30. The Face of Another

(Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1966)

(essay by Troy)

Part existential horror, part imaginative science-fiction, and recalling other transplant horror hybrids like Eyes Without A Face and Seconds, Hiroshi Teshigahara and Kôbô Abe’s The Face of Another examines the dread that originates from loss of identity and the fears it evokes stemming from alienation and disconnection from humanity.  The story provides philosophical look at the connection between image and self, face and soul, how they shape our interactions and relationships with others.  Sewn together with surreal visuals, a discordant Toru Takemitsu score, and an intelligent script, it’s an at times unsettling, at times thought-provoking, yet always stunning film.

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