The Retriever, Issue 4, Volume 39

THE RETRIEVER September 21, 2004 Features 17 Swords, samurai and style: Bookfest brings out the best

attendance to imagine a time that Zatoichi a surprising success was comparably simpler and certain- ly much safer. We’re able to pretend that we’re living in a time period in KATIE BETTER title character is one of its most enjoyable elements. American history that encourages Retriever Weekly Guest Writer Kitano also uses a unique twist of digital tech- inclusion and community building nology to enhance the traditional, period battle and sharing. One booth selling Being a typical American, I tend to expect sequences. Audiences get an interesting combina- books posted a sign that claimed that almost any live-action movie about samurai to be tion, something definitely appropriate for the film’s profits would go to building Mount an emotional epic, dripping with blood and the comedic style. This movie received its R-rating for Vernon’s first public playground. For occasional flying limbs. That was my attitude “strong stylized bloody violence” after all. To be a day, in Baltimore City, everyone walking into Zatoichi, expecting a fantastic gorefest honest, the fights scenes were accompanied by was on equal footing—the police with flashing swords and pretty robes. chuckles from the audience; the spraying blood even treated the homeless man mak- Oh how wrong I was. reminded me of spurting Jell-O, which I thought ing conversation with fairness and Would you believe that this movie is a come- was pretty funny. Of course that’s not always a bad grace. There was nothing ugly or dy? The story follows an old samurai named thing, because it makes it easier for the fainter of dangerous about Baltimore at that Zatoichi as he hobbles around on his cane, carry- heart to stomach watching fingers being sliced off moment, and for me, that was a rev- ing vegetables for old ladies, chopping wood and as easily as a hot knife cleaves butter. In any case the elation. occasionally grabbing some sake (Japanese alco- swordsmanship is fantastic and fast-paced, so Jell- I think what an event like the hol). O blood or no, it’s exciting to watch and very Baltimore Book Festival aims to do is He doesn’t seem like a very interesting char- memorable. leave its audience with a visual acter at first glance until, without batting an eye- My favorite aspect of the film had to be the impression of something that isn’t lash, he slices into some bandits with his sword – a music. The musical and rhythmic elements truly visual. What is literacy, really? What is lethal weapon sheathed in his nondescript walking made this film “stylized.” Traditional instruments the importance of reading as a leisure cane. shape much of the atmosphere; Kitano makes activity? How necessary is a sense of Why? Our friend Zatoichi is blind. He hob- effective use of authentic Japanese instruments community? Often it would be too bles his way into a peculiar town rampant with the such as flutes, drums and the koto (a type of easy to say these things are not very gangs typical of feudal Japan and is saddened by stringed instrument). The music accompanying important, or very necessary, but per- the stories of its oppressed people. every scene, though sometimes subtle, manages to Heidi Heimsal [Retriever Staff] haps that’s what the point is. An There are a number of subplots going on in always feel appropriate, even satisfying. Even the All Bases Covered: UMBC Associate Dean Kathy O’Dell and event like this doesn’t leave in the town: two siblings, O-Sei and O-Kinu, pose as exploratory use of ethnic rhythms leaves a satisfy- Mark Durant debate and discuss their works. minds of its participants a list of geishas (prostitutes) in their search for the murder- ingly curious audio “aftertaste.” For example, in from BOOK FEST, page 14 booths visited and dollars spent, but ers of their family; Hattori, a skilled samurai, fights several scenes Kitano does long, wide shots of instead, leaves something so much more impor- for the most powerful crime lord in town for the farmers breaking it down with percussion beats out ond story, and tiny lions made up the base of its tant and complex. money he needs to cure his dying wife; lastly a of this world…or at least that time period. They outdoor lamppost. It’s truly the artistic heart of Baltimore’s local landmarks also threw open young man called Shinkichi struggles with his may just be hoeing their field, but every stroke of the city, flanked by the Walters Art Museum, their doors to the public for the weekend. The gambling addiction while his crotchety old Aunt their arms and every strike of their hoes are met Center Stage, the Peabody Institute and the lovely Mount Vernon Place United Methodist O-Ume gives him a piece of her mind. with a crisp, click-clacking beat that somehow feels Enoch Pratt Free Library. It’s a lovely, old fash- Church welcomed passers-by to sneak a peek at its ioned and beautiful part of Baltimore that’s stunning interior. All stained glass and walnut, shamefully easy to forget. hand-carved pews, this church was an event in The best part about this festival is the itself. We spent a good ten minutes talking to the amount of participation it garners from local busi- Pastor about the placement of the organs, the iron nesses. According to the official website work and the hand carved staircases. The Peabody (http://www.promotionandarts.com/resources/up Library, as I mentioned, was also open for viewing, 182.aspx), there were over 125 exhibits and and it’s quite possibly the most breathtaking build- organizations in attendance. Among those booths ing in all of Baltimore. Clearly created by someone I visited were the American Institute of Graphic with a real love for books and their visual presenta- Arts, Artists’ Books, the Baltimore Blues Society, tion, the Peabody is a sight for sore eyes: the per- Usborne Books at Home, Strebor Books fect library. Complete with narrow central stair International and the Crafts Corridor. My father cases, a real card catalogue and pristine wooden made a newspaper hat at one of the children’s tents conference tables, this six story library has made it and scoped out 50 cent sci-fi books at the onto a small list of my favorite places in the world. Baltimore Science Fiction Society, Inc. At the The Baltimore Book Festival is free, easily Next Big Thing Stage, we both learned about the navigable and completely worth the time of every- art of self-publishing. We befriended the local one in the area. This isn’t some nebbishes’ book fes- artist responsible for creating Baltimore’s well- tival. Instead, this is a book festival that everyone known art cars: bizarre art-car amalgamations dec- can love. Being there on a cloudy September day orated with hands, Barbie dolls, magnets and in Maryland almost broke my heart because it was Mardi gras beads. He invited us to his Guy so unerringly perfect and uncomplicated that I Fawke’s celebration. didn’t feel I deserved it. A festival like this should There’s something for everyone at the only come along once in a very great while; how- Baltimore Book Festival, and this is what makes it ever, Baltimore is supremely lucky to have it every so great. What amazed me were the amount of year. Check it out next September because there’s tiny publishing houses and self-publishers; I had something for everyone and very little possibility of no idea Baltimore had so many! One tent featured disappointment. only romance books written by African American women; at the tent for a Red Emma’s, a local Sarah Pevner is a staff writer for The Retriever socialist bookstore, goateed college students dis- Weekly. You may reach her at [email protected]. courtesy of zatoichi.co.uk cussed Marx while eating kettle corn. Usborne Blind justice: “Even with my eyes wide open, I can’t see a thing,” says legendary swordsman Zatoichi. Books at Home sold unusual children’s book titles, of which I consider “Fairy Cooking” and a book about learning to sing opera tunes my We follow the blind Zatoichi as he rights artistic and right-on. favorites. Food was everywhere, ranging from wrongs and sets things straight like every good guy The fight scenes, too, benefit from Kitano’s pretzels and sweet tea to beer and kielbasa. In should. use of music. The energy in the combat scenes is many ways this festival rivals the long-ago days of Pretty serious stuff, huh? Throw in some dramatically heightened by the addition of a bass the Baltimore City Fair, a city tradition that has unpredictability and give the characters some beat to the background music, giving it a pulse- sadly become extinct as a result of economic ups quirks and the mood lightens up when it needs to. pounding, almost subliminal sense of rhythm. To and downs. The acting is well done given the personalities of round out the film, audiences get a musical-style In the middle of the day my father and I sat the characters. You have the wise, mysterious old finale complete with the ensemble cast dancing down at a picnic table to eat and rest our feet. man, the cranky auntie, graceful and vengeful away at a cultural festival! Certainly not to be There we listened to The Goldtops, presented by geishas, stern warriors, raucous gangsters, the missed! the Baltimore Blues Society, an authentic up- clumsy youth, the village idiot, lots of nameless Zatoichi is certainly out of the ordinary, with tempo blues band. Stretched out underneath the henchman, dancing farmers and much, much its unique combination of technology-assisted clouds on an old picnic bench, we watched as an more. gore, light humor and inexplicable use of music. African-American teamster and his wife danced The actors fit each mold perfectly; their inter- You don’t have to be familiar with Japan’s rich his- the jitterbug while an older Caucasian man in actions support the solid, character-driven plot, tory or culture to understand the humor or impor- cowboy boots did an improvised line dance. A which director Takeshi Kitano advances while tance of the story being told. Zatoichi is a film for woman danced with two small, yappy dogs wear- simultaneously delving into each character’s all cultures that will have you walking out of the ing sweaters, and what is quite possibly the world’s respective back story. Kitano himself stars as theater with a grin. cutest baby ran around holding a bag of popcorn Zatoichi, a singular achievement since he performs as big as he was. I have had very few days quite as both tasks admirably; the film’s direction is solid Katie Better is a guest writer for The Retriever lovely as this one, and none of them in Baltimore. and Kitano’s gentle, sagely characterization of the Weekly. You may reach her at [email protected]. The Baltimore Book Festival allows those in