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| Images courtesy of Error 4444 |
Many films have been made about the constant societal pressure of raising a family and achieving financial success, but The Crazy Family (1984) adds a distinct layer of mania and satire to the mix. One might expect some insanity from director Gakuryū Ishii, given that his previous works, Crazy Thunder Road (1980) and Burst City (1982), are balls-to-the-wall punk rock affairs; however, he is tempered and more introspective here when dealing with family dynamics.
Katsukuni (Katsuya Kobayashi) is a successful salaryman who seems to have his life perfectly organized. After receiving a promotion at work and saving some money, he is able to purchase a nice house in an affluent neighborhood. He promptly moves in with his devoted wife, Saeko (Mitsuko Baisho), and their two children: Erika (Yuki Kudo) and Masaki (Yoshiki Arizono).
Erika is an overdramatic aspiring actress who often refers to herself in the third person, while Masaki dedicates all his free time to studying for his school entrance exams. On the surface, they seem to be an ordinary family, but on a deeper level, they represent Japanese culture in the mid-1980s during the bubble economy. They live in an artificially inflated environment, blissfully unaware of the impending downfall. In a way, this film is eerily prescient, foreseeing the crash that followed the bubble and the emergence of the so-called Lost Generation that experienced it.
Despite his initial joy at their improved lifestyle, Katsukuni has an uneasy feeling brewing in his psyche, a sense that an outside force is infecting his family with the "disease of civilization." In the 1970s, author Alvin Toffler wrote a book called Futureshock, in which he described the concept as "the accelerated rate of technological and social change leaves people disconnected and suffering from shattering stress and disorientation". Too much change too quickly can shatter the foundations that individuals have built to sustain themselves, leaving them confused and scared. The 1980s were a period of significant transformation, particularly in the realm of technology.
Although Japan has a reputation for technological advancements, its culture can be resistant to change. As the provider, Katsukuni has a lot of stress put onto his plate, and the constant threat of failure in his life affects his mental state. To make matters even worse, Katsukuni's father, Yaskaune (Hitoshi Ueki), moves in unannounced, causing further chaos.
As the film transitions from the drama of the first act into the surreal nightmare of the final two acts, what seemed like everyday family issues spiral into earth-shattering revelations. There is a trope called Flanderization, a term coined from the character Ned Flanders in The Simpsons, which refers to the progressive exaggeration of a character's traits to the point where they become a caricature. Each member of the Kobayashi family goes through this metamorphosis: Katsukuni becomes so obsessed with home improvement that he begins to tear the house apart, Saeko is oversexed and bored with being a housewife, Erika sexualizes herself in a quest to become an idol, and Masaki is dangerously obsessed with studying 24/7, resorting to stabbing himself in the leg with a knife to stay awake and covering every inch of his bedroom walls with math equations.
The third act dives into very dark waters as the family implodes in an apocalyptic fashion. However, even through all the strife, these people still strive to love one another (even as they occasionally try to harm each other), and it's implied that sometimes the destruction that change brings can make room for something even better, which is actually pretty punk rock if you think about it.
Extras:
James Balmont's video essay is fascinating, covering a variety of topics, including Ishii's style and trademarks, the placement of The Crazy Family within his filmography, and parallels and similarities to his previous films. The full-length commentary courtesy of Tom Mes is similarly intriguing with a focus on Japanese history, how the housing system works in Japan, other films that are thematically similar, real-life true crime cases, and information about the actors and their various roles in different projects. Amber Teagan's booklet essay adopts a more analytical approach, dissecting the character's motivations and philosophy as well as exploring the themes and subtext.
Blu-ray Special Features
• Director Approved Remaster From The Original Negatives
• Feature Length Audio Commentary by Tom Mes
• Director Gakuryū (formerly Sōgo) Ishii interview
• “The Crazy Family: Sōgo Ishii’s Wild Child” Video essay by James Balmont
• New English Subtitles
--Michelle Kisner