MEMOIRS OF A MURDERER

Japan, 2017, 118 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Yu Irie.
This is an intriguing, if complicated, Japanese crime film, based on a Korean film.

The subject is a serial killer, performing gruesome murders. The murders were never solved. They were committed in the 1990s but in 2017, the media and the police are still investigating.

A book is published, allegedly by the murderer. He also does media tours – and, rather depressingly, he is hailed by the Japanese media, loving a celebrity.

In the meantime, the original investigator is frustrated, investigates the writer, attends press conferences.

While the murders are seen in flashback, there is quite a twist in the plot, conspiracy between the relatives of those who have been killed, especially a young policeman who undergoes surgery – and who has written the book in collaboration with the police investigator.

Under suspicion is a journalist who was arrested and interned during the war, returned with his memoirs, became a television celebrity, owns a lavish mansion – and is unmasked as the killer and his motivations explained.

1. A Japanese film based on a Korean film? Serial killer, police investigations, frustrations?

2. The settings, the 1990s, the situations for the killings? 2017, city, the police, the background of the earthquakes and the collage of images? The role of the media? The mansion? The streets in the city? the musical score?

3. The title, the book memoir, the murderer and his motivations?

4. The initial chase, Makimura and his assistant, the young man, the pursuit, the news about the killer, letting the young man go – but his later being in the employ of the yakuza and his attempted killing of the murderer?

5. The law, statutes of limitations, the Japanese changes in law, the limitations lifted? The video and the focus on the lights meaning the crime was outside the limitations? The police and the connection with the murder? The murder of the sister, her fiance and his suicide attempt? Spirit of vengeance?

6. The author, announcing his interest in interviewing the writer of the memoir? The response of the public, the murderer and his memoir, bestseller, his becoming a celebrity, people flocking, in favour? Speeches? The role of the media?

7. The war correspondent, as a television host, examining the murders in the 1990s and writing an article? His time in prison, his photographs and souvenirs in his mansion? Coming home to Japan, keeping his reputation, writing it on television? His decision to interview the author?

8. The public reaction, reaction of the publishers, authors leaving? Audience response to the situation, plausibility, moral perspective?

9. The victims, the visuals of the murders, survivors as witnesses, angers? The daughter mourning her father, the doctor and his grief, the yakuza boss?

10. The revelation that the alleged author did not write the book? The public shock? Murakami and his announcement? The stories are of his friend to karmic, grief, attempted suicide, the murder of his fiancee, her disappearance and his wanting closure? The conspiracy, the operation and changing his face? Their both writing the book to flush out the actual murderer?

11. The TV host, the encounter with to calmly, the notes, the inconsistencies, two, going to the house, the confrontation, the fight? Murakami in pursuit, arrival? Persuading to a calming not to kill the serial killer?

12. The explanations of motivations, war correspondent, imprisoned, the torture, his friend being taken and killed, his surviving, the traumatic effect, the return to Japan after his release, becoming a celebrity, writing on the serial killings, TV host? His home, the relics? The graphic videos around the walls?

13. The solution and its twists?