deadpan
in Kenji Iwaisawa's On-Gaku: Our Sound
Watched this film earlier in March 2022 with Yin Lin at one of our places (probably her’s). This morning I’m not sure why this stood out on my watched list, why it warrants time to be written about for my return to the platform.
Been a hectic week and a half but since last night 11.59pm, I am officially done with all my assignments — barring any submission hiccups on my part. One would think that writing a whole lot for school would have deterred me from coming back to this so soon. To be completely honest, part of this decision stems from tibc #5 not having two adjacent posts alongside it.
Sometimes, one has got to devise an arbitrary reason to continue their practice.
I believe this still might be one of YL’s favourite films, and definitely occupying some real estate in my top tier too Rewatching scenes from it today, I remembered why this was the case. Both of us tend to gravitate towards “nothing is going on” narratives, bonus points if they do not take themselves too seriously. On-Gaku had both of these qualities, packed within a short runtime of 71 mninutes.
The films’s central trio — Kenji (Shintaro Sakomoto), Asakura (Tateto Serizawa) and Ota (Tomoya Maeno) — are high school delinquents that are feared by the majority of their cohort. The film though rarely shows the trio doing anything harmless. All three of them assume more slacker archetypes, their menace only apparent in their haircuts (or lack thereof) and their faces mostly expressionless.
Bearing witness to a passer-by in pursuit of a thief, Kenji is handed his bass guitar to hold. Off-screen, one hears chatter of the musician and policeman. Kenji looks on at this scene then draws his gaze to the bass. Cut to him laid down sideways on the floor at home, watching television as he smokes, the bass perched on the wall beside the screen.
The next day Kenji floats to Asakura and Ota the idea of forming a band, they steal instruments from the music room, have their first jamming session and are immediately enamoured after playing their first note.
The next day, their friend Aya (Ren Komai) gives the trio a heads up that a gang from another high school wants to beat them up. Kenji and crew though are smitten with their newfound passion in music, uninterested in engaging with their previous pastime.
Made over the course of seven years, with a crowdfunded $40,000, On-Gaku’s DIY sensibilities ring true in its effective bare-bones art style. Leaning into the characters’ humdrum, the animation is kept simple, with flourishes of rotoscoping and surrealist imagery sprinkled in when the music in the film inspires those who inhabit it.
All words prior to this line were written on the 5th of November 2022.
Okay now where was I yes… this film is deceptively funny. I remember a fair amount of pauses throughout the film, employed when the trio or many others from the cast were confronted with conflict. Staring into space / each other with blank looks, the dryness of On-Gaku shines with its evocation of banal schooling days — often a string of inconsequential activities.
Like this trio though, one often finds something to proclaim as north star during these days of adolescence. Kenji, Asakura and Ota finally found that something to do, and they do so without abandoning their apathetic dispositions.
Would recommend this film if you have 70 ish minutes to spare, and want to root for three high school kids that stumbled upon music. Given the current landscape where films running under 90 minutes are few and far between, On-Gaku serves as an effective one-two. A stand out for low-budget cinema, both in form and narrative.
Okay this last chunk was written today, Tuesday 8 Nov, on a less than comfortable seat at Gate 4 of Melbourne Airport. Actually still unsure if this is the correct gate, activity around me include passengers bouncing from Gate 4 and 5 in confusion. My card was also strangely declined at the fast food places, so my anticipation for airplane food is at an unnatural high.
I intend to catch up on my posts, so a nokia one next before this week’s tibc #6. Been slowing down on these, admittedly happening sooner rather than later.
Thankfully, I still enjoy spending time to work on them. Hope this lasts for a while.
Update, everyone’s eyes are following the police dog that is sniffing around. Most of them with smiles on their faces. I wonder if it’s the dog, or if they want to see something happen. Now, some people are being forcefully evicted from their seats to accommodate wheelchair passengers.
Okay enough reportage, write here soon.