Review of Kamyu nante shiranai

WHO'S CAMUS ANYWAY / THE BORED MURDERER (KAMYU NANTE SHIRANAI). Viewed on Streaming. Cinematography = seven (7); lighting = six (6) stars; subtitles/translations = four (4) stars; score = four (4) stars. Director Mitsuo Yanagimachi (who is also credited as the screen writer) uses a movie-in-a-movie plot (with some clever touches) that goes off the tracks and enters a realm of absurd existentialism. (This may make the viewer wonder if one movie might have gone into the editing suite, but another one came out!) A college literary class (using a recent headline-grabbing absurd murder committed by a Japanese schoolboy and an old novel (written by French author Albert Camus depicting a similarly absurd murder) becomes so obsessed with creating its movie (as a class term project) that they begin living their lives as if they were characters in the story line (or so it would seem). (All this transpires in a week or so.) Students chat a lot about movies often best known for cinematic techniques/tricks while the Director is duplicating these processes (like discussing films known for apparently long, unedited tracking shots while Yanagimachi is using a long, unedited tracking shot). The Director also inserts revealing nuances of behavior and characterization. Acting is a bit on the hammy side as actress and actors (and Yanagimachi) try to simulate Tokyo college campus life. Cinematography (wide-screen, color) is good, but exterior scenes can be seriously under lighted. Subtitles are too long given their on-screen flash rates. Using the same font and color simultaneously for dialog and opening credits can be confusing (without very careful reading). Signs, postings, etc. are not translated. Score is quite good. Unfortunately it is often in the wrong movie! Music usually does not "fit" the scene and can distract rather than add to on-screen events. Not especially recommended. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.