青の炎 (Ao no Honoo) ▫️2003 ▫️Info

Arashi and Nino aside, this is simply one of my favorite movies. I think the production and story are incredibly high quality, and of course Nino gives an outstanding performance. No matter how many times I see this (I’m now up to 6 or 7), there are points where my heart stops or I simply burst out crying. It’s a powerful story and I think that Ninagawa represented it in the ideal way.

I have not read the book nor seen the stage play, but I do see how that type of storytelling makes its way into this film. There is a specific pacing and style of dialogue that I feel really suits the mood. The more times you watch it the more you see all the symbolism and foreshadowing. The outcome of the story can be somewhat shocking when you’re not prepared so I recommend going into this one blind for the full experience.

Obviously all the blue lighting is stunning and I’m a huge fan of the road racer scenes with Nino—the sky and the wind (Nino’s heavy breathing….). The audio design is also used creatively and I think that’s one of the things that gets my heart rate up in certain scenes. There are parts where I can’t help but hold my breath in shock or anxiety. The cinematography and editing are really beautiful as well, it’s just a masterfully crafted work.

I’m really glad Ninagawa chose Nino for this role and I think it helped him enter into the ~cinema realm~ as a respected actor, which he deserves. I know from some of the interviews he memorized the entire script in like 3 days even before the shooting started………I am of course focused on Nino, and most of the scenes are as well (lucky for me), but the rest of the cast did great too. They all just blend into the world around him so naturally. We have Suzuki Anne by his side once more as his sister, who he shelters and protects with his whole soul.

This is probably the most serious media that has come out so far in the timeline, both in terms of content but also in terms of artistic production. This is real cinema!! It is a bit slow paced at parts (reminiscent of a play or book), but the whole movie is full of drama and intrigue. Just be prepared for some heavy themes.