To Sleep, So As To Dream - 1986 - 7/10
AKA - Yumemiru Yôni Nemuritai // 夢みるように眠りたい/
A young female, Kikyo, is kidnapped and two detectives are hired to handle the ransom.
The culprits leave clues and riddles on how to proceed, from the sideshow to the carnival to stage.
One detective is able to deduce the puzzles, while his associate resembles Kato’s long lost nephew.
The ghost of an earlier Silent, “The Eternal Mystery” (which may remind chanbara fans of the Band Of Assassins franchise) plays as a film within a film.
The look, using multiple styles and techniques, is amazing and haunting.
This is dream cinema, blending obsession with magic, with references to Noir, Expressionism, Rampo.
Recently remastered, this should be on every film buff’s wish list.