LATE BLOOMER
Directed by Go Shibata
LATE BLOOMER centers around severely handicapped Sumida (played by Masakiyo Sumida) who is hands-down possibly THE most interesting lead character in recent Japanese cinema. Sumida-San spends most of his time getting drunk (!) with his friend Take and his punk band friends, watching porn and he harbors a rather unhealthy crush on his new young female caregiver, Nobuko. Jealousy ensues, leading us to bear witness to the pent-up rage of horrors he’s had bottled up for possibly a lifetime inside his disabled body.
The creepiest moments within this film are the little unexpected symbols, like the voice simulator Sumida uses to communicate (sort of a Japanese “Speak & Spell” contraption) by typing his thoughts on the keypad. In particular, there is a chilling statement spoken in that creepy robotic voice which sends a cold fog of uneasiness down one’s spine.
This low-budget black and white film took about four years to make, as acting can be a physically exhausting job, even moreso for a disabled person. As Sumida was essentially playing himself, “a handicapped person playing a handicapped person,” filming was only possible when he was in fit condition to work. Furthermore, the tables are turned on our natural moral response to the idea of someone like Sumida being a killer. We feel empathy for his weaknesses but feel terror that someone in his condition could at the same time be heartless and life-threatening to those who care for him. It’s always an unexpected fright when someone bites the hands that feed them.
LATE BLOOMER is a perfect example of a crossover film, surfing that lovely fine line between arthouse and horror. Ultimately, it falls heavier within the arthouse realm, with its fast cutting sequences, experimental soundtrack, dreamlike shooting and surreal imagery…a kind of New Wave expressionism, if you will. Director Shibata recorded an intro to the film, asking the viewer to turn up the volume loud in order to focus on the music, to “FEEL the film.” The cinematic elements that really stood out for me were the cool juxtapositions between audio and video that perfectly captured specific moments in time that exemplified an intense mood shift. The visuals remind me of the TETSUO experience: imagery so strong that you could almost put it on mute and play your favorite industrial or punk album to it for a surprisingly gratifying experience. However, do not dare mute this flick because the music is fantastic! The trippy audio feels like Aphex Twin insanity at times! Turn off the subtitles and you’ve got yourself a nice long arthouse music video!
LATE BLOOMER is very creepy in an unusual way, which is highly refreshing for horror. It contains unforgettable imagery like Sumida standing and holding a blood-drenched knife, or his entrance at his own birthday party…see it for yourself! An unforgettable film indeed!
