★★★★★ 5
Astonishing Movie
This is exactly the kind of movie that would never receive funding today and get within hailing distance of production. This movie was my 'gateway drug' into the dark and fascinating world of Yukio Mishima which is one of those things where, as the saying goes, "If you know, you know."
This film is basically a collection of several short films woven together. One is the story of Mishima himself, from childhood up to the morning of his last day. The other shorts are taken from four of his novels, including my personal favorite, 'Runaway Horses'.
For the biographical portions of the film, which are mostly in black-and-white, Roy Scheider's narration is excellent as well. All in all, this movie is a beautiful introduction to Yukio Mishima as well as an artistic triumph for Paul Schrader.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2023
