Quote:
That even within a dramaturgically relevant omission of the massive cinematic correspondence between Yamada and the painter Yamazaki Mikio, known as OFUKU (Film Letter) I-V (1986-2006), Yamada redefines his syntax for his travel films from the first half of the 1990s. His films become increasingly interwoven: the continuity of a body of work can actually be experienced here, even if it no longer seems desirable in modern times.

There are a total of five correspondence works between Isamu Yamada and me. I decided to upload the fourth one to YouTube this time. I don’t know why, but I occasionally receive emails from people overseas, and this is the only one I’ve received requests for, “Filmletter★oufuku IV.” That’s why I uploaded it.

Now, this “IV” was when both Yamada and I were living in Tokyo and we were holding monthly screenings at La Camera in Nogizaka. The screenings were held over three days, so we saw each other four days a month, including meetings to plan the screening program.

The sense of distance between Sapporo and Tokyo that existed when “Filmleter★Oufuku” first began has disappeared, and perhaps this is what gave birth to the sharpness of the work, which cuts into the hearts of both parties.

Yamada responded confidently to the fictional developments I set up. I think this gives the story a flavor not found in Yamada’s solo works. It’s also fair to say that I’m bringing out the Terayama Shuji taste that’s been ingrained in Yamada.

Now, unlike the first “Oufuku” film, there is no “taking pictures of each other,” but there is a part where I film Yamada. It is dark and Yamada’s face is not clearly visible, but it is the part where the English subtitles say “BAR YAMAVICA.” At the time, Yamada was the bartender about a seven-minute walk from Nakai Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line, and I was a frequent customer there, so this is the footage I filmed one day.

There is also a glimpse of a drink on the menu there called “Neko-jaws.” This is a hazy sake that I made myself, and it was a popular menu item at the bar. For those overseas, in Japan, it is prohibited for individuals to make alcohol on their own, as this is considered “tax evasion.” However, at the time, I was making alcohol on my own and selling it at Yamada’s bar, which was illegal. It was bootlegging.

And, both Yamada and I have been making film on 8mm that don’t make any money, but I want to comment here that there is a desire to “share the pleasure of bootlegging.” What do you think? Let’s all try bootlegging.

FIlmletter oufuku IV_Yamazaki Mikio & Yamada Isao.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	58 min 42 s
Size: 	630 MiB
Video
Codec: 	h264
Resolution: 	1280x720 
Aspect ratio:  	16:9
Frame rate: 	30.000 fps
Bit rate: 	1 236 kb/s
BPP: 	0.045
Audio
#1:  	2.0ch AAC LC @ 265 kb/s

https://nitro.download/view/1CD723F1872DD47/FIlmletter_oufuku_IV_Yamazaki_Mikio_&_Yamada_Isao.mkv

Language(s):Japanese
Subtitles:English (hardcoded)

The post Isao Yamada & Mikio Yamazaki – Filmletter oufuku IV AKA Filmletter Round Trip IV (1999) first appeared on Cinema of the World.