Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)

Director: Paul Schrader
Stars: Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya, Hiroshi Mikami
Runtime: 120 minutes

Synopsis: A fictionalized account in four chapters of the life of celebrated Japanese writer Yukio Mishima.

Verdict: Yukio Mishima’s ghost has been haunting me for quite some time now. Whether it’s his work or Paul Schrader’s celebrated biographical film about his life, rare are the days in which his name doesn’t come up in some shape or form.

So I finally caved in and put on Schrader’s “Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters”, released in 1985 and still growing in popularity to this day. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect out of it, but I knew that it was one of those movies that I had to check off my watchlist.

And boy am I glad that I did.

Starting with the obvious, Schrader describes this film as being the best he ever directed. And not only do I agree with him, but I’ll take this statement a step further and say that it’s one of the best biographies ever made. Everything about it is masterfully executed, including the cinematography, music, and performances, but what struck me most about it is its unusual structure. The events are told in the form of flashbacks divided into 4 chapters, as suggested by the title. The first three chapters explore Mishima’s life and philosophies, intertwined with dramatizations of three of his novels that parallel the ideas he based his life around, ultimately leading to the final chapter which takes place on the day in which he’s remembering his existence. The balance between truth and fiction was wonderfully achieved, adding a lot of weight to the author’s legacy.

Now while I did label him an author, Mishima was much more than that and one of the reasons this movie makes for a fascinating watch is because it revolves around a fascinating figure. I knew next to nothing about him prior to watching this movie, but I came out of it with an urge of learning more about him and his thoughts.

The first thing I’m doing when the country reopens is getting one of his books (hit me up if you have any recommendations) but for now, all I can do is strongly recommend this film to anyone who still hasn’t seen it. It’s an eye opening, beautifully told biography about one of post-war Japan’s most remarkable individuals, and I cannot wait to revisit it.

FINAL GRADE: 9/10