Giants and Toys

I for one loved how the fantastical, biting satire from the beginning of the film - running a mile per minute - becomes so old-hat we call it melodrama by the end. That's the best satire at work: it tries to tell us it's out of reach and superreal, when it's just reality flirting with us before kneeing us in the balls. If this were made a few years later it'd be a vanguard of the Japanese New Wave. It was made right at the beginning so it's a masterpiece to seek and find.

Loved it. The fast pace was as blistering as the satire. My favorite topics too: consumerism, obsession with money, corporate culture... I was engaged throughout.

Masumura's story of a publicity war between three rival candy companies is a blistering look at how the corporatization and commercialization of Japan dehumanizes everything it touches. It's an energetic and witty film, and although the subject matter seems a bit overdone today, it was pretty fresh in 1958. The only problem is that its satirical edge starts to wear away by the end as it gets closer to straight drama. Nonetheless, it's an engaging critique of consumerism and celebrity.

Reminded me of Kobayashi's "I Will Buy You" but with a slightly more muddled narrative. I could easily see myself rating it higher on further viewings and I look forward to tracking down more of Masumura's stuff.

This masterpiece made Japanese cinema modern (Masumura learned a lot from Italian neorealist films and knew how to use it back home). It's funny, sexy, touching, socially aware and beautifully done. A quite forgotten must-see for everyone interested in Japanese film history.

Star Rating: ★★★1/2

Angry and grotesque satire of corporate Japan. About as subtle as a shovel to the forehead. Some good montage sequences and clever bits though, like Kyoko's hilarious "cannibal" song.

Has the sort of extreme melodrama that defines Yasuzo, and it's not as good as the similar Black Test Car. But it's fun.

I appreciate what this film was trying to do, but I just didn't find it that engaging.

intelligent but boring...