The Enclosed Body and the Expansion of “Black”: The Cinematic Space in Blind Beast and Music

Abstract

This study examines the peculiarities of space that appears in Masumura Yasuzo’s films. In Masumura’s films, closed spaces that imply asymmetrical power structures between men and women frequently appear. Many critics have focused on the actor’s body, especially the female body, that breaks through the confinement of such spaces.

Therefore, this study first focuses on the existence of a peculiar “closed area” in Blind Beast (1969) that emerges through the stage design. By focusing on the differences between this film and the original novel by Edogawa Ranpo, I argue that the darkness of the “closed area” is emphasized in the film. In Music (1972), the aforementioned darkness also has a strong presence. By analyzing the shots of the film and examining them spatially, this study examines the way in which the darkness extends to the space outside of it. The analysis of those two films reveals the importance of darkness in Masumura’s cinematic space. Finally, by examining the darkness in Masumura Yasuzo’s early works, this study concludes that the “black” color of darkness is symbolic of power derived from the feudal family system and social structure.