Nostalgia Kinky

There’s a famous old George Carlin joke about golf that goes something like ‘watching people play golf is like watching flies f**k.” It’s a funny joke that’s always rung true, as Golf’s appeal has always completely eluded me. Imagine my surprise that a film in part centered around a stick, a ball, and a hole would become one of my favorite discoveries of the year.

With its limited edition now out of print, Randiance has kindly re-released Seijun Suzuki’s astounding satire A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness, a fascinating and unforgettable look at toxic celebrity culture. This colorful 1977 production marked Suzuki’s return to the big screen after a decade of absence, and he makes the most of it, creating a wonderfully distinctive and unique film.

Already well into his fifties by the time 1977 rolled around, Suzuki’s last film was the now-landmark Branded to Kill. He’d spent the period between these two masterful works directing short television productions and commercials. Samm Deighan goes into great detail about Suzuki’s time away from cinema and the reasons why during her excellent commentary on Radiance’s Blu-ray. 

So, perhaps stating the obvious, A Tale of Sorrow And Sadness isn’t really about golf. While the film’s opening section does indeed make this look like it might be another sports film, Suzuki instead crafts a savage and sad look at exploitation and fame while directly attacking the capitalist obsession with products. 

Managing to be both funny and frightening, A Tale of Sorrow And Sadness shows off Suzuki’s skills at genre-manipulation. There is no easy way to categorize this or really any of his other great films. Films as distinct and frankly odd as A Tale of Sorrow And Sadness exist in their own weird little space. I found A Tale of Sorrow And Sadness both moving and traumatizing. 

While the ensemble cast is wonderful across the board, it is the work of cinematographer Masaru Mori that really stands out to me when thinking about A Tale of Sorrow And Sadness. What a gorgeously unpredictable and beautiful-looking film this is. I’ve certainly never seen golf look so appealing, that is for sure. 

On top of being a stunning-looking film, the score courtesy of Keitaro Miho and Ichirou Tomita will absolutely thrill fans of groovy seventies scores. This music here absolutely smokes, and it provides such an interesting counterbalance when used in some of the film’s more uncomfortable moments.

Based on a popular Manga, A Tale of Sorrow And Sadness is damn near a perfect film to my eyes. It has so much to say about just how horrifying being a public figure can be. It also shows the terrifying mechanisms behind the idea of using human beings to sell things that other people don’t need.

The Radiance Blu-ray of A Tale of Sorrow And Sadness only contains Samm’s commentary and an interview with the editor, but these are both substantial. As usual, Samm’s commentary is excellent as she provides important information on the film and the fascinating artists that made it. Huge recommendation.

Order now from Radiance or here in the States from MVD.

-Jeremy Richey, July 2026-