‘Mount Head’: Kōji Yamamura’s surreal world
Due to the rich history of Japan’s extensive artistic traditions, Japanese cinema is often inevitably influenced by the diverse art forms that have evolved and thrived over the centuries. One such art form is rakugo, a unique method of storytelling in which the narrator sits down and captivates an entire audience through highly skilful gestures and gripping stories. While rakugo’s impact on Japanese cinema can be found in various iconic films, one particularly interesting example is Mount Head by Kōji Yamamura.
The recipient of multiple worlds and a central figure in the landscape of contemporary Japanese animation, Yamamura has worked on several interesting projects. However, Mount Head holds a special place within the context of his oeuvre because it provides a lot of insights not just about his art style but also about the philosophical sensibilities that define his art. In an allegorical manner, it tells the story of a miserly man who scavenges fallen cherries to save money.
However, after eating enough cherry pits, he realises that a strange plant is growing from the top of his bald head. Narrated by Takeharu Kunimoto in the traditional rakugo format, Mount Head follows the man’s bizarre journey as the world around him becomes increasingly bizarre and unforgiving. Drawing inspiration from rakugo as well as other sources like the surreal writings of Franz Kafka, Yamamura’s film is strikingly different.
During a conversation with Zippy Frames, Yamamura once said: “I see Kafka as being a very humorous auteur; he has a sense of black humour. There is also a connection between Kafka and Japanese Kyogen, a comedic art form of storytelling. Of course, I am influenced by Western and European authors, but I’m not putting such a heavy emphasis on countries; I think Kafka himself was also influenced by Chinese philosophy. I do think that artists are people who overcome cultural barriers and differences.”
The filmmaker added: “In my films, I draw characters, which are perhaps a little bit marginalised in the society, so you automatically feel for them. Maybe this comes from the influence from my own life; normal professionals, you know, like doctors or state workers, have different kinds of life than perhaps an artist has. So, there might be some kind of influence here. Every person, every human being has both dark sides and lighter sides to them, and it’s not very clear. I’m not interested in traditional storytelling, where a hero is completely good and fights the dark side. My characters have a little bit of everything.”
Deviating from its light comedic beginnings, Mount Head soon becomes a nightmarish tale about the inescapable misery fundamental to the human condition. Incorporating various genre frameworks like body horror, Yamamura expands on the eponymous rakugo by providing visuals that are perfectly appropriate for such a terrifying tale.
Watch the film below.
