| Funeral Parade of Roses | |
|---|---|
) Japanese film poster | |
| Directed by | Toshio Matsumoto |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | Toshio Matsumoto |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Joji Yuasa |
| Cinematography | Tatsuo Suzuki |
| Edited by | Toshie Iwasa |
| Distributed by | Art Theatre Guild |
Release date |
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Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
Funeral Parade of Roses (薔薇の葬列, Bara no Sōretsu) is a 1969 Japanese drama film directed and written by Toshio Matsumoto, loosely adapted from Oedipus Rex and set in the underground gay culture of 1960s Tokyo. It stars Peter as the protagonist, a young transvestite, and features Osamu Ogasawara, Yoshio Tsuchiya and Emiko Azuma. A product of the Japanese New Wave, the film combines elements of arthouse, documentary and experimental cinema, and is thought to have influenced Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of Anthony Burgess' novel A Clockwork Orange (1971). [1]
The title is a pun, as "rose" (bara) in Japanese can have a similar meaning to "pansy" in English slang.[2]
The film was released by A.T.G. (Art Theatre Guild) on September 13, 1969 in Japan; however, it did not receive a United States release until October 29, 1970. Matsumoto's previous film For My Crushed Right Eye contains some of the same footage and could almost be interpreted as a trailer for Funeral Parade, although a true trailer was also made. In June 2017, it received a 4K restoration and a limited theatrical rerelease.
Plot
The film follows the trials and tribulations of Eddie and other transvestite women in Tokyo. The main plot continuously jumps around the timeline of events to hint at and hide the major twist. The film also contains shots in a documentary style interviewing cast members about their sexuality and gender identity, as well as pieces of avant-garde film of Guevara's creation.
Cast
- Peter as Eddie
- Osamu Ogasawara as Leda
- Yoshio Tsuchiya as Gonda
- Emiko Azuma as Eddie's mother
- Toyosaburo Uchiyama as Guevera
- Don Madrid as Tony
- Koichi Nakamura as Juju
- Chieko Kobayashi as Okei
- Shōtarō Akiyama as himself
- Kiyoshi Awazu as himself
Production
The film was set and shot in Tokyo.
References
- ^ ‘Funeral Parade of Roses’: Edgy 1969 Japanese drama that inspired Kubrick’s ‘A Clockwork Orange’ Dangerous Minds, 15 June 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Exclusive - Fantagraphics to publish 'Massive' anthology of gay manga". 31 December 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- Sources
- (in Japanese) 薔薇の葬列 (Bara no Sōretsu) at the Japanese Movie Database
- "Eros Effect" review by Lucid Screening
- Sharp, Jasper (26 September 2006). "Funeral Parade of Roses (Review)". Midnight Eye. Retrieved 18 October 2007.
- Thompson, Nathaniel (2006). DVD Delirium: The International Guide to Weird and Wonderful Films on DVD; Volume 3. Godalming, England: FAB Press. pp. 250–251. ISBN 1-903254-40-X.
- "Timeline for a Timeless Story" essay by Jim O'Rourke
External links
- Funeral Parade of Roses at IMDb
- Funeral Parade of Roses is available for free download at the Internet Archive