Only on reading that Oshima died do I recall that once again I had vivid dreams last night of returning to Japan... not involving Oshima in the slightest; the clearest moment I remember was calling my mother from Japan and having her ask when I would be coming home (she wanted me to come home tomorrow but I wanted to stay for a few more days)...
I've only seen a few of Oshima's films - In the Realm of the Senses, In the Realm of Passion, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, and Taboo - but collectively they did a great deal to take me inside the Japanese psyche, in ways that more conservative filmmakers could never hope to; In the Realm of the Senses continues to fascinate me, after at least a dozen viewings. One presumes there will be retrospectives of his work forthcoming in the next year or so. Those who knew Oshima personally are unlikely to be reading this blog, so I'll offer my condolences to the world of cinema instead... Another of cinema's greats has departed...
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