'Lovesickness' is more greatness from Junji Ito

Love Sickness (2021, Viz Media)
Script and Art: Junji Ito
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

"Lovesickness" is the latest hardcover collection of tales by Japanese horror comics master Junji Ito. I refrain from calling Ito's work "manga", because I think his style should appeal even comics readers who usually claim to dislike Japanse comics. (I still have issues with the lazy translations that have been the norm for the past couple decades, but that war was lost long ago, so now all I can do is knock a star or two off my final rating.)

The majority of the book is taken up by the multi-part saga from which the book draws its title. Structurally, it occupies a place between Ito's "Remina" series (where all the sections add up to a novel-length horror story) and Ito's "Tomie" (where most of the stories stand alone, but are linked thematically and by recurring characters). The parts of "Love Sickness" stand individually, but they add up to a chilling tale of a curse and restless spirits that almost destroy a small town. The story threads involving the main characters add up to a greater tale, but the way the individual smaller story arcs intertwine with each other to form a larger, unified story plays to Ito's strengths in spinning short horror yarns while also delivering a novel-length experience. 

Individually, each story in the "Lovesickness" cycle delivers haunting tragedy and blood-chilling gore, but they also build upon each other, bringing the reader an increasing sense that this is going to end badly for everyone involved. Even the final chapter, which serves as a denouement to the greater "Love Sickness" story cycle stands on its own, and it provides closure to the story that's equal parts spooky and uplifting and completely perfect.

"Lovesickness" is further noteworthy, because it will surprise longtime Ito readers with the directions it goes in as it unfolds. There are characters who you expect to survive who don't, and visa-versa. It's also nice to see a long-form story from Ito with a young guy as the main character instead of the young girl we're used to seeing. Finally, both the main ghost in the story--a tall, impossibly handsome young man--and the mystery surrounding his origin is among Ito's best-drawn and -written work so far. The mists swirling around the mystery man, as well as the spirits he assembles around him are goosebump-inducing. (I won't go into the details of the horror scenarios in each individual story, other than to say they all invoke elements of traditional Japanese ghost stories while incorporating elements of modern youth- and pop-culture, bringing new levels of darkness and horror to each.

Once "Lovesickness" wraps up, Ito introduces us to the Hikizuri Siblings. This group of unpleasant freaks are featured in two stories, both of which are dark comedies. I've said in previous reviews of Ito's work that it's generally very different than any other horror comics, but that is not the case here. The two tales starring the Hizikuris--one where the youngest sister (the beautiful one) runs away from home and finds a boyfriend, the other where the ghost of the family patriarch seems to appear during a seance--are surprising only because they are similar in nature to the tales one used to read in comics like "House of Mystery" and "Scream" and numerous titles from NUELOW Games. They are not among Ito's best works (even if, artwise, the second story has some very impressive moments), but it's nice to see him flex his talent for funny stuff. 

Rounding out this collection are three stand-alone short stories--one that is among the best Ito's ever done, one that is average for him, and one that makes me wonder if something was lost in translation or if he has some personal significance to him, because it's pretty weak.

"The Mansion of Phantom Pain" is an intriguing idea about a house that seems to be haunting its occupants and crushing them in body and spirit. It's got some great art, is very atmospheric, but the story itself is badly executed and left me with too many "why don't they do this?" and "why did they do that?" moments in regards to the characters. Ito's done worse, but he's also done much better; this might be an idea that he should return to later and perhaps develop over several stories ala "Uzumaki" or "Tomie".

With "The Rib Woman", however, we Ito at his best and most horrific; everything he does well is featured in this story. We start with a girl, who, feeling pressured by society's standards of beauty, undergoes surgery to have a couple of her ribs removed. This sets her, and her friends and loved ones, on a collision course with the supernatural... which Ito's pen and brush bring to life in spectacularly gory fashion. There are many reasons why this story will stay with you after you're done reading it. Further, similar to the way "Lovesickness" contained commentary on youth culture, "Ribs Woman" is something of a metaphor for the dangers of unnecessary, body-altering surgery just to conform to some arbitrary standard of beauty forced upon us by others.

The final story, "Memories of Real Poop", may or may not be autobiographical, but it is definitely an attempt at lighthearted humor drawn from from every day life. Unfortunately, it's not very successful... or maybe I just don't get this story of a kid who buys a hyper-realistic, plastic poop and then plays a prank with it. 

