Saw Jazz Daimyo (AKA Dixieland Daimyo) (thanks Cate!) It was very confusing. The film opens with a traditional stage, complete with black-clad stage hands. The story is set shortly after the civil war where four slaves decide to return to their homeland of Africa. Unfortunately, they run afoul of Indians and their ship goes off course, landing them in Japan. They are taken in by some kind of official who is perhaps at war with his neighbor. They then play some music which takes over the film more and more unto a full-blown absurdist romp, with everyone profusely sweating, maniacally playing music, singing, dancing, more and more and more in an Armageddon of music.
The film was very difficult for me to watch because I could find absolutely no subtitles for the film which is nearly entirely in Japanese (of which I understand about ten words.) The film was completely opaque to me. It was clearly supposed to be some kind of unconventional comedy. There was much, much ado about the official. There was a woman with a sword that everyone called Hime (princess.) She coolly skateboarded through the official's house on an abacus. The idea is absurd but presented in an understated way. Is this Japanese reserve? Or art-house cool? Or blank-faced satire? Who knows. My confusion extends beyond the tone, of course. I still have no idea who exactly the official is or why a princess is living with him. I don't know if he was supposed to be a respectable hero or just a proud stuffed-shirt. And also is the warrior princess supposed to be cool or goofy or mannish? Why the civil war? Why slaves?
Over at imdb someone proposes the theory that the slaves' landing in Japan represents an influx of foreign influence which results in a heady, exciting, but also chaotic and weird mess. I suppose that could be true. The film played like an absurdist film for me, like something Švankmajer or Buñuel would produce. It was surreal and bewildering, eventually wearing me down under endless incomprehensibility. Of course this is mainly my own fault for being unable to find subtitles (open offer: if anyone can find me subtitles, I'll re-watch this and review it again.) All the same the experience was not positive for me. My inability to understand frustrated me, prompting a lengthy internet search half an hour into the film. I don't know how to review this fairly. Bewildering.
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