1. "Mishima: A life in four chapters" merges Mishima Yukio's life with his fictional works, many of which have autobiographical elements. #TGBCMovieNight

2. The four chapters are Beauty," focusing on Mishima's youthful aesthetic interest; "Art," centered around his vocation as an artist; "Action," in which the accent is politics; and "The Harmony of the Pen and the Sword," #TGBCMovieNight

3. At the age of 45, Yukio Mishima had written 40 novels, 18 plays, and 20 volumes of short stories and essays. He was Japan's most prestigious writer, sometimes mentioned for the Nobel Prize. #TGBCMovieNight

4. Mishima, a man of many roles, was also married, militaristic, homosexual, a body builder, an actor, and a devotee of the Japanese martial tradition. #TGBCMovieNight

5. The film covers the last day in Mishima's life, flashbacks to his childhood and youth, and vignettes from three of his novels — Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoko's House, and Runaway Horses. #TGBCMovieNight

6. The soundtrack was composed for String Quartet by Phillip Glass. The Opening of this suite has featured in film and television such as The Truman Show and Mr Robot. Shades of the Closing are reminiscent of Bear McCreary’s work for BSG. #TGBCMovieNight

7. The name of the final chapter is derived from the Japanese phrase 文武両道, referring to one skilled in both physical/martial as well as literary arts. It generally is used in schools/college referring to people skilled both on and off the field

8. The opening scene is scored with strings playing minor thirds, with a snare as Mishima gets dressed into dress uniform; the decisiveness of his actions is foreshadowing his coup attempt.

9. Transition to Mishima’s childhood. Monochromatic, he looks out at play fighting in the street from his grandmother’s house. An English voiceover translates Mishima’s reflections while the dialogue is in Japanese. #TGBCMovieNight

10. The relationship with the grandmother appears reminiscent of the Oedipus complex マザコン that appears frequently in Japanese literature as Japanese households quite often lack a male role model due to work expectations #TGBCMovieNight

11. Additionally, this scene makes reference to his childhood frailty, which would explain Mishima’s obsession with fitness as an adult. #TGBCMovieNight

12. Although Mishima’s first attested sexual awakening was upon seeing a portrait of the martyred St Sebastian, he is curiously eyeing the male actors in female roles when his grandmother takes him to see the Kabuki. #TGBCMovieNight

13. The sakura leaves fall in spring, indicating the beginning or end of a school year. The boys on the playground mock Mishima as Mr Poet or Momma’s boy as he challenges another student, but manages to force a draw as the both fall off a fence while grappling

14. The film returns to colour, and references Mishima’s book 金閣寺, Kinkakuji, in Kyoto. The beauty and perfection fascinates the protagonist, a stuttering high school virgin

15. He is anotagonised by another student, also a cripple, with a lame foot. He makes an ironic comparison to beautiful women - both are destined to be stared at. He then collides with two female tourists and evokes their sympathy while the stammering boy looks on #TGBCMovieNight

16. The stammering boy returns and sees a vision of Kinkakuji opening in two as Glass’s major arpeggios play with chimes suggesting an optimism. The tale then returns to Mishima’s life in black and white. #TGBCMovieNight

17. Mishima’s encounter with the St Sebastian portrait. Returns to Kinkakuji performance

18. Antagonist kid splits the group to pair stuttering kid with the other girl they bumped into. He asks her to leave if she’s not interested, but instead she lies down and allows him to touch her exposed breast, but he wavers before the beauty and cannot . #TGBCMovieNight

19. The protagonist destroys a model of Kinkakuji, reflecting Mishima’s conflict between beauty and destruction. He also makes reference to the impending conflict with the US
#TGBCMovieNight

20. Despite his yearning for dying on the battlefield, he exaggerates his weakness and is exempted from service. Returns to Kinkakuji, untouched by the bombers.

21. Stammer kid sees this as a sign and visits a prostitute, imploring her to remember his name. She laughs thinking he is being facetious. He returns to set Kinkakuji on fire, reflecting a real arson event. End Ch1

#TGBCMovieNight

22. Ch2 Returns to Mishima’s last day. He’s instructing his acolytes that they are to stay alive, and not follow his lead. A car with Tama license plates departs, Mishima sees his visage in a bookstore.

#TGBCMovieNight

23. Return to past. Montage of Mishima receiving literary awards for his work. Segue to colour as Kyoko’s house is on stage.

