by Stephen Russell-Gebbett
(Japan 1997, 61min – aka It’s Keiko; Keiko Desu Kedo) not available on DVD
Director, Writer Sion Sono Starring Keiko Suzuki
Keiko Suzuki is a 21 year-old girl. Her father passed away a year ago and the film (part diary, part document, all fiction) depicts her life and her grief, which lasts.
We see a clock and she counts the seconds. 1, 2, 3, she walks down the street for minutes on end counting each step as she goes (as you can imagine this can dip into boredom a couple of times, but not only briefly). The passing of time fascinates her; her loss has made her aware of what comes and goes. Each second a struggle without him, each second forward to, perhaps, peace. She is comforted and daunted by the fact that life goes on regardless; what moves seems to be standing still, what stands still seems to slip away. Time is even more of a fetish here than in Wong Kar Wai’s stories.
We will see her smile a little, and watch her continue to return, almost imperceptibly, back to herself.
At the very beginning, she tells us that the film will last precisely 1 hour, 1 minute and 1 second, after which we can leave (“This film will be over at exactly 8:23”). She doesn’t want to intrude but she appears to need us as an audience (she lives alone) and, frankly, when that 1 hour, 1 minute and 1 second is over, it has been a privilege. How often do we feel as an audience that we are of use? Therefore I expected the film to end exactly as it did, with one simple word in Japanese, two in English.
She stares out of the window, she cleans shelves. After a while, as if more comfortable with us and herself, she presents humorous news reports on what she’s done during her day. She shows us what her father has left behind : “…This is the fountain pen my father once gave to me as a present. This is a letter my father once wrote me. This is a present my father bought for me in Hawaii. This is the daughter my father gave life to. Keiko Suzuki”
This would all be very sentimental were it not so unassuming.
In the long shots of empty rooms, still lifes of a box of her father’s bones, or of Keiko staring at us for a couple of minutes (truly mesmerising if you return the gaze), I Am Keiko has a soft minimalism; that is, one that never reaches starkness. One is reminded of the films of Robert Bresson for how we are concentrated on essentials without emoting or superfluous details of character or motivation. She does recount highlights of her past, her physical attributes, likes and dislikes (as Amelie would do so charmingly a few years later or indeed, less charmingly, Gaspar Noe’s I Stand Alone) only to say “what you can get from this I’m not sure. I don’t know. No idea”.
When we get to know someone we generally, genuinely, feel closer to them. Here we get to know them simply by being close to them, observing and sharing as much as Keiko, still sad and raw, will allow us.
These types of films can often be self-congratulatory, wallowing in finely honed and fragile tragedy. There is nothing in I Am Keiko (an affirmation that she still exists) that manipulates reactions like a hammer-tap to the knee manipulates reflexes.
There is no plot to speak of but plenty to be spoiled – little surprises, expressions, ideas and angles. It holds your attention, is beautifully paced, contains lovely images and is amusing too (I don’t think I’ve come across a character reading out the end credits before). Like all of Sono’s films, it has the energy and freshness of a debut work.
In short, a fine film.
Sion Sono is best known for 2001’s Suicide Club and best loved critically for 2009’s Love Exposure. I Am Keiko is unavailable on DVD but can be found on YouTube unsubtitled. Subtitles can be easily found and it is well worth the effort.
I was given a copy of ‘Love Exposure’ months ago. It took me two sittings to complete it, but I found it a highly original work, and realized Sono was a major talent. Seems like some of the same qualities are on display in this film, which of course at about one hour in length is at the opposite end of the time spectrum. That reading of the end credits by the main character is wild. Your review captures the film’s unique aspects.
Thanks Frank. It is very different to Love Exposure but shares a feeling of inventiveness and attention to character.
“That reading of the end credits by the main character is wild.”
It’s interesting that the film starts with a clapperboard being snapped in front of her face (someone else taking part in, if not in control of, her ‘diary’) and then ends with her reading out the credits.
Thanks, Stephen, for bringing this film to our attention. I’m going to seek it out on YouTube.
Coincidentally, I’m looking at Wendy and Lucy these days, and I’m very taken by Wendy’s laconic procedure which activates a strange, high-pressure system. Wendy could remind you of Joan of Arc. It looks as if Keiko has opened up a far less tempestuous but no less valid avenue.
My pleasure, Jim.
I know what you mean about Wendy and Lucy. If there is something in common between the two characters it is how much of the hurt and frustration that they are feeling comes to the surface without theatrics.
Stephen, you most assuredly do have me more than intrigued with this title. I saw LOVE EXPOSURE months after Allan posted it as his #1 of the decade choice, and was extremely impressed. Sono is obviously one of the most gifted artists working in Japan today and his newest projects are no doubt greated with intense interest. The best way to honor this brilliant review would be to watch the film in question ASAP. I must say I am fascinated by the central conceit.
