The Real Body

A fun and challenging Sono experiment. It's one of the first films where his talent for wild and inventive cinema starts to shine through, and even though it's far removed from the refinement found in his later work, the vibrant and dynamic feel of the film is reminiscent of something like Love/Exposure. A film Sono fans can't miss out on in other words.

The plot is rather basic but functions more as an excuse for Sono to fire off some of his creativity. Sion is a young director who comes across a girl who is secretly in love with a cook. The problem is, she has never even spoken to the guy. He decides to make a documentary about her, and with the help of a fashion designer and a butoh master, he tries to make the girl's dreams come true.

The film is set up as a documentary, and I wouldn't be surprised if Sono used some unscripted material here, but the film is obviously a construct. The cinematography is drab, but I loved the score, the energy, and the lack of conventions. I consider this film the real start of Sono's madcap career, so if you love wild Sono, be sure to give this film a go.