Paris/France
Relive the classic series in the birthplace of the New Wave
François Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" is a representative film of the New Wave, and has four sequels, known as "The Adventures of Antoine Doinel."
"Antoine and Colette, Lovers in the Night Fog, The Family, and Love on the Run depict the life of 14-year-old Antoine Doinel, with Jean-Pierre Léaud playing the same character over a 20-year period. It's a French version of From the North Country. He's a loser who keeps running off with attractive women no matter how old he gets, but you still want to root for him. There are many masterpieces set in Paris, but this series is great because it captures the stylish street scenes and fashion of the Paris of the 1960s and 1970s, the same time Doinel walked, and you'll want to watch it while getting a feel for the atmosphere of Paris today."
Taipei/Taiwan
Young people of each era, following the same vein as "Taipei Story"
Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-hsien are two giants of Taiwanese cinema. "Taipei Story is a film from the 1980s, but it's a monumental work directed by Edward Yang and starring Hou Hsiao-hsien. Regardless of the country, social conditions and everyday life are closely linked, and I feel that this influence is evident everywhere in films set in Taipei."
"These four films are Edward Yang's "Couples" (1996), Hou Hsiao-hsien's "Millennium Mambo" (2001), and "Taipei Twilight" (2017) by Huang Shi, a director who has experience as Hou Hsiao-hsien's assistant and can be considered a member of the new generation. By watching these four films, made between the 1980s and 2010s, in the context of Taipei today, we can get a bird's-eye view of what has changed and what has remained the same."
Vienna, Austria
The "Before" series depicts an 18-year love story set across Europe
"Before Sunrise" is about a young American man and a French woman who are attracted to each other while sitting next to each other on a long-distance train and get off in Vienna.
"The film begins with a truly romantic encounter while traveling. They walk through cafes, parks, record stores and other places that make you want to visit them in real life. The dialogue between the two characters is enjoyable, and the way the city of Vienna is shot as it changes from day to night is also fascinating."
Nine years later, "Before Sunset" was made, set in Paris, and nine years later, "Before Midnight" was made, set in Greece, and this film became a hot topic as part of the "Before" series, depicting the 18 years between lovers. "It would be great to be able to move between cities and see what happens afterwards."
Oahu/United States
Human drama, science fiction, and mystery filmed in Hawaii
"The Family Tree" is a masterpiece that cynically depicts not the "special Hawaii" as a vacation destination, but the "everyday Hawaii" for the people who live there.
"The main character, played by George Clooney, faces the threat of divorce and inheritance issues, and the film depicts the instability of life and human relationships in a way that could be realized even if it wasn't set in Hawaii. It shows a different side of Hawaii than the tourist angle, which is actually quite appealing.
For the same reason, I also recommend director Koji Maeda 's "My Way of Walking in Hawaii." Hawaii's natural beauty is well-known as a filming location. "It's also fun to visit sacred sites such as Kualoa Ranch on Oahu, where the "Jurassic Park" series and the TV drama "LOST" were filmed."
Pécs, Hungary
"Satantango" is a long-take film that lasts an astonishing 7 hours and 18 minutes!
"Tarr Béla's Satantango is a 7 hour 18 minute epic, and if you try to watch it at home you won't be able to maintain your concentration (laughs). If you're going to see a film like this outside of a cinema, it's best to do it on a trip." The setting is a village in Hungary. A man who was supposed to be dead suddenly returns, leaving the villagers shaken. The film is an allegory with an ambiguous time setting and a vague timeline, and despite its length it is a long take of around 150 shots.
"Pécs, which I mentioned as one of the places I wanted to see the film, is Béla Tarr's hometown, but by watching it in a place that is unfamiliar to many Japanese people, I think I will be able to more easily immerse myself in the film's absurd worldview and fantastical atmosphere. When you travel, common sense often doesn't apply to you. I feel like this film connects with that feeling of traveling."
Ginzan Onsen/Japan
Watch Naruse's film about decadent men and women in the privacy of a hot spring inn
"Mikio Naruse is well known to film buffs, but perhaps he's a director who many have missed the opportunity to see. His works, such as "Floating Clouds" and "Ranreru," which depict deadlocked relationships between men and women from a female perspective, are perfect for relaxing at a hot spring inn over a few sake. The former is set in Ikaho Onsen in Gunma, while the latter is set in Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata."
Both films star Takamine Hideko and depict the love between a married man and a single woman, or between a widowed woman and her brother-in-law. "It's probably out of line with modern values, but in a way, people in the past were more free-spirited and did amazing things without even realizing it (laughs). The sense of freedom that is unique to hot spring resorts is mixed with a sense of lewdness, creating an erotic atmosphere."
