Diary of a Shinjuku Thief

The most explicitly New Wave of Oshima's many explorations of sexual-political freedom. The occasional deep engrossing color compositions really embody the fleeting moments of liberation for our protagonists. Some of the ideas almost get out of hand (I wonder if Morimi/Yuasa took some inspiration from the sudden kabuki here) but for the most part the ambition is justified (especially considering Death by Hanging was made within months of this!)

Many beautiful visuals, but the parallels between sex and revolution weren't as hot-blooded or as convincing as Ôshima clearly intended for them to be. A narrative worth caring about probably would have helped.

Viewed February 19, 2020. Sex as an intellectual pursuit and a political ideal. Rigorously constructed, albeit in a way that indulges in tossed-off documentary asides and playful New Waves touches. Lots of shots of ticking clocks and title cards declaring the time. I don't think I really got it.

I'm not exactly sure what the director was trying to say and I had a hard time caring. I didn't like the style of the film and I found it more distracting than anything else. At times I liked the bits of color but I felt that the black & white photography worked better overall.

Inexplicable but quite fascinating piece of oriental mystification in which sex equates to some extent with revolution.

New Wave pushed to and very possibly past it's breaking point. Https://letterboxd.com/pickle_man2135/film/diary-of-a-shinjuku-thief/

My ★★★★½ review of Diary of a Shinjuku Thief on Letterboxd https://boxd.it/5QmxQB