悲愁物語 (aka A Tale Of Sorrow And Sadness) (1977)

An aspiring young golfer (Yoko Shiraki) is groomed by her lover and manager (Yoshio Harada) to become a tournament winning champion golfer. When that goal is reached, she becomes a media celebrity pushed on by a corporate advertising agency and even gets her own television show. But it soon all turns ugly. Directed by Seijun Suzuki (TOKYO DRIFTER). In 1968, Suzuki was fired by his studio Nikkatsu because (they said) his films were incomprehensible and didn't make money. Embroiled in legal battles, he didn't make another movie for almost ten years. A TALE OF SORROW AND SADNESS was his "comeback" movie. Although kinetic and stylish, in most ways it's an atypical Suzuki film. Its nihilistic and surrealistic narrative which includes putting his exploited heroine through the wringer seems more Lars Von Trier than Suzuki. Yoko Shiraki's heroine is not only exploited by the men in the movie but also its female characters including the neighbor (Kyoko Enami) from hell. This is all in addition to having a ten year old brother (Tetsu Mizuno) with incestuous feelings toward her. By the time the blazing finale arrives, we feel we've been put through the wringer too. Bizarre but worthwhile, after all, it IS Suzuki. With Joe Shishido and Koji Wada.