On DVD: Wakeful Nights

 

 

Directed By: Masahiko Makino

Starring: Kiichi Nakai, Sumiko Fuji, Yoshino Kimura, Masaki Sakai, Hiroyuki Nagato.

 

Bawdy and rudely comical, Wakeful Nights AKA A Hardest Night (Nezu no ban) is about a comedy master’s death and how his pupils remember him. Inspired by Rakugo, a Japanese form of comic storytelling, the film is largely a series of anecdotal stories and musical/dance acts that are silly and down right funny. Directed by Masahiko Makino and released by Animeigo, Wakeful Nights will keep you laughing.

 

The Movie

 

Rakugo master Shomantei (Hiroyuki Nagato) is on his deathbed and all his pupils are gathered around wondering what he might want as his last wish. One pupil leans in close to hear the master say he wants to see a word that means honey pot, a term for vagina. So, the pupils debate on how to get a young honey pot for their master to gaze into before he leaves the earth and all honey pots behind for good. Kyoto eventually volunteers his wife Shigeko, who agrees after being begged into it. Shigeko straddles Master’s hospital bed and lifts her skirt. Afterward Master tells his pupil that he wanted to see the outside (a word that sounds similar to honey pot in Japanese). This kind of play on words happens all throughout this film.

 

All the pupils of Master are zany characters who tell good stories, rag on each other, and just have good fun. Perhaps most telling is how they handle Master’s wake. At one point during the night, they stand Master’s dead body up (reminiscent of the West’s Weekend at Bernie’s), and line dance with him.

 

The rest of the film the pupils tell stories in Rakugo style ways. We get to see the stories partly through flashback so that we aren’t just watching someone tell a story. And, we get multiple perspectives on how the pupils related to their Master through their funny remembrances of him. As other pupils die, we see the same sort of commemoration through story.

 

The film is solidly funny throughout and keeps the same naughty tone throughout. The actors all have dexterity with playing comedic roles and the writing is wittily punny and sometimes borderline wrong, which makes it all the better.

 

7/10

 

The Video

 

Presented in full screen, the quality is fair. Sometimes the colors seem a little dark and red in lower lighting, but overall it’s not a bad presentation.

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6/10

 

The Audio

 

The sound quality is ok. There are times the voices fall low and you have to turn up the volume.

 

6/10

 

The Packaging and Bonus Features

 

The DVD release is packaged in a standard aramay case with a scene of all the Master’s pupil’s heads, which appear to be gazing out at you as though they are bent over you watching you on your death bed.

 

The DVD release offers several good bonus features such as an image gallery, a karaoke, deleted scenes and additional songs.

 

7/10

 

If you want a taste of crazy Japanese comedy Wakeful Nights might be a good bet!

  

Overall (Not an Average) 7/10

 

The Review

The Movie 7/10

The Video 6/10

The Audio 6/10

The Packaging and Bonus Features 7/10

Overall (Not an Average) 7/10

 

-Chuck Knight