"Lovesickness" may end on a bit of a low note, but the vast majority of the book is well worth any horror fans time, especially if you're already familiar with Junji Ito's work. Even horror fans who have convinced themselves they hate "manga" will like this book. (That said, I will repeat the complaint I've been making for 20 years: This book is another lazy translation that's marred by the fact the "localization" is half-assed in the sense that you have to read the book "backwards", because Japanese is read from right to left instead of left to right as English is.)

Musical Monday with Three Days Grace

Here's a Fun Fact about the song "Somebody That I Used to Know": The version recorded by Gotya some ten or so years ago wasn't bad. But I've yet to come across a cover that was equally good or didin't improve upon in some way. And the today's Musical Monday entry--a "Somebody That I Used to Know" cover from Canadian hard rock band Three Days Grace--continues that pattern.

 

While I really enjoyed the music on this cover, I find the video creepy as hell, and not in a good way. I think they were going for a "Take On Me" vibe with the video, but it was done badly and on the cheap with video filters. The result made me uncomfortable. (This may just be a personal quirk... watch it and tell me what YOU think in the comments section.)

(While I dumped on Gotya above, I have to say that the video made to support his version of "Somebody That I Used to Know" is fantastic. (Although, even the Star Wars parody version of it is a better performance of the song, I think.)

Happy birthday to Joan Collins!

English actress and costume designer Joan Collins turns 88 years old today. Here are a few pictures of her, at various points in her 70-year long (so far!) career on television and the Big Screen. (She made her debut in the 1951 film "Lady Godiva Rides Again".)

The Avengers Dossier, Page Ten

Here's another look at a supporting player from the classic television series, "The Avengers".

DUDLEY FOSTER
In "The Hour That Never Was", Dudley Foster plays an officer in Steed's old R.A.F. unit who is tied to the mysterious happenings at an airfield that is being decommissioned.

Born in 1924, Foster served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, and turned to professional acting during the post-war years, first on stage and then becoming a fixture on British television from the mid-1950s through the mid-1970s. Historical dramas, mysteries, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, or comedy... Foster appeared in shows of just about any genre. He was mostly cast as policemen, military officers, and other authority figures...not all of whom could be trusted.

Foster's main roles were starring turns on the British television series "Bat Out of Hell" (1966), "A Hundred Years of Humphrey Hastings" (1967), "If It Moves, File It" (1970), and "It's Murder, But Is It Art?" (1972). He also starred as Detective Inspector Dunn during the first season of the long-running police drama "Z-Car" (in 1962). He later returned to play a completely different character in two episodes of series final season in 1971.

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Foster also regularly appeared in roles big and small on anthology series, such as the "BBC Sunday-Night Play", "ITV Television Playhouse", and "The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre". In total, he appeared in over 100 different television series and films, often returning as different characters in different seasons. On "The Avengers", he returned in more two episodes, as two other characters--"Something Nasty in the Nursery' (1967) and "Wish You Were Here" (1968), the latter being a spoof of another British spy series, "The Prisoner".

Foster, despairing at the death of his father, committed suicide in 1973.

A great homage to silent comedies

Late to Lunch (1987, with general release in 2009)
Starring: John Carpenter, Donna Fox, and Michael Schwendamen
Director: John Carpenter
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

Our hero (Carpenter) must overcome overzealous police officers, judgmental relatives, a romantic rival (Schendamen) and his own tendency to oversleep if he is to finally win the hand of the woman he loves (Fox).

"Late to Lunch" is film history lecturer and preservationist John Carpenter's love letter to the silent comedies of the 1920s--with those starring and/or written by Charley Chase being an especially large degree of affection.

Although Charley Chase doesn't have the name recognition of Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton, he should. Chase's comedies--whether they were silent films or talkies--were almost always tightly plotted and precisely executed affairs. A Chase comedy is a like a superbly engineered and well-oiled machine with gags feeding into other gags and if a story element appears somewhere in the film, it will be incorporated into either a joke or dramatic twist before the film's over. Chase's films are also very much front-runners to the modern-day sit-com, with a misunderstanding or minor cultural misstep that spirals into a big deal and expanding chaos. A Chase character is usually trying to solve problems and just get along with his everyday life rather than cause them, and his characters are almost always charming, Jazz Age Everymen. They may sometimes be upper class, but more often than not, they are just white collar workers... but they are always charming and goodhearted.

