The joy of Hausu

Do you have any idea what's going on here?

 

Me neither, and I've seen the film it comes from. Twice!

That's not exactly true: what's happening is that a girl named Kung Fu is being consumed by a chandelier that's kind of an extension of her friend Gorgeous who turned into her aunt, whose love was left unrequited by war and who owns the haunted (or whatever) house these girls are staying at. In other words: 

 

Meow. (And I say that because the cat has something to do with all of this, too. You can tell he's a supernatural cat not only because of his animated eye sparkle, but also because...

 

 

...and if you don't know, now you know!)

What the hell am I even talking about? I barely know. The movie in question, Nobuhiko Obayashi's Hausu (from 1977), rocked my world when I caught it at the IFC Center this weekend. Janus Films is touring it throughout the U.S. for a good part of this year -- I suggest seeing it if you enjoy fun and/or watching six Japanese school girls in alternately homoerotic and would-be-horrifying-were-they-not-hilarious scenarios. 

The critical consensus on this film (that of the two Rotten Tomatoes-registered reviews, at least) is that it must be seen to be believed. As an idea that came from Obayashi's 7-year-old daughter translated into a film that comes off as something that they made up as they went along, I can get behind that sentiment. It's almost review-proof for the simple fact that this movie has the power to make a viewer so slack-jawed and catatonic, he'd be hard-pressed to form an opinion, much less take a note of it. So I'll just show you a few reasons why you might love it as much as I've come to.

- It's campy and kitschy.

 

Regardless of this being a haunted-house tale, and thus horror at its root, there's this pervasive sweetness that makes it that much harder to read.

 

And when it isn't sweet, it's at least adorably silly.

 

There are flashes of awareness, like when the part-time antagonist (Gorgeous' aunt) looks impishly into the camera after disappearing in the refrigerator and inexplicably reappearing on the banister...

 

...and when one of the girls makes actual reference to the cinematic nature of their scenario:

 

However, it parades its weirdness consistently enough to suggest total investment, and its emotional center is shrouded in sentimentality:

 

In other words: the fuck?

- It refuses to be limited by technology.

You can see in the butt-biting screen shot above that Obayashi isn't ashamed of his blue-screen usage, probably to a fault. Indeed, he employs it to partially amputate Melody's fingers:

 

Incidentally, Melody seems totally cool with the fact that the piano she's playing just ate her fingers...until it bites off her hand.

 

A couple of fingers: whatever, no biggie, we have a lot of them. They're made to be lost. A full hand: now that's crossing the line!

There are countless times that he's clearly reached the limit of physical possibility, but the film runs on the fuel of determination. And so where special effects weren't possible (because of finances or otherwise), there is animation:

 

 

This is filmmaking by any means necessary.

- The transitions are amazing!

Obayashi loves superimposing images...

 

...almost as much as he loves employing a zero-in effect to show us what we can clearly already see:

 

 

 

This is my favorite transition, though:

 

It's like door panels closing on one painted backdrop to display another. That's two breathtaking views without ever leaving your seat!

- It creates and follows its own logic, much like a dream.

Logic:

 

 

 

Logic:

 

Logic:

Logic:

 

And in my favorite use of logic, the film decides to formally introduce all the characters 20 minutes into its running time by using name plates and everything. This is despite the fact that we've just been watching these people for the past 20 minutes and are more or less acquainted with them and their names:

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the way, these names differ from the (I'm guessing) more recent translation courtesy of Janus. In that, they all have names that refer directly to their characters (Gari is Prof, Oshare is Gorgeous), as though they're on Flavor of Love or something. Additionally, in the source I used for these screengrabs, the cat is named Snowflake; in the newer translation, she's named Blanche. The latter is far, far superior if you ask me.

- Did I mention the homoeroticism?

 

Like, fine, I get that they're schoolgirls and allowed by society to be more touchy-feely than school boys.

 

But really?

 

Really?

So Kung Fu is the Jo Polniaczek of this group, then?

 

Seriously, that happened? I mean, I know I watched it, screencapped it and posted it, but seriously? That happened?

Making things entirely more lezzie is Gorgeous' aunt:

 

And her entire weirdness regarding non-married women:

 

 

So, don't wait too long to get married, girls, lest you be consumed by a piano or an old lady eat your vagina/entire person. Get a man.

 

And would it hurt if he were particularly manly?

 

- All this considered, it's still full of untold weirdness.

This shot...

...yields this...

 

...for no good reason, other than that it's pretty neat that each of our eyes sees a slightly different perspective.

And then there's fashion puppy:

And then there's this:

 

I rest my case, OK? This movie is a marvel. If you're still inclined to skip it, your life's lack of fulfillment is your problem.

Comments

[Eline]

I recently saw this as well and I sat through all of it being overcome by question marks. What is going on? I still can't objectively say whether it had any actual good film making to it but it's so imaginative, creative, adorable in its strange nativity and so utterly random that it'll always have a little place in my heart. Also: cat!

