Kinkanshoku (1935) Review - Lots of staring and very big hats

You should probably watch this if you're into the kind of movies where a single look says more than a ten-minute speech. Don't bother if you need explosions or people moving fast, because nobody in this movie is in a hurry.

I watched this late last night and the grainy footage almost felt like a dream. The title means 'Annular Eclipse' and you can really feel that vibe of something dark passing over everything.

Toshiaki Konoe has this face that just looks permanently worried. I kept wondering if he actually had a headache during filming or if that's just his 'acting' face.

The sets are so 1930s it hurts. Everything is clean but feels incredibly cramped, like the characters are trapped in their own nice houses.

There is a scene where a group of men are just sitting and drinking. It goes on for so long I started checking my phone, but then I realized the awkwardness was the whole point.

It reminds me a bit of The Slanderers, but with more style. Or maybe just more shadows.

Small things I noticed:

• The hats are way too big for some of these actors.
• Everyone smokes like their lives depend on it.
• The women have these incredibly sharp expressions that could cut glass.
• There is a dog in one scene that looks very confused to be there.

I didn't really get what was happening with the plot for the first thirty minutes. It’s one of those movies where you just have to let the mood wash over you instead of trying to track every name.

Shinobu Aoki is great, though she doesn't get to do much besides look disappointed. She does disappointed better than almost anyone I've seen in these old Shochiku films.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Kinkanshoku (1934) through its definitive frames.

The music is... well, it's there. Sometimes it just stops for no reason and you’re left with this weird humming sound from the old film stock.

Is it better than Men? Probably not, but it has a more interesting look to it.

I loved the way the light hits the sliding doors in the background. It makes the whole movie feel like a moving painting, even when the story gets a bit dry.

There’s a lot of talk about money and status. It’s funny how people in 1935 were worried about the exact same stuff we are now. 💸

Wait, did that one guy just walk out of the frame and never come back? I think the editors just forgot he was in the scene, or maybe he just had enough.

Anyway, it's a solid watch if you're in the right mood. Just make sure you have some coffee ready because the pacing is very deliberate.

One reaction shot near the end lingers so long it actually becomes funny. I think I counted ten seconds of just... blinking.

It's definitely better than Below Zero if you want something with actual weight. Just don't expect a happy ending where everyone gets a hug. 🌑