Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)

Directed by

Paul Schrader

Genre

drama film, erotic film, biographical film, LGBTQ-related film

Country

United States, Japan

Runtime

2h

Rated

R

Rating

7.8 of 10 from 351 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

The film mixes episodes from Japanese writer Yukio Mishima's life with dramatizations of his novels. It shows his personal struggles and artistic obsessions, leading up to his final act. The score and production design create a dreamlike but haunting atmosphere.

meditativestylizedtensemelancholicvisually lushcerebralfragmentedintense

What happens

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is a 1985 biographical drama film directed by Paul Schrader from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother Leonard and Leonard's wife Chieko Schrader. The film is based on the life and work of Japanese writer Yukio Mishima (portrayed by Ken Ogata), interweaving episodes from his life with dramatizations of segments from his books The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoko's House, and Runaway Horses. Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas were executive producers of the film, which has a musical score composed by Philip Glass and production design by Eiko Ishioka. The film's production met with controversy due to Mishima's status as an icon among Japanese ultranationalists, and the film's frank portrayal of his homosexuality. A planned premiere at the 1985 Tokyo International Film Festival was cancelled due to bomb threats, and the film was not officially screened in the country until 2025. Mishima premiered at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Best Artistic Contribution Award and was nominated for Palme d'Or. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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