dai neko no fukushū!
comedian matsumoto hitoshi (dowtown) wrote directed and starred in this
crazy munchkin of a movie – it is just the sort of film i would have expected him to make.
his sense of humour is unique and totally recognisable from the very start of dai nippon-jin.
filmed for the most part as documentary style interviews,
we follow daisato (matsumoto) as he explains his daily life
while looking like a rundown jaded old tramp.
i can never understand a sh*tting word matsumoto says (kansai or not)
as he doesn’t seem to feel the need to open his mouth when he speaks
but im so used to that now that it doesn’t matter. it adds to his charm i think.
it works for daisato anyway as it is pretty clear he is not comfortable
talking about his life at all.
we meet a whole bunch of weird creatures in this film when we finally begin
to learn about daisato’s obscure job. in the past, such a potition was reguarded
with superhero like status but at present daisato is outcasted for his role in society.
daisato can transform (with the help of a huge dose of electricity
from the ministry of defense) into a f*cking great big ass version of himself.
this job was taken up by the men in his family for generations
but as the daikaiju creatures do not appear very often any more
daisato is not seen as the necessary force that his grandfather had been.
once a golden time show adored by all, the fights to save the city
have been reduced to a late night tv slot
(where daisato appears begrudgingly smothered in sponsor logos)
viewed by people who only want to see his downfall.
it is pretty sad, its very funny for the most part don’t get me wrong,
but its one of those movies where you spend most of your time watching this
deluded guy cling on to something that just isn’t there anymore.
matsumoto plays his character with a sweet nature that you sort of pity,
he also filled him full of utter uselessness – the more he fails at everything the worse
you feel for him. he does become a little pathetic but there is definite charm there,
this could be due to matsumoto being generally full of fantastic
but I do think the character has a loveable way.
it is pretty surreal with all the daikaiju graphics and mahoosive matsumoto
stomping around the city as daisato the not so super or heroic monster fighting giant.
its kinda gross in places – the daikaiju mating in the center of town,
the weird eye on a extendy arm thing… but the constant dry humour of this story,
watching a man rejected by the whole city, wife and child,
even though he tries his best to save them from weird stupid monster things,
just carries you along comfortably through all the weirdness.
and i don’t know what the f*ck was going on with the
bizarre sudden ultraman psychosis ending – but it was definitely funny.
~
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