Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985) [The Criterion Collection]

Director: Paul Schrader
Writer: Chieko Schrader, Paul Schrader, Leonard Schrader
Stars: Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya, Hiroshi Mikami

Paul Schrader’s visually stunning, collagelike portrait of the acclaimed Japanese author and playwright Yukio Mishima (played by Ken Ogata) investigates the inner turmoil and contradictions of a man who attempted the impossible task of finding harmony among self, art, and society. Taking place on the last day of Mishima’s life, when he famously committed public seppuku, the film is punctuated by extended flashbacks to the writer’s past as well as gloriously stylized evocations of his fictional works. With its rich cinematography by John Bailey, exquisite sets and costumes by Eiko Ishioka, and unforgettable, highly influential score by Philip Glass, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is a tribute to its subject and a bold, investigative work of art in its own right.

Extras:
- New, restored 4K digital transfer of the director’s cut, supervised and approved by director Paul Schrader and cinematographer John Bailey, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- Two alternate English narrations, including one by actor Roy Scheider
- Audio commentary from 2006 featuring Schrader and producer Alan Poul
- Interviews from 2007 and 2008 with Bailey, producers Tom Luddy and Mata Yamamoto, composer Philip Glass, and production designer Eiko Ishioka (43:55, 21:59)
- Interviews from 2008 with Yukio Mishima biographer John Nathan and friend Donald Richie (26:44)
- Audio interview from 2008 with coscreenwriter Chieko Schrader (26:17)
- Interview excerpt from 1966 featuring Mishima talking about writing (06:15)
- The Strange Case of Yukio Mishima, a documentary from 1985 about the author (55:09)
- Trailer (01:23)