If you delve into the history of cinema, there are hundreds —or thousands— of movies whose reaction upon seeing them can only be “who has put money to make this madness come true?”. And I’m not just referring to the quality, but also to the peculiarities of the premises of many of them. However, few are as bizarre, strange, and curiously addictive as Symbol, directed by Hitoshi Matsumoto.
Released in 2009 in Japan, Symbol is one of the most surreal films made in the 21st century. Matsumoto is very popular in the eastern country thanks to being part of the comedy duo Downtown, but what he did in this film is practically inexplicable. I leave you with a trailer to whet your appetite, but I warn you that this is nothing compared to the experience of the film itself:
A mesmerizing film but not suitable for all audiences
The movie synopsis makes it clear that it is a quite strange film, and that’s because the protagonist doesn’t even have a name:
A Japanese man wakes up alone in a well-lit white room, with no doors or windows. When he presses a phallic protrusion that mysteriously appears on a wall, a pink toothbrush materializes out of nowhere, falls to the floor, and sets off a truly strange chain of events.
The imprisoned man begins to make hilarious attempts to escape from the room, throwing random objects against the walls and creating a large mousetrap in which a rope, a toilet brush, and a clay jar filled with sushi. Meanwhile, in a dusty village, a Mexican masked wrestler known as Escargot Man is preparing for an important fight. His family gathers around him, concerned about his apparent impassiveness before the battle.
At first, it seems like nothing is connected, and I’m not sure if the connection finally appears as you are imagining. But what can I say. The movie is mesmerizing and definitely worth it if you like unconventional cinema, so go watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