It's in this mold that John Carpenter created "Late to Lunch". He portrays an Everyman character who wants to have a happy life with his girlfriend, but circumstances are getting in the way. Hilariously so... at least for the viewers! Things keep going from bad to worse for our hero, as situations keep compounding each other, and it's all very enjoyable and logically within the film's world.

One great thing about this film is that Carpenter and his cast and crew avoid some of the most common pitfalls that often plague films that try to emulate works from the silent era. 

First, Carpenter puts as much emphasis on story as one would in a modern film, and just as the creators did Back in the Day. Nothing happens just because it's goofy and all characters behave in a fashion that makes sense within the context of what's going on. 

Second, while period costumes and vehicles are used, it's all consistent. Nothing is over-the-top ridiculous for its own sake, be it costumes, make-up, or performances. (Yes, there are times when actors are hamming it up, but when they do, it's either in dream sequences or in keeping with stylistic flourishes from the emulated period. In fact, everyone performing in this film both encourage viewers to buy into the illusion that they're actually performing in a 100-year-old movie, while at the same time projected the fun they're having while making it through the screen.) 

Finally, there's the music. Carpenter chose to score his film with vintage recordings that were actually used in theaters that didn't feature live musicians. While I have said in numerous reviews that I prefer the silent films with custom scores instead of stock music, but what Carpenter did here--using vintage stock music to score a modern silent film--made his homage feel quite authentic.

Speaking of authentic, Carpenter took steps to "age" "Late to Lunch", giving this 1987 film a feel similar to those surviving, beat-up movies from the 1920s. I'd even say that Carpenter did a better job at this than I recall seeing anywhere else--and those digital aging templates I've come across look downright pathetic to what was done with this film.

There are many other great touches in "Late to Lunch" that I am loathe to talk about, because I don't want to spoil the film for when you watch it, but I will say that some of my favorite parts of the film I were playfulness with the intertitles; the extended chase scene and the mugging talking place during it; the romantic scene by the reflecting pool; and the dream sequences and their gentle spoofing of silent era melodramas. All of these sequences are extremely well-done, with an execution that felt exactly like an old silent movie yet with a polish that showed it was made by someone who had the benefit of having studied them and who also had a talent for filmmaking.

There are one or two things I could complain about in "Late to Lunch", but they feel like I'd just be nitpicking. I'm just going to wrap up by stating that if you like silent comedies, you're going to appreciate John Carpenter's tribute to them. 

"Late to Lunch" is available on DVD in the "Silent Comedy Classics: 12 Classic Shorts" set from Alpha Video. It's a collection of some of the great movies Carpenter pays tribute to, half of them being Charley Chase vehicles. To say this collection is a bargain is an understatement... and I think it's a great purchase whether you've been watching old movies for a long time or if you've just discovered the joys they offer.

The Unifying Theme with Julie Newmar

Not since Zoe Seldana first helped bring this blog's unifying theme into focus has anyone done it as effectively as Julie Newmar does today.

The Little King goes to prison

Jolly Good Felons (1934)
Starring; Anonymous Voice Actors (although there is only one real spoken line)
Director: Vernon Stallings
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

The Little King tours his nation's prison... and he inadvertently causes a riot and mass-escape.

"The Little King" was a popular comic strip by Otto Soglow that debuted in "New Yorker" magazine and was acquired for syndication by Kings Features in 1934. It ran in newspapers nationally and internationally until Soglow's death in 1974.

As Soglow was securing the syndication deal with Kings Features, the Van Beuren Company licensed the Little King and associated characters for use in animated short features. After a couple test runs under the "Aesop's Fables" banner, the King's solo feature was launched, under the watchful guidance of lead animator Jim Tyer who was determined to make "The Little King" films among the consistently highest quality productions to be released under the Van Beuren banner. Tyler was concerned both with staying true to the original comic strip, as well as having the animation being as good as possible.

"Jolly Good Felons" was made toward the end of the Van Beuren series, but Tyler's desire to produce cartoons of the highest quality is still very much the guiding principle here. 

