The Ceremony

The Ceremony (儀式, Gishiki) is a 1971 film directed by Nagisa Oshima, starring Kenzo Kawarasaki and Atsuko Kaku. The film takes place in postwar Japan, following a Japanese clan through their wedding and funeral ceremonies, and the lengths the family goes to preserve their traditions in spite of the damage it causes to the younger generations.

Plot

The film begins with Masuo Sakurada receiving a telegram from his cousin Terumichi. He is traveling with his cousin Ritsuko to check out his cabin and see if the telegram is true. Masuo has a flashback to the ceremony on the first anniversary of his father's death, after he and his mother repatriated to Japan from Manchuria. Because his younger brother died before they returned from Manchuria, Masuo is expected to live for two sons.

Throughout each of the ceremonies, the tangled family web is revealed, with numerous instances of incest that make the relationships between each of the family members somewhat unclear. The continued incest is not only expected amongst the family. Masuo himself is interested in Setsuko, and later Ritsuko, and finds himself in competition with Terumichi for them.

The Ceremony (song)

"The Ceremony" is a duet by country artists George Jones and Tammy Wynette. It was released by Epic Records as the married couple's second single together in 1972 and reached No. 6 on the Billboard country survey.

Background

"The Ceremony" was co-written by producer Billy Sherrill, who immediately recognized the potential sales-wise in recording duets on George and Tammy. Wynette, who had enjoyed immense success recording at CBS with Sherrill, convinced Jones to cut ties with his mentor Pappy Daily and buy out his contract at Musicor so he could record with her at Epic. Their first single, "Take Me," had been a Top 10 hit, but Sherrill saw it as only the beginning:

"The Ceremony" became the template for many of their early duets: romantic, occasionally overwrought Harlequin love songs that bubbled with optimism. The song mimics a wedding service, beginning with a minister's preamble over a church organ and containing verses where George and Tammy renew their vows and profess their love for each other. It became a highlight of their live shows, although Jones biographer Bob Allen wryly noted that when they sang "The Ceremony" onstage, it was "quite unlike the quickie civil ceremony with which they'd actually sealed their nuptial bond." In 1995, Jones reflected in his autobiography, "It sounds cheesy now, but it was a show-stopper for two people whose divorce was often the subject of tabloid speculation. People went crazy when we did 'The Ceremony' live."

The Ceremony (1963 film)

The Ceremony is a 1963 American crime film directed by Laurence Harvey and written by Ben Barzman. The film stars Laurence Harvey, Sarah Miles, Robert Walker, Jr., John Ireland, Ross Martin, Lee Patterson, Jack MacGowran, Murray Melvin and Noel Purcell. The film was released on December 18, 1963, by United Artists.

Cast

See also

References

External links