Garasu no nô (1999) User Reviews

A Charming Film

[Kat097 · 7/10 · 13 July 2005]

I watched this film without knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised.

Whilst some of the scenes in the film could be considered decidedly cheesy, much of it is wonderfully sweet and will stay with you long after the film has ended.

The basic plot has a charming edge to it, of a modern Sleeping Beauty. Personal favourite parts would be when Yuichi takes Yumi outside for the first time and her joy at the world without even knowing anything about it.

Don't dismiss this film. It's worth seeing.

An interesting look at Hideo's filmography

[UberNoodle · 5/10 · 26 May 2005]

Well, like probably everyone who is looking at this page, I saw this film as part of the Tartan Film, Ring Trilogy Box Set. From the write up on the case, it claims that Sleeping Bride is "thematically" related to The Ring. That can mean anything really, and because logo on the Disc was of a scary variety, I automatically, assumed this to be a horror film. It wasn't ... at all.

But that doesn't mean that it wasn't a good film, it was. For a while though I though it would it turn dark .. and in a few scenes, I REALLY though it would, but it never did. It is a light and somewhat sentimental film, based on the classic Sleeping Beauty story. It explores some interesting ideas, and brings fantasy into a modern setting.

The relationships and interactions between the characters, especially in school, are particularly pure in parts, and reminded me of some of the animation from Ghibli, though this is probably because the story was based on the work of another animation and comic legend, Osamu Tezuka.

This film suffers mostly from being misrepresented. It has been distributed with 3 horror films, and despite the quirkiness of the concepts, Sleeping Bride is a cute, emotional character study, that poses a few questions, and can make you ponder things a little. Not scary in the slightest .. unless you count dying of of embarrassment for the main character in some scenes! ;P

I am glad I saw this film, but I guess, since I consider it as "free", that lessens the pain a little more, than if I had a 5000 yen hole in my wallet, and only this movie to show for it. For an interesting look at Hideo Nakata's filmography, and for an interesting, and moving story, check out this film, but make sure you get 3 Ring films with it ;P

a teen movie

[toasterc · 2/10 · 5 December 2000]

It is hard to describe this film and one wants to tried hard not to dismiss it too quickly because you have a feeling that this might just be the perfect film for some 12 years old girl...

This film has a nice concept-the modern version of Sleeping Beauty with a twist. It has some rather dreamy shots and some nice sketches of the young boy relationship with his single working mother and his schoolmate... a nice start you might say, but then it got a bit greedy, very greedy, it tries to be a science fiction, a drama, a thriller, a possible romantic love story, fairy tale, a comedy and everything under the sun. The result just left the audience feeling rather inadequate. For example, the scene when the girl(played by Risa Goto) finally woken by his(Yuki Kohara) kiss, instead of being romantic, it try's to be scary in order to make us laugh afterwards... it is a cheap trick, because it ruin all the anticipation and emotion which it was trying to build for the better half of the film.

I have not read the original story the film is base on (it is the well-known work by the comic-book artist Osamu Tezuka is famous with his intriguing and intricate stories) I wonder if all the problems exsist in the original story or did it occur in the adaption? It is rather illogical even for someone who is used to the "fussy logic" of those japanese comic-book. For instance, how did Yuki Kohara's character manage to get to the hospital in an instant(when its suppose to be a long bus-ride away)to run away Risa Goto's character in front of the tv cameras right after he saw her live interview on the television?

There are also some scenes that is directly copied(very uncreative!) from other films and they all seem rather pointlessly annoying ie. the famous "the Lion mouth has caugh my hand" scene from "the "Roman Holiday"

The film tries to be everything but ends up being nothing... it fails to be a fairy tale and it did not have enough jokes to be a comedy... and strangely there are some scenes that even seem like an unintentional "ghost" movie. Nevertheless, one should give it credit that it has managed to caputured some of the sentiment of the japanese teenager.

It is by watching this film I have a feeling that there might be some films that should have come with a warning label that said "this film might only be suitable for person under the 18 of age", it would have definitly been on the poster of this film.

Boy falls in love with sleeping girl, girl wakes up...

