SCENE AT THE SEA
Japan, 1991, 101 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Takeshi Kitano.
Scene at the Sea is the third feature film of actor turned director Takeshi Kitano. (He was seen as the sadistic sergeant in Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence.) His two previous directorial films were Warning! This Man is Wild (Violent Cop) and Boiling Point. These were action films, almost parodies of the Charles Bronson Clint Eastwood type of police action thriller from the U.S. However, this film is completely different. The film is about young people on the Japanese coast during one summer. A deaf mute garbage collector finds a broken surf board, tries to mend it, begins to surf, eventually buys a board overcomes his difficulties. Meanwhile, the adept teenagers mock him as they sit and watch on the beach. His silent girlfriend, however, accompanies him. She has a moment of jealousy but is devoted to him. A previous expert, now owner of a sports goods store, gives the hero a wetsuit and helps to enter a competition. The ending is particularly downbeat. The film has been made without any gimmicks -
straight forward photography of the sea and the surfing, spare dialogue, no fancy editing. It is quite different from Kitano' previous films. It has a touch of the allegory (and the Japanese surfers are a distinct contrast in manners and courtesy from their contemporary counterparts across the Pacific).
1. A story of young people? Disability and achievement? Allegory for youth?
2. The Japanese town, the coast, the water? The competitions? Surfing - editing? The musical score and choral accompaniment?
3. The title, its allegorical tone?
4. Shigeru, collecting the garbage, his relationship with his co-worker? Finding the surf board, going back, fixing it - and the audience discovering lie could not hear? His girlfriend and her accompanying him, watching devotedly on the beach? His tentative attempts at surfing? The reaction of the other youngsters, laughing at him? His not hearing them? Their trying to get his attention by throwing stones, touching him? His continued practice, neglecting his work, plea by his co-worker to continue the job, urging him on? Buying the surf board, too much money spent - but the extra equipment? The expert and his friendliness, the wet suit? The second wet suit and giving it to the clownish young men? Help with the training? Travelling to the competition? The final competition and his ability? Winning a small trophy? The moment of jealousy with his girlfriend and his not realising it? Going to her house, throwing the stone and breaking the window? The final photos? His going down to the beach - and the girl finding the loan surfboard? The sadness of his death? The collage of memories and photos at the end? A portrait of a young man, disability, overcoming his disability, achievement?
5. The girlfriend, her background, friendship with Shigeru? Accompanying him, carrying the surfboard? Helping buy the new one? Her moment of jealousy with the other girl and the peeling of the fruit? Her eventually coming round? Her grief at the end?
6. The garbage collector, friendship with Shigeru, helping him, persuading the boss to give him the day off? The boss and his understanding?
7. The salesman, giving Shigeru the extra equipment? The higher price, giving him the wetsuit, Helping him train? Accompanying the group for the competition?
8. The comic pair, their awkward attempts, buying the cheap surfboard? The wetsuit, forgetting to register for the competition? Comic touches?
9. The range of young people at the beach, their sedate manner, courtesy? The surfers and their skills? The girls on the beach? The girl with the piece of fruit getting it peeled? The complete contrast to the American scene?
10. A sense of achievement, ordinary people, ordinary situations and transcending them? The dramatic impact of the sad ending?
