A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness

(Hishu monogatari, Seijun Suzuki, Japan 1977, 93 min., 35mm, Japanese w/ English subtitles)

After a decade, a trial with the Nikkatsu studio, and the subsequent blacklisting, Suzuki returned to Shochiku, the studio that gave him his start. Suzuki’s films from this point veer away from genre and toward introspective adult themes. Here, he tells the story of Reiko (Yuko Shiraki), a model who turns professional golfer. Her early success brings her attention, both wanted—from her mentor and the public, and unwanted—in the form of a dangerous stalker.

Post-screening Zoom Q&A with William Carroll, author of Suzuki Seijun and Postwar Japanese Cinema