Rent Barbara (2019)
3.0 of 5 from 66 ratings
1h 40min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- One of Osamu Tezuka's most adult and sexually-charged works, Barbara (1973-74) was originally serialized as a follow-up to Ayako (1972-73) in Big Comic from July 1973 to May 1974. Its story deals with the erotic and bizarre experiences of a famous novelist called Yosuke Mikura whose life is tossed upside down by a mysterious girl named "Barbara". The controversial story, dealing with various taboos such as forbidden love, mystery, art, Eros, scandal and occultism, was said to have been impossible to be cinematized at the time of its original publication, but was made into a live-action film for the 90th Anniversary of Osamu Tezuka's birth by his son Macoto Tezka.
- Actors:
- Gorô Inagaki, Fumi Nikaidô, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Shizuka Ishibashi, Minami, Eri Watanabe, Moemi Katayama, Ryôsuke Ôtani, Issay, Kouzou Satou, Takashi Fujiki, Kaizô Hayashi, Bang Ippongi, Gabriel Kei, Katsuya Kobayashi, Masaki Naito, Junji Nakano, Kurama Sao, Masahiko Shimada, Miyu Toyoshima
- Directors:
- Macoto Tezuka
- Producers:
- Shunsuke Koga, Adam Torel
- Writers:
- Hisako Kurosawa, Osamu Tezuka
- Aka:
- Tezuka's Barbara
- Studio:
- Third Window Films
- Genres:
- Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers
- Countries:
- Japan
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 28/06/2021
- Run Time:
- 100 minutes
- Languages:
- Japanese DTS 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.66:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Behind the Scenes
- Interviews with Staff and Cast
- Deleted Scenes and Alt Ending
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Reviews (1) of Barbara
More style than substance - Barbara review by TE
Flashy, stylish version of the time-honoured storyline of an artist who sells his soul for temporary inspiration from a destructive muse.
The destructive muse is "Barbara", a rampant alcoholic, nihilistic young woman with an evil spirit for a mother. Barbara's character is in direct contrast to the writer's secretary and his sister, both of whom try to rescue him.
The director, Macoto Tezuka, apparently made this film as a tribute to his Manga artist father (the story is based on one of his father's books) and there are many Manga tropes throughout the film.
The jazzy soundtrack is a redeeming feature, but Tezuka pushes too far into transgressive territory (graphic necrophilia anyone??). He seems more interested in shock tactics than in delivering on the film's early promise.
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