wednesday

Despite a rather "bah humbug"/"oh drats"/"fiddlesticks" moment upon realizing the Guy Maddin lecture & screening at New School is sold out, I am yearning to view Mikio Naruse's Yearning again. And how! I should preface my admission by admitting to having just returned from viewing Yearning in theaters this evening. Despite sitting a row behind a kindly soul with an abnormally large, stalwart head, Naruse led me through the gamut. If you happened to have heard nervous chuckling, a steady stream of heady sighs, one or two sharp intakes of breath, and the soft sound of someone clutching their heart again and again– guilty as charged. How this film managed to slip by me is beyond my comprehension, but I attribute this to timing. Meaning, perhaps my unconscious (the one that knows which films will induce the good aches; the one that hinges on sad-sack tales of unrequited love) had an inkling, allowed Yearning to pass by undetected, simply knew I would need to watch this film on this day. Love at first-and-following-ninety-eight-minutes sight.

If you have ever longed for anyone, in any capacity, and I mean anyone (il buono, il brutto, il cattivo), you must see this film.



postscript–

If anyone has any leads as to how I might be able to get my hands on the score to Midareru (or the film itself), consider me signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours. Or at the very least, eternally grateful.