Yukio Mishima coming from Criterion

Yukio Mishima is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating characters of Japanese arts, letters and culture of the 20th-century. A novelist and playwright nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature three times, he was celebrated for frankly addressing his own homosexuality in his works, especially in his 1948 novel "Confessions of a Mask".

Beyond his literary acclaim, though, he was heavily involved in the right-wing, pro-Imperialist movement in Japan, first enlisting in the Japanese Self Defense Forces in 1967 and then later assembling and training his own private army, the Tatenokai or "Shield Society", an organization dedicated to the traditional code of bushido in service to the Emperor. It was in his capacity as the leader of the Tatenokai that he led an unsuccessful coup attempt against the government in 1970 after which he committed ritual seppuku in the headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Japanese Self Defense Forces.

A lesser known chapter to Mishima's life was his involvement in Japanese cinema, primarily as an actor, starring in films for Yasuzo Masumura (Afraid to Die), Kinji Fukasaku (Black Lizard), and Hideo Gosha (Tenchu!).

His cinematic influence will be easier to explore this coming June when The Criterion Collection is set to release Mishima's single directorial effort "Patriotism", the story of the ritual suicide of a naval officer. All prints of the film had been destroyed after Mishima's suicide, so this is a fantastic opportunity for Japanese cinephiles.

Along with "Patriotism" Criterion is releasing a two-disc set of Paul Schrader's 1985 Mishima bio-pic "Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters". A whole article could be written about Schrader's role in introducing Japanese cinema to Western audiences (especially the works of Ozu), but that will have to wait for another day... "Mishima" stars Ken Ogata (Vengeance is Mine) as the author, and the soundtrack is provided by Philip Glass.