DEMON POND

Japan, 1979, 123 minutes, Colour.
Tamasaburo Bando, Go Kato, Tsutomu Yamazaki.
Directed by Masahiro Shinoda.

Demon Pond is a film of great beauty and interest. Set in 1913, the film blends its period with a world of timelessness: myth and legend. A scientist and teacher goes into the countryside looking for the Demon Pond which has mythology associated with it. He encounters a village suffering drought, he encounters a long-lost friend and his wife who have water in abundance. He discovers truth about himself, about his friends, about the pond. He experiences the cruelty of human nature and the overwhelming response of the supranatural world. The cataclysm from the Demon Pond (somewhat reminiscent of Peter Weir's Last Wave - with some very good effects blended with some very poor insertion shots e.g. of waves) is a fitting climax to this tale of realism and fairy tale. Within this seemingly realistic framework is a fairytale sequence - the dragon at the bottom of the pond is in fact a princess longing to be liberated and be with her beloved.

The colour photography is beautiful. The music often suggests Debussy’s Afternoon of a Faun. The blending of sequences of the Japanese countryside with the world of the fairy and the grotesque captivates the audience. The climax is spectacular -appropriate to the kind of imaginative fairy tale that the film is. Well acted -and of interest the two feminine leading parts, Yuri and the princess are performed by the, lead actor Tamasaburo Bando, a specialist in feminine roles.

Direction is by Masahiro Shinoda who made the sombre but beautiful Melody in Grey.

1. The impact of Japanese cinema, its long reputation and quality? The strong emphasis in Japanese cinema on history and mythology of the past? Its relationship to the present? The stylised drama. history? The Japanese heritage as important in the film industry? The types of stylisation? Pictures of society and religion? The contrast with contemporary Japan?

2. The significance of the 1913 setting and the glimpses of trains and cars? Japanese countryside and its beauty? The blend of the real and of fantasy? The focus on water and mountains, night and day? The real world and the fairy world and the contrast with the visuals? Yuri's home and the surreal colours of the sky etc.? Decor. special effects especially for the fairy world? The climax and the deluge and engulfing waves? The emergence of the beautiful falls? The musical score with the overtones of Debussy?

3. The introduction of the theme of the demon pond? The mythological information, its being marked on the map? Realism with the train journey? The fantasy of past and legend? The visuals - from train, through desert, to the village, to Yuri's house and the demon pond? Search and discovery? The human relationships in connection with the pond? The villagers and their prayer, fear, superstition? The ultimate calamity? The point behind the legend?

4. The relating of the myth to the characters: the searcher, the self-sacrificing victim, the saviour figure, the fickle villagers, the princess feared as dragon but liberated?

5. The audience searching with Gakuen? The map, the train ride, his walking, using up all his water. the dry land, the village and the dust. the people in meeting, the prayer procession? The contrast with his discovery of springs in the forest? The mountains? His fascination with the situation? The search for the pond? The friendship with Yuri? The downpour and his being found by his friend? His persuading his friend to leave? His being confronted with the crisis? Yuri's death,' Akira's death? His being saved? His vision of the princess liberated? The scientist and teacher bowing down in reverence for the imaginative and the fantastic? The audience sharing this experience?

6. Yuri and her beauty, her conversation with Gakuen, her hospitality? Her belonging to another world and yet knowing of the villagers and commenting on them? Her questioning of Gakuen? The discovery of the truth about his knowing Akira? Her love for Akira - and the flashback that Akira tells of his meting with Yuri and his staying? Her grief when the men go off, her attachment to the doll? The tolling of the bell and saving the village? The decision for people to kill her - her being victim, the confrontation, her fear? Her killing herself to save the people? The beauty of her character? (The male actor portraying the role - and his portraying the princess?)

7. Akira and the story of his disappearance, his listening to Gakuen and concealing himself, his wig? His love for Yuri? A collector of legends and protector of the village - and the irony of his death and destroying the village? His pursuing Gakuen during the shower? Going to the demon pond? Tempted to leave? His attempts to save Yuri? The destruction of the village and his death? A Japanese hero?

8. The portrait of the people in the town - the Priests, the teacher, the government official? Their praying for rain, their meetings? The false hope of the shower? Their fickleness in their meting, the man persuading them not to sacrifice his daughter and turning on Yuri? Their cruelty? The lynching atmosphere? The deluge and their being destroyed?

9. The fairy tale sequence - the princess, the nurse, the variety of creatures? Their hoping to be liberated - the nurse's advice to the princess? Their fading back into the pond with the fish? The happiness of their liberation and the icon effect of their ascending to the sky?

10. How satisfying as spectacle? Fairy story and glimpse of another world? Realism? A satisfying blend of imagination and realism? Basic themes of love, friendship, self-sacrifice?