Collector's Crypt Review - TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM (ARROW BLU RAY)
Before there were A24 and IFC MIDNIGHT, arthouse genre films were always a bit harder to come by. They defied the traditional trappings of the genre they share their arthouse title with by taking risks aesthetically, narratively, or in some cases a combination of both. When I try to think of well-known and regarded arthouse genre films a few come to mind; ANDRZEJ ŻUŁAWSKI’s POSSESSION, GASPAR NOÉ’s ENTER THE VOID, and I would even argue DAVID CRONENBERG’s VIDEODROME. As is common being a resident of the USA, I often feel I don’t have enough of a well-rounded perspective of film since so much of what I know and consume is from the Western part of the world. While I do work in a lot of older and newer foreign films from the East I still feel like it makes up less than 5% of my viewing annually, a number I have been wanting to improve upon. If it were not for labels like CRITERION and in this review’s case ARROW FILMS, it would be even harder to discover lost or forgotten experimental classics from other parts of the world. While we tend to cover a lot of straight horror on the site, on occasion films come our way that defy genre trappings and cross-boundaries leaving lasting impressions. With ARROW’s latest blu ray release of KAIZÔ HAYASHI’s fantastical silent-era tribute TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM audiences in the West have a chance to experience this truly one-of-a-kind and hard to describe Japanese film with the slick treatment that ARROW’s reputation brings.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
An aging silent film actress hires a private eye and his wacky but helpful assistant to track down her missing daughter, Bellflower. The two follow a succession of bizarre, obscure clues until they track down the location of the kidnappers and the daughter.
HOW IS IT?
One of the great things about being a fan of horror films is seeing how those tropes show up in other genres. It gives me personally a greater appreciation for filmmaking as a whole and makes the experience of film viewing more gamified. Like a film aesthetic version of eye spy, you can identify traits, tropes, and design elements being applied to other genres in a complimentary way. While some of the boutique labels we cover are almost exclusively focused on the horror genre, over the years ARROW FILMS has dabbled in the waters of arthouse fare through both their ARROW FILMS label as well as the now-defunct ARROW ACADEMY label. TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM at its core an arthouse-noir homage to the Japanese silent film era. Outside of that core are layers of ideas ranging from the horrific to the fantastic that work in conjunction with each other to craft a film that feels like it’s told through the lens of a dream. I’ll be honest in saying that my awareness of silent films, in general, is severely lacking (I’m sure my film nerd laminated card will be revoked any day now), and it’s even more lacking with regards to the Japanese output from this time. None of this inhibited my ability to enjoy TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM, and I’m sure it would only enhance the experience with more context.
So what makes TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM so engrossing? On paper, the idea of a silent film homage may turn a lot of viewers off. I can’t blame them entirely, because the aesthetic (by limitation of course) has changed drastically and even the cinephile purists out there can acknowledge that silent films are hard sells for broad audiences. To say this is a silent film is somewhat misleading, though. It’s true there is no spoken dialogue, and yet, the sound is used in very intentional ways to enhance the silence. A sound effect will go off, or there will be the hectic sounds of people on the street as a sonic background, all while the characters deliver their lines like mimes as title cards appear shortly after with the dialogue there have just said. This blending of the silent-film dialogue delivery with atmospheric and world-enhancing sound effects creates a truly captivating viewing experience and one that is hard to describe. In a way, it almost feels like you’re watching a video game both aesthetically and through some of the wacky narrative twists and turns the plot throws at you. TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM is an experience that delights you as the viewer and your senses, and captivates you with its monochromatic charm.
While it wouldn’t be fair to call this a horror film in any regard, there is a heavy helping of surrealist cinema on display here alongside some very Lynchian and Cronenbergian aesthetics that bring to mind images of ERASERHEAD and NAKED LUNCH. For example, our protagonist Uostsuka eats an unreasonable amount of hard-boiled eggs throughout the film and in one scene in particular. It’s as comical as it is gross, and it’s a more obvious representation of the lucid qualities that the entire production seems to be laced with. The story itself, without spoiling anything, is quite mysterious and also very tender with an ending that is unexpectedly sweet. I know it seems like I’m pushing this film hard on horror fans, in fact, I am pushing it hard because there are so many little easter eggs to be found that clearly draw inspiration from aspects of the genre. It’s what makes being a fan of film broadly so enjoyable, and it pays dividends here.
HOW DOES IT LOOK?
As is to be expected from ARROW FILMS, TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM looks downright amazing. The black & white film pops with a crispness that disguises any sort of reference to age, and for a film shot on 16mm in the 80s, this is impressive. About the transfer, TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM is presented in 1:37:1 and the original 16mm Black & White camera negative reels were scanned in 2K. The 2K grade and restoration were supervised by director KAIZÔ HAYASHI and cinematographer YÛICHI NAGATA.
Some screen grabs can be seen below:
HOW DOES IT SOUND?
TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM is presented with a mon soundtrack that was remastered from the 16mm original sound negative and a 16mm screening print from reproduction. The film is largely quiet considering the only noise comes from the subtle music and the occasional sound effects. Things do sound clear and crisp, but this probably isn’t the release to benchmark your home theater setup.
ANYTHING SPECIAL?
As per usual, ARROW does not leave their discs bare and TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM is no exception. A full list of the features is below, and one standout that I enjoyed was the interview with the lead actor “How Many Eggs? Shiro Sono Talks”. It covered the gamut from his beginnings in acting and his family's sentiments about it, and how he got connected with KAIZÔ HAYASHI to ultimately star in this film. His passion not just for this film, but for the craft of acting is endearing and a reminder that those who pursue this as a career do so out of love first and everything else secondary. Another standout in this great package is the insert booklet which includes an introduction from the director and an essay about the film. These are always enjoyable reads for those of you who delight in learning the theory and aesthetic of the film, which of course I do.
Brand new audio commentary by Japanese film experts Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp
Audio commentary with director Kaizo Hayashi and lead actor Shiro Sano recorded in 2000
How Many Eggs? Actor Shiro Sano Talks, a brand new interview with the film’s lead actor
Talking Silents: Benshi Midori Sawato Talks, a brand new interview on early Japanese film culture and the art of the benshi silent film commentator
Midori Sawato Performs ‘The Eternal Mystery’, an exclusive benshi performance to the film within the film
The Restoration of To Sleep So as to Dream featurette
Fragments from Japan’s Lost Silent Heyday, a selection of scenes from silent jidai-geki films from the Kyoto Toy Museum archives
Original Theatrical trailer and English-language restored re-release trailers
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by David Downton
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Aaron Gerow
LAST RITES
TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM is a fantastical and dreamlike adventure through a surrealistic world referencing an era and a place I reckon many in the West have much awareness of. Regardless, TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM is precise in it’s execution and elegant in it’s storytelling that genre fans would be remiss to discount, especially with the white-glove ARROW VIDEO treatment!
THE GORY DETAILS
You can buy TO SLEEP SO AS TO DREAM now via MVD Entertainment or ARROW Direct
Thank you to our friends at MVD Entertainment for the review copy!
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