LOVE LETTER September 16, 1999 |
I have been working in a Japanese company. I have been training in a Kendo club. The stiff formality and almost uncompromising rules and etiquette of every of these organisations makes a conundrum for me to understand how in lethe the Japanese are able to come about with such heavenly creative masterpiece as "Love Letter". Yes, it's the movie, with piano music more beautiful than that of "The Piano" that I'm talking about. Well, I'm discussing an "antique" here, because it's a 1995 film, I watched it on 12th September 1999. It's the year of invasion of the Japanese culture, or actually it's just an elevation of trend-pursuing by Singaporeans. Back to "Love Letter". I hate myself to have begun with such mundane introduction, but anyway here it goes : it's a Shujin Iwai film, starring Miho Nakayama. I have done away with any adjective preceding the name of Miss Nakayama, because after all it's expected -- gorgeous, lovely, fabulous, breathtaking, spellbinding etc. -- you pick one, I'm too tired to practice thesaurus here. Anyway it's not about Miho sama, it's about the "Love Letter".
藤 井 付 様 お 元 気 で す か ? 敬 具
It's the seemingly simple letter above, from Hiroko whose fiance's name is the same as Itsuki's, to Itsuki, that has sparked off an interesting journey of the 2 souls. Itsuki, on the journey towards self-discovery; Hiroko, self-healing. One has never really fallen in love but eventually blessed with the ultimate joy of an undeclared affection, deeply rooted, heart melting; whereas another, indulged, helplessly obssessed, eventually in contrast, succumbed to the perpetual scar of bereaved love. Stepping out of the cinema, the vision of Itsuki finally holding the truth in her trembling hands, ecstatic tears uncontrolled, simultaneous regret uncontained, was still vivid in my mind. It's an explosion of emotion. It's a superconducting accelerator, supercharging emotion particles. That night I was reluctant to sleep, lest the memory be diluted. At first I have the prejudice to think the male Itsuki is somewhat cowardly. But later I found out I'm wrong. It might just be a logical flaw in the story. Male Ituski has a strong character. His taciturnity is not a sign of shyness nor weakness, but of pride and high self-esteem. He challenged other runners with a bruised leg. Even before his death, he finished his last breath with a song (sung by Seiko Matsuda whom he disliked) instead of moans. Therefore it's quite unbelievable that he didn't go back to Otaru to pursue her true love. Perhaps passion is always a weakness for even the strongest man. All in all, can you say Itsuki isn't cool? He reads a lot, draws well, and some of his magical powers include (1) making splashing impression by standing beside a breeze-caressed, and mildly lit curtained window, (2) making female Itsuki wait for a long time and spin the bicycle pedal to produce light for him one night, and (3) making Hiroko instead of himself the proposer. Probably you are not conscious about it, you don't know you love the person whom you don't know actually loves you, and then you finally found out, but when you found out, it's too late. You would feel like becoming an angel, but with nowhere to fly to, except between earth and hell. Probably you won't be holding a card with your picture drawn on it, with heart half torn half racing, engulfed by tears. But I'm damn sure I can imagine how you would feel by then. "Love Letter" is forever in my mind. |