Sam,
I too was encouraged to watch LOVE EXPOSURE by Allan’s #1 placing and it is one of the best films I have seen. I hope you do get to see this even if it’s a little awkward.
Thanks very much. I’m glad I found it and that I could ‘pass it on’.
How can you add subtitles to a youtube video?
you’d need to download said film and add an .srt file. You can upload a video to youtube with subtitles as a viewer option to turn off and on, but if the uploader hasn’t done that at the upload stage it’s not able to be done via youtube.
I did thought of all that, but maybe there was some kind of “drag in” subtitles, but that’s stupid when you think the srt would be for the whole movie and not 9 minutes chunks.
exactly.
I would take downloading all those chunks then piecing them together then adding subtitles. Quite a hassle for a film that shouldn’t be nearly this difficult.
It’s not ideal by any means but I just read the subtitles in a text file (easily found) next to the video. it’s either that or nothing at all so no choice, really.
Besides, vast swathes of the film are silent or are simply Keiko counting from 1 to 60 (you can tell which ones they are) There are also scenes where she is basically saying what you are seeing. It’s worth the inconvenience, such as it is.
I haven’t watched any Sonos yet, but was taken by what you said of Bresson. Did you catch that Sam?
Aye Peter, I certainly did. It’s another reference point that makes Sono such a fascinating artist.
I was supposed to interview Sion Sono for a site, but it never went on to fruition, but when I was investigating, I saw many of his films, now there are even more available than when I started the project (2008-9).
Suicide Circle ****
Noriko’s Dinner Table ****1/2
Strange Circus ****
Exte: Hair Extensions ****1/2
Love Exposure *****
Cold Fish ****1/2
Guilty of Romance ****1/2
At that time, “Hazard” was supposed to be available, but I couldn’t find it. But now I can go and watch most of his films, even his shorts and first films, as he has made them available through a future DVD set (subtitles have come available for some earlier films that were impossible earlier, like “I am sion sono!” the movie he made when he was still a poet).
That’s really impressive Jaimie! You’ve really covered his work to completion!
I’ve always wanted to see ‘I am Sion Sono’ as his poetry interests me. I love his scripts when they approach poetic elements to actual poetic prose which virtually everyone one I’ve seen does at one point or another. Especially NORIKO’S DINNER TABLE.
Jaime,
I’ve been trying hard to get hold of NORIKO’S DINNER TABLE but it seems off limits. I liked SUICIDE CLUB and COLD FISH. LOVE EXPOSURE is indeed brilliant. I’m looking forward to seeing his most recent film, HIMIZU, of which I have heard good things.
I didn’t know there was a DVD set coming.
I saw Noriko’s on youtube, but it seems that it has been put down.
The DVD set has been in the works for some time as well as the Suicide Circle American Remake (he has said he’ll just shoot the same script) and the Norwegian Metal Burning Churches film.
I’ll look forward to the set – Noriko’s Dinner Table always seems to be either unavailable or very expensive.
A remake by Sono himself? – that is interesting. Thanks for the info.
Stephen, I have NORIKO’S and can hook you up. Just contact me through the usual channels (i.e. Sam).
Jamie,
Thanks very much for the offer but I live in the UK and it would be too costly for you (I don’t actually know where you live but I always assume the US!)
It’s not expensive at all, stuff gets sent to Allan in the UK all the time.
Well, in that case I’ll talk to Sam to pass on my details. Many thanks again.
Nice to see you here, Stephen. Thanks for posting on this – while I found it interesting, I wasn’t quite as enchanted as you (the subtitle procedure didn’t help – I’ve done the scrolling text thing before, but this is a film where listening and watching with focus seems essential). However, the final 10 minutes or so I found absolutely hypnotic. I could have watched 60 minutes of her walking & counting through the streets and snow – very dreamlike and it reminded me of Hyperballad. Loved it.
Good timing for me too, as I am currently midway through rewatching Love Exposure.
“soft minimalism”
Good phrase – the one that occured to me (a bit more technical) was “humanist structuralism”. Often in avant-garde films of this kind, the tendency is to focus on objects or (usually empty) places. What was interesting about this was that it contained the predictability of structure with the unpredictability of the human face and body.
Thanks for the welcome back.
“However, the final 10 minutes or so I found absolutely hypnotic”
Although I was pretty much engrossed throughout, this was probably my favourite part too. Hypnotic, yes, and it created a lovely subtle mix of emotions. 60 minutes of it, as you suggest, could have been wonderful – or painful!
“What was interesting about this was that it contained the predictability of structure with the unpredictability of the human face and body.”.
I agree. Humanist Structuralism is a nice way of putting it.
I rarely watch films again from start to finish but I have made an exception for Love Exposure.