DVD Review: Love Letter (When I close my Eyes) (Japanese)
Written by: Kage Alan

Film Rating: A
DVD Special Features: N/A

Wow.  It's been a while since I was this blown away after watching a film.  I
usually enjoy foreign movies more often than what Hollywood turns out anyway, but "Love Letter" is simply spectacular and beats anything I've seen recently hands down.  Anything I can say to introduce the film just goes right into the plot, so that's where I'll pick it up at.

Hiroko Watanabe (Miho Nakayama) is a young 20 something (I'm guessing) whose fiancée, Itsuki Fujii, died two years earlier.  The film starts off at the
graveyard during the second year anniversary of the death.  She, his family
and their friends are gathered there to pay their respects, only there's so
much more going on beneath the surface of the event.  Hiroko, for whatever
reason, has never been able to let go of the love of her life.  The memories
of what once was and what could have been haunt her day and night and it's at
Itsuki's parents' home that she gets an idea that might help her say goodbye.

Itsuki's mother shows Hiroko some of his old high school yearbooks and they
reminisce about old times.  The original house where Itsuki grew up has long
since been covered up by a local freeway, but the address is listed in the
yearbook and Hiroko writes it down.  Why?  She writes Itsuki a short letter
and sends the letter off to that address knowing full well that it will never
arrive.  It's a letter to Heaven and a way for her to start letting go.   
Shigeru (Etsushi Toyokawa), one of Itsuki's best friends who has fallen in
love with Hiroko, thinks her idea is a little odd, but is supportive because
it may help her to realize how he feels about her.  Affairs of the heart
often complicate matters and this is no exception.  An odd little thing
happens, though, and Hiroko receives a response.

I'm going to try and not give too much away here, but this is where the story
really begins to find its heart.  It turns out there is a young girl who
lives in the same original town as Itsuki, went to school with him and shares
the same exact name.  Once they find out who each other is and what their
connection is, she and Hiroko soon find themselves corresponding with each
other on a regular basis.  For Hiroko, it is an opportunity to learn about
her fiancée and live memories about him through somebody else's eyes.  For the female Itsuki, it is at first a chore to relive painful childhood memories,
but then turns into a voyage of discovery for herself as well.

Both Hiroko and Itsuki each have their own stories and lives going on, yet
are connected through the correspondences.  The characters and those around
them are beautifully fleshed out and truly compliment the events in the film.
One of the most impressive aspects of "Love Letter" is that both Hiroko and
Itsuki are played by the same actress.  You would never know it, though.   
Each has their own little traits and characteristics, expressions, way of
talking as well as a separate history that is perfectly and naturally acted
out.

The ending is a bit of a surprise.  Each story that's going on has its own
resolution and I didn't find any of it predictable at all.  There is so much
sadness in "Love Letter", yet for each sadness there is something going on in
the other's life that keeps the film from becoming overly heavy.  I found
myself being able to sympathize and empathize with much of what was going on and was very touched by the characters' motivations and longings.  Events are treated respectfully and seriously by the cast and director, so once this
film pulls you in, you won't want to stop watching.

The Anamorphic Widescreen quality on this disc is outstanding, especially
where the cinematography is concerned.  Much of it was filmed in snow and I couldn't help but be reminded of the film version of "Snow Falling On Cedars".
Each uses nature for dramatic effect and "Love Letter" uses it brilliantly.   
I really can't say enough about it, so I'll quit before I become too verbose.
The audio is top notch too, especially when music by Remedios is playing
(which reminds me of a cross between Angelo Badalamenti and Vangelis).  The only language track on the disc is the original Japanese one, but there are subtitles in Korean, Japanese and English.  The subtitle track has a few typos in it, but that's really an extremely small complaint compared to the
film itself.  Because this DVD is not available in North America, it's nice
to see that it has been made to play in all regions of the world.  Anyone in
the US or Canada seeking out a copy should be able to play them on Region 1 machines.

I labeled the Special Features Rating as "N/A" because I can't really rate
what's here.  There is some cast and crew information, some text on "The
World of Iwai Shunji" (the Director), a "Synopsis" and "Epilogue", an
"Animated Storyboard" and "Theatrical Trailer", but none of it is in English.
This should definitely NOT detract you from seeking this film out.  Extras
are nice, but it's the film that's most important.  While not labeled as a
"Special Edition", the distributor has seen fit to include the soundtrack to
the "Love Letter" on a separate disc inside the case.  It's beautiful music
and evokes the same kind of response that the John Barry and Roger Williams
"Somewhere In Time" soundtrack did.  I would have actively sought this music
out had it not been included.

I owe a great big HUGE "thank you" to my friend Jerry in Hong Kong for
sending this DVD to me.  It seems that whenever I start feeling a little too
cynical about what's released in the theatres over here, he somehow manages
to read my mind and shares one of his favorites with me that makes me
appreciate cinema for what it ought to be used for instead of what it often
is.  This isn't to say that I'm not still waiting for the day when
"Megaforce" is released on Widescreen DVD, but at least I'll have something
classy and cultured to watch in the meantime.  Thanx again, Jerry.  It was
wonderful!  If anybody has seen "Love Letter" or would like to know how to
acquire a copy, drop me a line and I'll ask Jerry to send you one too.  Just
kidding.  I'll request information on where to order it and pass it along.   
"Love Letter" is a must for anyone who has ever loved with all their heart.

Kage holds degrees in Creative Writing, as well as Film & Video. He has been featured in a Life Journey Tele-Course, published poems in several national anthologies, been a contributor to The Third Coast Magazine and written several novels. kage@modamag.com This site is a