Today marks the release of Wim Wenders’ new film, Perfect Days, in UK cinemas. The film includes a rock’n’roll soundtrack, which features an impressive lineup of classic tunes. Yakusho, played by Koji Yakusho, the film’s protagonist, spends a sizeable amount of his day listening to music and reading his favourite books.
Wenders wrote the movie with Takuma Takasaki, and it premiered in 2023 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, and the Best Actor award went to Yakusho. The film is the first ever Japanese nominee for the Best International Feature Film award at the Oscars not to be directed by a Japanese filmmaker.
Wenders is a prominent figure from the New German Cinema movement in the 1970s and is best known for Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire, and Buena Vista Social Club. He is considered a master of the art of cinema, and Perfect Days is simply another example of his brilliance.
The soundtrack is the perfect accompaniment to the movie. The character Yakusho listens to music on his way to work, and the songs included in the film are all-time classics. The Animals’ ‘The House of the Rising Sun’, The Velvet Underground’s ‘Pale Blue Eyes’, Otis Redding’s ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay’, and ‘Redondo Beach’ by Patti Smith are just a few of the gems that make the list.
In an interview with NME, Wenders discussed how Hirayama, the character played by Yakusho, chooses the music he listens to. He said that the character is “clinging a little bit also to his youth and loves that music. He chooses in the morning exactly what he’s going to listen to that day. And it’s not random.” Wenders also praised Lou Reed’s contributions to the film, calling him “a mighty voice,” and Nina Simone, one of the great heroes of his life.
Perfect Days is a must-see for anyone that loves cinema, music and and an all around great flick
Read the full article on NME here: Read More