Time and Place Are Nonsense: The Films of Seijun Suzuki (Freer Gallery of Art Occasional Papers, New Series)

I didn't know much about Seijun Suzuki going into this book, but I'm glad I do now. Vick's passion for Asian cinema is evident, as is his expertise on the topic. (He also wrote the terrific Asian Cinema: A Field Guide.) As the book description says, Suzuki has influenced filmmakters like Jim Jarmusch, Baz Luhrmann, and Quentin Tarantino. Time and Place are Nonsense is a wonderful look at his work.

Great read.

This book, written in a style similar to a catalog for an art exhibition, provides an excellent and readable overview of Suzuki's professional life. It's full of illustrative stills and clearly stated analyses of the most identifiable trademarks of Suzuki's style. While it doesn't attempt to make a definitive interpretation, it takes time to consider each film, and does an admirable job of placing them in context, both at the time they were created and in the contemporary canon. Recommended in particular for Suzuki fans looking to dive a deeper into his works and methods.