[Maciej]

I saw this at IFC over the weekend and I can't remember the last time I left a theater so happy.

The only way I could think of describing it to my friends without just telling everything that happened was "like Argento meets Monty Python and takes a bottle of crushed up Prozac to the face." So wonderful.

[Kent]

These are going to be so abused on ONTD. lmao.

[m]

why the fuck isn't this coming to L.A.?

I found it free online, but I'm sure it's even more magical in person. And based on what I've seen, this post needs more gifs.

[Melvin and Zoey at Mouchois]

I've developed more of a love for you and your whole sense of being from this post alone.
Snowflake was always my dream kitty. I mean, who wouldn't want a cat that had literal "laser eyes"?
If you liked this movie enough to watch it twice, I highly recommend "Innocence". It's not silly like Hausu, but it has the same noir feeling to it and keeps you wondering what the hell is going on.

[J-Rocka]

Even after reading this post, I still have no idea what this movie is about, yet I have this burning desire to get super stoned and watch it. If this comes to San Francisco, I'm going to watch it.

[J-Rocka]

Edit: I just checked out the website and it's going to be at the Castro Theater in SF on April 17th!!

[Sarah]

I saw this at IFC last weekend. I think my favorite part is when Mr. Togo turns into bananas. His character was so built up and the bam, just bananas.

[Janus Films]

Hey there,

Thanks for the great review! And m, HOUSE will be playing LA - it's at the New Beverly from March 12-16.

Best,

Janus Films

[Colin]

YES! I'm so glad you wrote about this. Saw it on Tuesday and loved it.

I had an idea for a possible script improvement I want to share (mostly because I really wanted this to be part of the plot).

I think instead of turning into bananas, Mr. Togo should have made it to the house. Upon arrival ghostly forces would grab him and force him to marry a child bride version of the aunt, who now looks like Gorgeous. The cat would mutate into some sort of demonic shinto priest to perform the ceremony. Fantasy would watch in horror and then be consumed as part of the wedding feast. The the FINAL final ending would happen, but Mr. Togo would come out at the end also transformed into some sort of demon.

I just REALLY wanted there to be a ghostly proto-beetleguese moment in the movie.

[Cronenberg has my <3 2]

I have been yearning to watch this movie for YEARS. I have shown every one I know the trailer for it on youtube. OMG LOVE. But I'm afraid to read your review because I dont want to let it be spoiled for when I finally do watch it... in years time. So +1 I guess? [sorry]

[Aaron]

I thoroughly suggest you rent 'Happiness of the Katakuri's,' it's also a trippy horror-thing of Japanese origin. Considering how similar my film taste seems to be to yours, you would most likely enjoy it :P

[ANON]

Not to completely nerd out or destroy the lovely randomness of the 'Logic' section, but "please be nice to me" ("douzo yoroshiku") is a standard part of introductions in Japanese language. Doesn't really make it any less of an awkward exchange between people who are meeting for the first time, but there you go.

[Taylor]

I really hope someone puts this out on DVD!

[chasgoose]

Taylor, I wouldn't worry, if Janus is distributing this in theaters that means that a Criterion Collection DVD release will eventually happen, which will pretty much be the best.

[m]

Dear Janus Films,

Apparently I have no reading comprehension skills. Wasn't expecting to find L.A. between Manitoba and Delaware.

[A]

So psyched you covered this! Saw it on Saturday. Hands down one of the most entertaining films I've ever viewed in my short time on earth.

[sairentohiru]

In the 4th picture down: Apparently, Japan beat us to the "I can has cheezburger?" punch by 30+ years.

I need to see this so bad it actually hurts, despite my recent disappointment with Marronnier, another campy Japanese lesbilicious flick. Had to turn that one off.

[Alma]

The pictures are interesting.gochristian shoes

[Miss Lisa]

That happened? I don't know but I'm going to try and make "Kung Fu Always Cheerful!" my new nickname for 2010. I mean, a stove is a stove, you know?

[Dodger]

it was awesome, thanks for the recomendation!

[liz]

my favorite part is when blanche has her own cat rendition of the main song, complete with meow lyrics.

[Andria]

i saw this at the IFC theater tonight. i went in knowing very little about it but enough to expect to like it. i was not disappointed. on of the most amusing, fucked up, hilarious movies i've ever seen!
oh, and killer gifs, rich. well done!

[studpup]

oh how i wish this was coming to toronto now... (sigh)

[sairentohiru]

Okay, so I tracked this down online (which I ordinarily wouldn't do---honest!---but it's not coming anywhere near me) and once again, you have steered me to something awesome. I freakin' LOVED this movie and will definitely buy it when/if it comes out on DVD.

One of my favorite parts: when the girls jump up and one of them, remembering that she's supposed to be clumsy in her fright, grabs a tray and throws it down. Oh, and also the scene where the cat appears to be eating Auntie out. (I assume they put food or something in her lap so the cat would stay put, but man, sure didn't look like that to me!)