[MegatonShotblast · 8/10 · 16 March 2005]

I got this film in the Ring trilogy box set and according to the write up it was going to be a horror version of Sleeping Beauty and was similar in style to Ring.

Its pretty much wrong on both accounts. Although the story is based on the Sleeping Beauty story I fail to see where they got the horror element from.

It does have a similar look to the Ring but thats only cause its made by the same guy. But if your going in expecting a horror film then your gong to be a bit disappointed. Then again having said that I was expecting a horror and I came out enjoying it even more then I thought I was going to. Call me a sentimental old fool but when a love story is done well I really love a good love film.

I'm sorry my review isn't so good but I couldn't let there be only one review especially one saying it sucked.

A cute film to watch with your friends...

[smiling_guy · 8/10 · 1 June 2005]

Okay, so if you're having a nice day and you don't want to watch a horror movie with your friends and you want your girlfriend to be putty in your hands, then rent this and show it to her.

I was lucky enough to get this from Japan before it came out in the UK with the box set. When I watched it, I really wanted to see it for it's Rikiya Otaka at the start. He played his part great in the movie as younger Yuuchi. He was cool the way he played it.

I think you should watch it if you want a sappy and good hearted romance with cute little kiddies in it and high young girl. One for the ladies, and one for us lads if we've got her on a date! Really cool, bye!

Absolutely stunning.

[arabesuku · 10/10 · 13 June 2006]

Garasu No Nou (I'm told it literally means 'Brain made out of glass', or something like that... just 'Brain of glass'?), or Sleeping Bride/Glass Brain, is a wonderful play with the traditional fairytale Sleeping Beauty with a modern twist. Hideo Nakata has made this movie just as beautiful as his fantastic movie 'Ringu'.

A love story and tragedy at the same time, a boy named Yuichi is hospitalised for asthma at age 7 but he spends a lot of his time at the hospital visiting Yumi, a girl who has been in the hospital all her life, but asleep all her life. She has never woken up since childhood. The nurses and doctors can't do anything to wake her. Yuichi associates her with the story of Sleeping Beauty and starts to believe that if he kisses her, she will wake up. So he does this for a long time, but he eventually leaves the hospital and grows up. Then, about ten years later, he sees a news report about Yumi's story and remembers her. He goes back to try and wake her up, and eventually she does. She learns fast and he falls in love with her. But can this bliss REALLY last? The acting is absolutely superb, the plot is fantastic and the emotions are definitely stirred up in this movie. It's a magical piece of cinema and it's sad that so few have seen it. I think it only comes with the Ringu box set.

WARNING: This film's a real tear-jerker - it makes me cry every time I see it!

Beautiful beautifully rendered film

[ian-clark6 · 10/10 · 11 November 2008]

To compose into words just how good this film is would be nigh on impossible for myself. As other users have noted this film, packaged with the RINGU trilogy box set, is given a misleading approach by the liner notes stating it is thematically similar to the RINGU films. However what I can say is that this deliberately fools you - horror? NO. Enjoyable? Well........read on.......

The style of the film with the neutral colours and direction, the way in which it is lit and photographed, is absolutely stunning. I myself put the DVD on thinking it would be a horror - after thirty minutes I was frowning, but by the end I was in awe of how good a film it actually is. It takes you on an unexpected journey and you disembark feeling so much the better! To open with a large scale disaster and end with a more personal one - it comes full circle. Along the way you grow as the main characters develop and see things as they would. For the theological discussion at the end brings home exactly why Yumi has been granted this time on Earth - that God watches over us and tests the human spirit? For Yuuichi to be surrounded by all his friends and loving mother yet he is prepared to risk all on Yumi? Would I be alone in thinking that she is a gift from God? She fell from the sky and therefore the angel-likening stems from that. Towards the end her Father is calling her and she knows she must return - can Yuuichi give back that which is most precious to him? The end reveals the answer to this..

To sum up though these petty ramblings I would say that this film is an absolute delight to watch and is up there in my favourites - and I have the most eclectic taste in films!! Watch it - put the DVD on, sit back and enjoy!!