24. The score maintains the same chords, but performed on guitar, cut to optimistic TV scenes emblematic of the Showa period. #TGBCMovieNight

25. Osamu, articulates his inadequacies with his physique, seeing it as holding him back from an acting career, again reflecting Mishima’s concern about his physique, which is clear when another man makes a comment about his weight at a bar.
#TGBCMovieNight

26. It was meant to be light hearted, but Mishima confronts the man later asking him not to make jokes. Mishima takes a cruise to Hawaii, and begins a physical training regime upon returning #TGBCMovieNight

27. Similarly, Osamu has taken up bodybuilding. There’s an existential discussion on the futility of maintaining peak appearance, and discussion of whether one should die at their peak. #TGBCMovieNight

28. Osamu returns to his mum’s bar, aiming to show off his progress. A loan-shark’s goon comes in intimidating customers, and Osamu attempts to fight him, but he is bested by the thug. #TGBCMovieNight

29. Osamu sits down with the loan shark’s female boss. There’s another casual discussion of jisatsu, as well as his emptiness being with women. The boss, Akita Kitomi offers to trade his body for his mother’s loan. #TGBCMovieNight

30. Osamu lies naked while Akita caresses him, then cuts him with a scalpel. She states that he’s so beautiful she just had to, reflecting the concept of わびさび Wabisabi. She asks if he will die with her. #TGBCMovieNight

31. Osamu is described by Akita as her wounded matador, bruised but no longer chiseled. There’s a number of cataphoric references as Akita pulls a vial, and a kitchen knife from the kitchen. End Ch 2. #TGBCMovieNight

32. Mishima and his acolytes are singing war songs in pentatonic minor scale. Start Ch3. Cut to Kendo at Kokugakuin, the University associated with the royal family. #TGBCMovieNight

33. Isao, is confronted by other members of the Kendo team, lamenting Japan losing part of its spirit. He’s then confronted by the coach who asks him why he pulled out of a recent tournament. The coach decries his lack of commitment to the team. #TGBCMovieNight

34. Isao is called into an office interrogated by an army officer, impressed by his proposal to assassinate political and financial tycoons. This represents Mishima’s transition to disillusioned artist - he laments not sacrificing himself for the empire, #TGBCMovieNight

35. And seeks to eliminate those who have usurped power from the emperor. Mishima’s writing and philosophy start to go beyond appreciation and approach supremacy. #TGBCMovieNight

36. The officer asks Isao if he’s prepared to use weapons. He states that he will use swords. Double entendre of 真剣. They duel with wooden swords. Cut to Mishima doing Iaido exercises in monochrome. #TGBCMovieNight

37. Isao is asked to call off his coup as the officer is being called to Manchuria, and asked not to mention his name. #TGBCMovieNight

38. Isao and his followers meet on a beach with a leaning Tori gate. He asks them to disband. Half leave. The rest refuse. He asks if that means they will follow him to their death. They agree.

39. Cut to Mishima. Around a table a group of followers take a blood oath to attempt to restore the Emperor to power. Cut to military march. Cadets salute to Mishima while photographers look on. #TGBCMovieNight

40. Someone associated with the theatre asks what he’s trying to accomplish, and whether it will bring the theatre into disrepute. He then begins speaking in English to the crowd

41. Mishima confronts the left wing student activists who oppose Mishima’s nationalistic streak. #TGBCMovieNight

42. Cut back to Isao’s fictional coup. A knock, and Isao’s coup is broken up by the Kempeitai. #TGBCMovieNight

43. Isao is talking in jail. He discusses how purity must be unadulterated, lest it is no longer pure. He heard his fellow coup collaborators being tortured. Isao is somehow released and withdraws a wakizashi, slices Kurihara’s paper wall, then proceeds to drive the sword

44. Isao cleans the wakizashi, sits in seiza about to commit seppuku, cut to an acting scene; Mishima is also attempting seppuku in the scene. He’s responding to journalists questions at a conference, denying his films political overtones. #TGBCMovieNight

45. Cut back to Isao. His wakizashi is lifted, then cut just as the blade is about to drive through his intestines. End ch3. #TGBCMovieNight

46. Start Ch4. The car approaches its destination. The security guard recognises Mishima and he is waved into the compound. Drums pound and the strings resolve around the tonic. #TGBCMovieNight

47. Mishima is allowed to train his “Shield Society” using JSDF facilities reserved for the army. Cut to colour after B&W flashback. #TGBCMovieNight

48. Mishima enters office of a commmandant of the JSDF who eagerly invites them in. The commandant asks how he is able to walk around with a genuine sword; he states he has a permit. He lets the commandant inspect and clean the sword. #TGBCMovieNight

49. He asks his followers for a cloth who swiftly tie the commandant up, then barricade the doors to his office. Mishima instructs them to put their headbands on, and removes the gag. #TGBCMovieNight

49. Mishima convinces the General’s subordinate to agree to his demands; the siren calls all troops to listen to his speech. The police have also entered the garrison. #TGBCMovieNight

50. He speaks to the JSDF, but instead of being inspired by his criticism of politics and malaise at the loss of national identity, they are unpersuaded. Cut between Mishima flying a jet in B&W with English voiceover. The soldiers instruct him to get lost. #TGBCMovieNight

51. Realising they are to be unswayed, he saluted the emperor and returns indoors to finish what he had started. The general tries to dissuade him, but Mishima insists.
#TGBCMovieNight

52. A slow drum beats out as Mishima strips to his fundoshi and prepares to plunge the wakizashi into his gut. Cut to Kinkakuji in flames, Osamu and Akita in blood having completed their pact, and Isao slicing his abdomen. #TGBCMovieNight

@threadreaderapp unroll