Seijun Suzuki‘s The Taisho Trilogy

Director Seijun Suzuki's acclaimed trilogy opens with the haunting "Zigeunerweisen" (1980), in which a professor (Toshiya Fujita) reunites with a former classmate (Yoshio Harada), a suspected serial killer, at a 1920s seaside resort and both men become enamored of a local geisha (Naoko Otani). Next, a playwright bewitched by a beautiful woman follows her all across Japan, not suspecting his life might be in danger. The bizarre "Kagero-za" (1981) stars Yusaku Matsuda, Michiyo Ookusu. Finally, "Yumeji" (1991) injects a ghostly yarn into the real-life story of painter/poet Yumeji Takehisa (Kenji Sawada). Anticipating a passionate meeting with his lover, Yumeji's wandering eye inadvertently spawns a host of threatening supernatural beings. Tomoko Mariya, Masumi Miyazaki also star. 7 hrs. total on two discs. Widescreen; Soundtrack: Japanese Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: English; featurettes. In Japanese with English subtitles.