Smallpox Tale
2 votes
The smallpox virus has created its own unique atmosphere in Terayama’s film where the skin of a bandaged adolescent and the surface of the filmic image are subjected to a bizarre ‘disturbance’ as snails cross the screen and nails are hammered into the skull of the ailing patient. Illness in this film is as much a psychic entity as a physical one and manifests itself in an array of theatrical tableaux from grotesque women rigorously brushing their teeth to a snooker game where the players in white face makeup behave like automata. A Tale of Smallpox uses a medical theme to chart the traumatic dream life of Terayama’s times, evincing deep-rooted concerns in the Japanese national psyche that hark back to the upheaval of Meiji modernisation and the devastation of World War Two.
Status: Released
Released Date: 1976-02-20
Runtime: 34 mins
Director: Shūji Terayama
Spoken language:
Genres:
Original title: Smallpox Tale
Production Companies: Tenjo Sajiki
Production Countries: Japan
Recommendations
Tetsuo II: Body Hammer
1992-10-03
A Japanese salaryman finds his body transforming into a weapon through sheer rage after his son is k
VR or ( mirages of a family )
2019-06-08
The interface of contrary realities is torn. Passion and fear of unbelievable strength are connectin
Super (8) Skate
2020-01-27
Skating is cool. Super 8 films too. Fuck-shit! That was dope! // "Super (8) Skate" is a Stop-Motion
In an Imagined Garden
1991-01-01
A homage to painter Amable Arias. Through painted-on-film visuals, the film evokes the atmosphere of
Haunting Landscape - Night
1991-01-01
Abstract sequences alternate between shadowy landscapes and nocturnal visuals, evoking unsettling at
The Earth
1961-12-27
Short experimental 16mm film.
Roundabout
1962-01-01
Short experimental 16mm film.
Ahasverus
1962-01-01
Short experimental 16mm film.
Sabath
1964-01-01
Short experimental 16mm film.
The End of Time
2017-04-05
An experimental film about that one hypnotic moment on a regular, unassuming Tuesday when one realiz
Bukit Orang Salah
2013-10-26
At various points in its history, tiny St. John's Island was where Singapore's colonial founder Sir
Heartbeat
2001-01-01
The Granier
2007-01-01
In Le Granier, the earth is living, is suffering and is full of history. The still camera shows a ti
The Astronaut
2017-09-19
A short film recounting the travels of a lonely astronaut confronted by the unknown. Unfolding as a
About Buenos Aires
2006-03-01
Eleven young film-makers got together to collaborate in this atypical project. Atypical not only bec
Dropout
1970-12-18
Italian immigrant kidnaps a wealthy British woman, and they fall in love.
Hiding Under a Copy of the Strokes' Single 'Under Cover of Darkness'
2017-05-30
Hiding inside&out, writhing about, taken out&in.
Twist Again
2019-01-01
Rosso Fiorentino's painting "The Deposition of the Cross" comes to life. The Christ is gradually rem
A Thought of Ecstasy
2018-01-25
August 2019. Frank recognizes his own story of twenty years ago in a recently published book. He rem
60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero
2011-12-22
An anthology of one-minute films created by 51 international filmmakers on the theme of the death of