Abu-Green Rabbit Controversy
Lars Iyer has a terrific piece on Michel Houellebecq.
Read his “Elementary Particles” years ago. Have not read his Thai tourism book. He is controversial, it takes courage to talk about him.
“It is in our relations with other people,” he (Michel) remarks, “that we gain a sense of ourselves; it’s that, pretty much, that makes relations with other people unbearable.” Further: “Giving up on life . . . is the easiest thing a person can do”; and “Anything can happen in life, especially nothing.”
Abu-Green Rabbit Play (Can you see the rabbit?)
Tampered Digital image derived from photo taken while waiting for a dim sum table. (The Chinese restaurant has a system of seating you in a hall with varying size tables – great flurry of activities)
Itami Juzo‘s essays are published in Japanese recently.
(from here in Japanese)
He was a great essayist, witty, astute, observant and offering refreshing views on childcare, country house, food and his travels.
(He directed Tampopo, Taxing Woman among others)
I never believe that he committed suicide.
Here is someone talking about Iris Chang and Itami’s reported suicide. (another old article, and here a poem by Alan Sondheim, For Iris Chang).
An old webpage on Itami,
“A late bloomer who began directing at age 50, he makes movies in which the protagonist probes Japanese assumptions and practices”
Stylistically, Itami was influenced by Luis Buniel.
As an actor Itami played a husband in a film “Sasame Yuki” directed by Kon Ichikawa. (Sasame Yuki or Makioka Sisters is a brilliant adaptation of Junichiro Tanizaki). He was in “Family Game”, “55 days of Peking” and “Lord Jim” as he became a drinking pal to Peter O’Tool.