Banji Kaicho 073: 追悼・青山真治

This week on Banji Kaicho, we pay tribute to film director, novelist & composer Shinji Aoyama and his magnum opus “Kitakyushu Saga”. Set in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, the trilogy inaugurated with Helpless (1996), peaked in Eureka (2000) and eventually wrapped up by Sad Vacation (2007). Like most Aoyama’s movies, “Kitakyushu Saga” deals with existentialism, human relationship and often deep traumas from broken family and illogical violence, while not without wit, fascination and hope. Known as a flag barer for Rikkyo New Wave aka second Japanese New Wave Cinema, Aoyama’s artistry in cinematography and storytelling had differed himself from his colleagues Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Akihiko Shiota and other contemporaries such as Sion Sono and Takashi Miike. What’s more personally attached to me is his detail-oriented use of sounds and music in his pictures, often providing critical clues of emotion and transition. A close friend to J experimental underground scene, his frequent collaborators include Otomo Yoshihide, Phew, Isao Yamada as well as Jim O’Rourke. Aoyama passed away this March due to esophageal cancer at the age of 57. For this show, I’ve hand picked some memorable clips from the three movies, heavily mixed them with a bag of Japanese folk, ambient and electronic oddity – to relive those summer days and nights in Kitakyushu, the place where Aoyama was born and raised, and where all our kizuna, nostalgia or distress could be found. 万事快調 Banji Kaicho 073: 追悼・青山真治 (上?) 再回北九州。 2020年3月30日，梵高画作《春日花园》在荷兰拉伦辛格博物馆被盗。嫌犯一年后落网，画作至今依然下落不明。 2022年3月21日，日本“立教派”电影重镇，兼小说家与作曲家的名导青山真治因食道癌去世，享年57岁。 这两则不相干的“失去”也许是对充满创伤与噪音的过去三年的两种隐喻。被盗走乃至践踏的生活一去不回，而那个会在电影结尾用宫崎葵的微笑给你亮一束灯的引路人已永远梦回故土。那些原地打转的机车到不了未曾看过的海边，它们和骑行者一样无援无助。人造的天堂也终究不是天堂，因为许多年后会有同一辆巴士停下，开门再合上，载着乘客去捡起那些刻有名字的贝壳。我们的悲伤假期还在继续着… 73。青山。圆满了。 Ichiko Aoba / Iriguchi Deguchi Kumi Takahara / Roll Reiko and Tori Kudo / Homeless (Alternate Version) Rovo / Loquix Shinji Aoyama & Isao Yamada / Eureka Chie Otomi / Fizzy Spore 五つの赤い風船 / 時々それは Shinji Aoyama & Isao Yamada / Indian Summer Tomo-Nakaguchi / Waking Up In The Night Zoo Shinji Aoyama & Isao Yamada / End Theme Shigeru Umebayashi / Bazaar Phew / Days Nights Dowser / Encoda