The animation is some of the best from the Van Beuren shop, and most of the character designs are in keeping with the original Little King strip. Similarly, a good chunk of the film also manages to capture the tone of the comics, with the Little King engaging in frivolous behavior and generally behaving more like a kid than an adult. Some sequences drag a little, but not fatally so, and they are cute enough to keep the viewer's interest. And once the Little King starts his tour of the prison, the pace picks up and keeps accelerating until the (literally) explosive finale.

One thing that did need a little more work was the story. Yes--I know this is a Van Beuren cartoon so I shouldn't expect much in that department, but a couple other "Little King" cartoons I've watched had excellent stories that had multiple plot points, as well as beginnings and middles and ends. Although this one is mostly a series of loosely connected gags, there's a sense that's going somewhere... until it seems to stop short of any real conclusion. "Jolly Good Felons" ends some 2-3 minutes before it should have, leaving every plot point it set up unresolved. It's unsatisfying, and it's below the bar set by other entries in this series. (I am also bothered by the way a Good Samaritan that helps the Little King after he is stranded on the side of the road is dismissed from the story when his role is over. I understand that it's a visually amusing and efficient way to get him off-stage--he is sent deep into the facility with a group of prisoners---but the bigger implications of those events trouble me. Yeah, I may be overthinking things here, but still...)

But why don't you take a few moments to watch "Jolly Good Felons" yourself? Despite stumbling at the end, it's pretty good, and I think it's worth your time. As is my habit when reviewing Van Beuren Corporation cartoons, I've embedded it in the post to make watching it as convenient as possible! (And if you feel so inclined, you can even tell me if I'm wrong to be irritated by the apparent fate of a guy who helped the Little King.)

 

Musical Monday with the Roop

Meet the Roop. They are a Lithuanian pop band that was supposed to represent their country in the finals of the 2020 Eurovision contest... until Covid-19 destroyed their dreams of international fame.

Here's the weird video for the catchy song they would have performed at 65th annual Eurovision contest last year. 

Will the Roop be at the do-over Eurovision 65th annual contest (since many nations let the winning bands that would have performed last year carry forward) this year? Will they win? At the end of this week, on May 21 - 23, Europe (and the world!) will find out!

'Move On' is worth pausing for

Move On (1917)

Starring: Harold Lloyd, Bebe Daniels, William Blaisdell, and Sammy Brooks

Directors: Billy Gilbert and Gilbert Pratt

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

A patrol officer (Lloyd) and his sergeant (Blaisdell) both have romantic design on a wealthy family's nursemaid (Daniels).

I'm not entirely sure what to make of the version of "Move On" that I found on YouTube. Its content and cast bears only a passing resemblance to the description and cast list both at IMDB and at Wikipedia. Either there are two films from 1917 with the same title and the stars, or there is a chunk of the film that doesn't survive to the present day. It's impossible for me to figure out which (with the level of time I am willing to commit to research that is).

I do suspect that the version of "Move On" I watched (and have embedded below, so you can watch it too) is fairly intact, because its run-time matches the five minutes listed on IMDB. However, there way Harold Lloyd's character enters the first scene he shares with Bebe Daniels makes it seem like something is missing, because it appears that he may have been chasing someone but then decided to make time with the cute girl instead. (Perhaps that's where "Snub" Pollard appears, along with others of the listed cast members, because they are nowhere in this film, except maybe as faceless extras at the very beginning.)

Whether this is a complete film or not, what we have is a fast-moving bit of entertainment. One bit feels like it's missing a pay-off, but otherwise this feels like a complete story. What's better, it has a somewhat surprising ending when compared to other Lloyd/Daniels-led comedies from this period. All-in-all, if you've enjoyed other of their works, I think you'll enjoy this one, too. 

Public Service Saturday with Evan Dorkin

As a public service, Shades of Gray re-presents Evan Dorkin's Little People-starring comic book adaptation of J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye". This American novel, originally published in 1951, has been described as one of the greatest coming-of-age tales ever written. This proves that there's no accounting for taste.

Writer/artist Evan Dorkin read it so you don't have do. Be thankful. (Click on the panels for larger, more easily read versions.)

(This material originally appeared in Dork #1, published by Slave Labor Graphics in 1993. To support Evan Dorkin's current projects, join his Patreon Page.)