a special screening of Seijun Suzuki's works, creating an opportunity for his art to come back into the spotlight.

In 1980, he released his first new work in 13 years, "Zigoinelwaizen. With its fantastic visual world and unique sound, this film won the Special Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival. While turning his back on commercialism, he established an international reputation. In the following films, "Yomoza" (1981) and "Yumeji" (1991), he maintained his uncompromising aesthetic sense and broke new ground in the world of Japanese cinema.

His influence is immeasurable. Filmmakers from around the world, including Quentin Tarantino, David Lynch, and Wong Kar-wai, have professed to have been inspired by Suzuki's work. His postmodern approach to deconstructing images has also influenced later Japanese films and animation. Mamoru Oshii and other filmmakers have inherited Suzuki's legacy of "poetic visual expression" and sublimated it into contemporary works.

He never confined himself to the confines of commercial cinema, but pursued his own unique aesthetic. His images still speak quietly to us in the shimmering light and shadows like illusions. Blurring the boundary between illusion and reality, as if showing the continuation of a dream--this is the magical power of Seijun Suzuki's films, and the reason why they will be talked about forever.