Yukio Mishima

A DVD of the 1985 movie: Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is being released in the US. I have read a few of his books and was never a great fan, although I did like The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea. He was one of Japan's more famous writers and our hero, Blinky Ishihara, was a friend. Some folks also admire him for his fascination with death and I am not talking about Japanese.

Along with the DVD, his film "Patriotism" in which he played a soldier who killed himself will be released. I read that article and remembered a very short film of his which one of my professors had suggested that I watch when I was in college. He did not suggest it for the artistic value, but so that I could get some idea of the fanaticism that existed in some parts of the Japanese military in, and prior to, WW2.

I did a search and found "Yukoku." Below are 4 clips from YouTube. They aren't matched exactly, but I believe most of the film is included. Be warned, it is bloody.

1---http://youtube.com/watch?v=DqUmmMocMqo&feature=related
2---http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=_DtumtCQ0gk&NR=1
3---http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=vsbftwFKjIA&feature=related
4---http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ1cSiL_cUw&feature=related

3 July: Edited to add a link to the NYT article concerning the DVD release.