"Silence" scream

To those who guessed, yes the four images I put up over the weekend are indeed from Godard's great Une Femme Mariée, but, although there's a brand-new disc of the film from Eureka!/Masters of Cinema, that's not the subject of this week's Foreign Region DVD Report. (It will be the subject of next week's. Naturally.) This week, I hold forth on another MOC disc, of Masahiro Shinoda's 1971 Silence, based on the novel by Shushaku Endo. If those names are ringing a bell for you, they should: Endo's novel is soon to be adapted by Martin Scorsese. It's a little vexing—but alas, when you think about it, not entirely surprising—that Shinoda's superb film warrants no mention in many of the reports on the Scorsese project, so look at this piece as a little attempt to redress the injustice. At The Auteurs'. 

Comments

[Charles]

Thank you. "Silence" is one of my favorite novels, and I never heard of this film.

[Peter Nellhaus]

I'm wondering is MOC is planning a new DVD, as I understand that their version of "Silence" is now out of print. Hopefully I won't regret not buying it when I had a chance. It may also be worth noting that more of Scorsese's films might be considered remakes than even he might admit. His version of "Age of Innocence" is certainly better than the earlier film which was largely adapted from a stage version. I would love to see James Cruze's version of "Gangs of New York" with Ann Dvorak and Charles Bickford, with a screenplay by young Sammy Fuller.

[Arthur S.]

Shusaku Endo was quite displeased with the film for which he's credited with the screenplay and after that film was reluctant towards having his works adapted.

So I don't think this film should halt Scorsese or anyone else from adapting this book again.

[Nick (MoC)]

The MoC edition of the Shinoda film is definitely not OOP. It's still available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000SSNA7Y/

I heard that Scorsese hasn't seen the Shinoda film, and doesn't want to before he's made his adaptation.

[Maximilian]

"that's not the subject of this week's Foreign Region DVD Report. (It will be the subject of next week's. Naturally.)"

What's this, a Mr. Show bit?
Well played, sir!

[charles]

If the description in Foreign Region DVD Report is accurate, it may offer a clue to why Endo disapproved of the film: in the novel, the Japanese authorities tortured the local Christians who had already renounced Christianity in order to force the hero priest to renounce. I don't recall any instance of the authorities finding holdouts to torture.

[bill]

"What's this, a Mr. Show bit?"

Pre-Taped Call-In Show has really buried itself in this nation's psyche.