*Discussion of suicide below relating to Kizuki in the film and book, Norweigan Wood.
Since watching the beginning of Norwegian Wood, there were a few things that stuck with me. The most prominent of which was Kizuki’s death scene. In the novel, I feel the description of his death was so extremely opaque and fuzzy. It was not drawn out nor was it detailed. Strangely, at times, it felt like a small occurrence that just so happens to loom over the entirety of the book. It sets the tone for the rest of the novel and puts Naoko squarely on the path she inevitably traverses. In the moment, however, Kizuki’s death feels so small – by design – happening offscreen, and only relayed to the readers by Toru. I think this made sense for the novel. Conveying the brevity of death, while making its victim small. I think this felt like an important choice, obscuring the physical act of the suicide and putting distance between Watanabe and his friend. It also puts immense distance between Toru and Kizuki’s motivations, which I feel is another important obstacle for Toru to overcome throughout the novel. This is a through line that extends towards Naoko as well, starting off the novel with such an intense moment though seemingly incomprehensible.
The movie, however, takes another stance, explicitly depicting the suicide of Kizuki in what feels like the longest shot in the film thus far, explicitly showing Kizuki taping the gaps on the window while the hose hangs into the car. This scene disturbs a lot of the opacity the book gives, I feel. It highlights just how intentional the act is, and how much planning and time this act truly required. It takes time for Kizuki to commit suicide. It takes time and each moment it feels, in real time, he is making the continuous effort and choice to kill himself. I am not sure if I liked this choice as much as the way it was conveyed in the novel. It takes away from some of the themes of Norwegian Wood. I think, it feels these characters are living on the border of life and death, where at any point they can be pulled into the ether easily. The choice to explicitly depict his death definitely disturbs this a bit, but also does take away some of the romanticization, highlighting the reality of the situation.
I also wish the birthday scene was a bit more drawn out. I was excited to see the rush conversation that Naoko is described as producing in the novel. I feel like that was relevant, especially in the end, when she has a similar rush of dialogue with Reiko. The pacing was a bit fast, I think what also makes Watanabe's actions and feelings more understandable is his extreme solitude and quiet contemplation. I do think this would be difficult considering the time limitations of a movie, but I would love to see how they convey his loneliness towards the end of the story.
This is not to say I didn’t thoroughly enjoy the movie so far. It was so beautifully shot. Each scene looked like a beautiful photograph. The sound design was amazing too. I loved the the chants of the protestors, the summer cicadas, and the sounds of the rain. I think that way, the movie captures the ambiance and setting so well. The direction was also so dynamic and interesting: the shot of Toru’s quick reflections and him running up the winding staircase after receiving Noako’s letter. The actors and actresses I also loved. I feel like they truly embodied the characters so well, especially Naoko. Overall I really loved the movie and wanted to finish watching it. Some small changes stuck out to me, but otherwise, I feel the movie is strong so far, and stands on its own as a coming of age tale.
Isabella
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