Wasurerarenu hitobito (2000) Online

*** CONTAINS SPOILERS ***

Not Forgotten touches on three important issues in modern Japan. First the increasing appearance of bogus religious cults (a subject already dealt with in Happy Returns but in a more comical way). Second the increasing alienation of the Japanese youth, their growing dehumanisation and disregard for the elderly. Third the Japanese elderly precarious situation and vulnerability in a careless modern Japan. The main characters in the film are war veterans. Nevertheless its title does not carry any patriotic subtext. The film does not try to glamorise the war effort but deals with "real" problems in Japanese society. Not Forgotten might also refer to the way in which those old men where brainwashed and cheated into helping, the high ranks of the Japanese government, to build a Japanese Empire in Asia. And how young people now are again cheated and brainwashed into helping, Utopia the religious cult-cum-corporation and its leader, to build an economic Japanese empire. The leader of the cult can then be seen as the next generation of those who took Japan into the war. The bond between the old men created during the war does not bring anything new to the understanding of the horrors of the war, which depictions are rather mild. As a curiosity the film does not show the faces of the enemy. This follows the tradition of older Japanese war films in which the enemy is not seen at all (like Five Scouts or Mud and Soldiers both by Tomotaka Tasaka). In some parts the film falls into sentimentality and some scenes are rather cliched (The main character carries the guilt of not being able to save his best friend). On the other hand sequences showing the training undergo by Utopia's new recruits (that's the name of the corporation-cum-religious cult) are dealt with in a very different way. Shown in a crude, de-dramatise way, young people are being controlled by the corporation (led by a survivor of the war) that uses the war and the economic recovery effort as a pretext to manipulate them and cheat old people (other war survivors). Conversations between the leader and the newcomer are also presented in an almost objective and ambiguous way which is even more frightening as you are left, sometimes, unable to disagree (so convincing he appears) with some of the leader's arguments. Quite ironic is the way in which Utopia fools the elderly by telling them that they have to appease their ancestors' spirits. The ending comes as a big shock and so unexpected that leaves one shivering. It is also shot in a deadpan way without music or any increase of suspense. It just terrifying. The old man is pushed to be confronted with his past and does something that he should done in the past: kill the germ of the disease. Also the relationship built between the son of black American soldier and the old man points to a brighter future of Japan.

This film is so very rich. A way to understand the tribulations of old age and the mentality of the WWII-generation in today's Japan, as well as the absolute obedience demanded of wartime survivors and the cult-like way of extortion-companies to control their members. Along with the quiet build-up and the intelligent flash-back management, the symbolic really moved me.

Saw this at a foreign film festival. Although it was 9 years ago, the movie still remains clear in my mind. The movie shows the War in the Pacific from the Japanese grunt point of view, something I had not seen before, but now done excellently by Letters from Iwo Jima. The flashbacks are not the main part of the movie, but do an excellent job of establishing the setting for how the characters respond to life events in modern Japan. The horrible manipulation of the raw emotions of the elderly woman are painful to watch, yet such things are happening every day and it is good to see them displayed so honestly. The movie also shows that even in old age, love can strike in the strangest of places and what a powerful force it is to change lives. I still have the ticket stub from this movie, because I wanted to ensure I remembered the title so I could buy it someday. The ending is the ultimate revenge fantasy done with honor. It was refreshing to see such a scene done without a stereotypical Hollywood feel good ending.