“..for
the steak of the nation.”
University of Laughs is the
story of a war-time playwright's struggle of attempting to get a
script approved in a time when, by government mandate, there is no
place for laughter. Intensifying the difficulty of this task is the
particular censor that our main character is forced to appeal to,
Sakisaka. A former occupied China, anti-Japanese thought suppressor,
Sakisaka has not the faintest interest in comedy, claiming to have
never laughed within is entire life.
Set in a flat and decoration-less room
for most of the film, Mitani builds an atmoshere as barren as
the censor's sense of humor. With trademark long shots and superb
framing, the earlier part of the film is shot extremely technically
rigid. As the story unfolds, the cinematography becomes increasingly
free and fluid with it's pinnacle being the scene where the censor is
envisioning himself as the robber-chasing policeman that he helped
manifest. From the camerawork alone, you truly sense the lucidity
that Sakisaka-san experiences in his comedic liberation. The
framework is reminiscent of films by Korean
director Park Chan-wook.
The film revolves heavily around the
dichotomy of personalities represented by the writer and the censor,
as there are almost no other characters. This is a reflective, softer
take on the actual mindsets of those in the portrayed time. Both
roles are well acted, as Mitani's consistently solid casting is no
different in this film, although I would say a bit more praise should
be given to Yakusho Koji's performance as Sakisaka comparatively.
The closing scene leaves more
information to be yearned for, but feels as sufficient as it is
boldly anti-climatic. Well shot in both the bright, theatre
advertisement covered city and the seemingly monochrome governmental
office, University
of Laughs is a enjoyable experience overall. It is
also another reason to reinforce my own thought that Mitani Kouki
will never fall short of presenting a solid picture with something
important to take away from it.
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