Cure

A film that takes its time, a true slow burn. It was a bit odd at first, but once you get into the rhythm of Cure, you are hypnotized into this world of evil and malaise. Kurosawa has structured, edited, and shot the film in such a way that it hypnotizes the viewer into a trance. The story itself is an exploration of how pure evil is transferred between people, feeding on our very own repressed desires and frustrations with ourselves and the world around us. Once we let the evil in, it becomes us - it infects us like a disease until nothing is left. Mamiya was a conduit of this evil, of course. It's implied he watched the old tape and listened to the phonograph; he lost his identity. Because of his fragile mental state, he became obsessed with the different psychological treatments brought on by Mesmer, which exposed him to the occultish evil that takes over him. Mamiya is barely a person anymore, just a vessel. Because of his internal emptiness and amnesia, he is unburdened by the difficulties of life. He doesn’t have to deal with things like morality - he is just pure evil and nothing else. He views himself as a truly free man, which is such a big part of the horror. The danger coming from him is not due to his strength or weapons, it’s his mind. Merely being in his presence is enough to draw out the evil within him, which is why Sakuma wants Takabe to be careful around Mamiya. His purpose, as explained by Sakuma, is to carry out "a propagation of the ceremony". To spread the evil, but also to find a worthy successor, which is Takabe. Those who can resist become the most evil of us. They are the ones who possess the power to control us. The final scene - which I immediately rewatched to fully understand - exemplifies this perfectly. He finishes hus meal at the restaurant easily, which he struggled to do earlier, and he seems content. He is seemingly at peace with himself, and is extremely powerful   , as shown by how easily he makes the waitress grab the knife. Takabeis a perfect conduit for this evil, not only because of his mental state, but also because of his strength. He can resist Mamiya like no one else can, which makes him the perfect target. I also think that Kirosawa implies that it was Mamiya who caused Fumie's mental issues, not dementia or some disease, which suggests that Takabe's transformation has been in the works for a long, long time. This brings up even more questions, like whether the evil was discovered with Mesmer or whether it has always been there, waiting for a conduit. I'm left with these questions, and honestly feel eager to revisit and rewatch. A true puzzle-box of a film. A demanding watch, but extremely rewarding.