|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Suicide Club
Suicide is fun! 
Studio: For Peace Co. Ltd/Omega Project Format: Movie Released: 1/27/2002 Written by: Face 
Written and directed by Sion Sono, a man known for his work in the gay porn industry, and starring two highly-respected actors (Ryo Ishibashi and Masatoshi Nagase) Suicide Club has been one of the most oft-discussed horror films of the 21st century, not only as a vividly original macabre tale, but as a gruesome, blackly comical critique of present-day morality. Its subject matter is harrowing, and its raw commentary on the blights of contemporary Japanese society is disturbingly veracious and equally as scary. Beginning with a horrifically bloody mass suicide at Shinjuku Station, the film is by no means an upbeat experience, nor is it an easily understood one. But as a horror film, Suicide Club is wildly original, fantastically uncanny, and at times even emotionally penetrating and exquisitely sincere.
The opening mass suicide is just the beginning. Soon after, an epidemic of suicides sweeps the nation. The authorities are baffled. For sure, there has to be some logical explanation, would kids really plot to commit mass suicides? The story focuses on the mystery investigation of a few policemen. They are convinced that there is some cult or organization behind the deaths. A white hand bag is left behind on the train platform, a massive roll of linked human flesh from over 200 people is found stuffed within. This discovery causes the police to believe there is more to the incident than just suicide. The investigation is led by two experienced detectives, one of them a family man who finds resolve in knowing his children are not involved in the recent happenings. We are shown his wife and children at the dinner table, absorbed by the pop group Dessart on T.V. As time goes on, the number of suicides spreads as if it is a plague of death. People of all ages, all social classes are ending their lives. One young woman shoves her head in an oven, an overweight man stabs himself in the neck, and a small business owner overdoses on his medicine. What in God's name is going on? Perhaps the answer can be found within a mysterious website that records the suicides before they even occur, but who's running the site? Suicide Club is one of the few movies not afraid of exposing its intrepid side. There are scenes of gruesome violence, bizarre styles of suicide, moments of darkly comical undercurrents and even one with a wannabe cult leader who calls himself Genesis. There are two things he wants to do, and they are of the utmost importance to his delusions of grandeur. Firstly, he wants his name etched into the history books, and secondly, social upheaval. He claims responsibility for the suicides when the police catch him in his pleasure room.  In the film, suicide is mocked by being portrayed as a fad, a trend of pop culture that happens to create unsightly leftovers. During one scene, high school students begin to joke about how they should make their own suicide club, Come shed blood with us! shouts one girl. However, their joking soon turns serious, and all of a sudden they decide it would be cool to actually go through with it. Sadly yes, people, especially young adults, tend to go with the flow, and follow the masses to wherever they are heading, in this case it s the after life. Afterwards, the chief of police chillingly remarks, "...not a word about a 'suicide club', or kids all over Japan will be killing themselves".
The ones responsible for the suicide club lay hidden within a world of AKAs and aliases, consumerism advertising, and subliminal messaging. Someone who calls herself The Bat says she can be found on a BBS when she calls to inform the police of the mysterious maru website. Others such as Genesis spend their time in chat rooms. The pop group Dessart is later found to be sending suicidal subliminal messages through their songs. Towards the end, a child no more than 4 years of age, reacts instinctively upon seeing a commercial for candy, and immediately says he wants one. In a world where family connections are replaced with T.V. shows, personal habits controlled by media conglomerates, and spare time absorbed by the internet, it's very possible something as bizarre as suicide could become the latest in-thing. The question Suicide Club poses is, are you connected with you? * * * (Average) Posted: March 17, 2004
|
||||||||||
