Dancing Mary

Dancing Mary is a 2019 Japanese fantasy film directed and written by Sabu. It stars Naoto, alongside a supporting cast featuring Aina Yamada, Nozomi Bando, Ryo Ishibashi, and Kaito Yoshimura.[1] After its world premiere at Sitges Film Festival on October 9, 2019,[2][3] the film was set to be released on November 5, 2021, in Japan,[4] after it won several awards including Jury's Special Award at Fantasporto in 2020.[5][6]

Dancing Mary
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySabu
Screenplay bySabu
Produced by
  • Yoichi Shimizu
  • Chikako Nakabayashi
  • Osamu Ogahara
  • Kei Era
Starring
CinematographyHiroo Yanagida
Edited bySabu
Music byJunichi Matsumo
Distributed byKiguu
Release dates
  • October 9, 2019 (2019-10-09) (Sitges)
  • November 5, 2021 (2021-11-05) (Japan)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Plot

Timid civil servant, Kenji, is asked to take charge of demolishing a dance hall, where a big shopping mall is planned to be built. No one wants to do the job because the ghost of Mary, a former dancer in the dance hall, interrupts whenever attempts are made to tear the building down. Kenji tries to find an exorcist to lift the curse, and after several attempts, finally meets Yukiko, a high school girl with psychic powers who can see ghosts. Kenji and Yukiko then embark on a difficult journey to find Mary's lover, Johnny, so that the lovers can meet again before Mary's dancing hall is to be demolished.[7]

Cast
  • Naoto as Kenji Fujimoto, a civil servant who spends his days in a daze.
  • Aina Yamada as Yukiko, a high school girl with psychic vision.
  • Nozomi Bando as Mary, a ghost who used to be a dancer.
  • Ryo Ishibashi as Aniki, a yakuza member who knows where Jonny has gone.
  • Kaito Yoshimura as Jonny, Mary's lover who enjoys gambling and went missing.
  • Taro Suwa as Goro Iwata, Kenji's boss, who is developing the site of the former dance hall.
  • Ryuji Yamamoto as Kazuki Kito, the local yakuza leader who takes over demolition of the dance hall.[7]

Production

The film was shot in Tokyo, Kitakyushu, Taiwan in February 2018.[8]

Release

The film premiered at Sitges Film Festival on October 9, 2019. Naoto, Ryo Ishibashi, and Sabu attending the world premiere in Spain and greeted the audiences in Spanish and English.[9] The film was set to be released in 2020, but later changed its release date to 2021.[10] On August 6, 2021, it was announced that the film would be released on November 5, 2021.[11]

Marketing

When the film announced its released day of November 5, 2021on August 6, 2021, it was also announced that Naoto would also appear as a special guest in the Abema original drama JAM -the drama- directed by SABU, which would start airing on August 26, as Kenji Fujimoto, the main character of the film.[11]

Reception

Critical response

On the one hand, film citric Rouven Linnarz described the film as "an entertaining blend of horror and drama exploring themes like spirituality and determinism. ", and pointed out that the most interesting feature of the film, visually and narratively, is "how Sabu and cinematographer Hiroo Yanagida implement the world of the hereafter into the action. "[12] On the other hand, critic Arun Kumar thought the film "falls well short of being an enjoyable blend of multiple genres."[13]

Awards
Award Category Ref(s)
Fantasporto(2020) Jury's Special Award [5][6]
ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL Italy(2021) Most Original Film Award [14]

References
  1. "DANCING MARY ダンシング・マリー : 作品情報". 映画.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  2. "DANCING MARY - Sitges Film Festival - Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya". sitgesfilmfestival.com. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  3. "EXILE NAOTO、初主演映画携えスペインへ「シッチェスの"お祭り感"をビンビン感じた」". TOKYO HEADLINE (in Japanese). 2019-10-12. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  4. "EXILE・NAOTO×SABU監督『ダンシング・マリー』11・5公開へ｜シネマトゥデイ". シネマトゥデイ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  5. Toit, Ricardo Du (2020-03-09). "Os premiados do Fantasporto 2020 | Central Comics" (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  6. "EXILE NAOTOの初主演映画がポルト国際映画祭で審査員特別賞を受賞：中日スポーツ・東京中日スポーツ". 中日スポーツ・東京中日スポーツ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  7. "映画 「DANCING MARY」公式サイト | 2021年11月５日(金)より全国順次公開". 映画 「DANCING MARY」公式サイト | 2021年11月５日(金)より全国順次公開 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  8. Inc, Natasha. "NAOTOがSABU監督作で映画初主演、幽霊の願いを叶えようと奔走する公務員に（コメントあり）". 映画ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-10-03. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  9. "EXILE NAOTO、初主演映画携えスペインへ「シッチェスの"お祭り感"をビンビン感じた」". TOKYO HEADLINE (in Japanese). 2019-10-12. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  10. Inc, Natasha. "NAOTOがSABU監督作で映画初主演、幽霊の願いを叶えようと奔走する公務員に（コメントあり）". 映画ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-10-06. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  11. "EXILE・NAOTO×SABU監督『ダンシング・マリー』11・5公開へ｜シネマトゥデイ". シネマトゥデイ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  12. Linnarz, Rouven (2020-06-15). "Film Review: Dancing Mary (2019) by SABU". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  13. Kumar, Arun (2020-09-10). "Dancing Mary [2020] 'NYAFF' Review – A Stale and Reckless Genre Mix". High On Films. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  14. Inc, Natasha. "「ダンシング・マリー」伊アジアン映画祭で最優秀賞に、主演のNAOTO「大変光栄」". 映画ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-10-03. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
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