Trailer Park: “Norwegian Wood” (Based On the Novel By Haruki Murakami)

An adaptation of a beloved work of Japanese literature, scored by one of the guys from Radiohead.

Yes, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood is scoring the film, but, if you don't know, Japanese writer Haruki Murakami is regarded as one of the greatest living novelists in modern literature. One of his most popular works, Norwegian Wood (referencing The Beatles’ record), has been adapted into film by art-house French director Anh Hung Tran (The Scent of Green Papaya) with some levels of adjustment from the novel’s original plotline. Starring Rinko Kikuchi (Babel), Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note), and newcomer Kiko Mizuhara, the movie (like the book) centers on a coming-of-age story detailing a college student’s confusing relationship with two different girls set during post-war Japan in the late 60s. As with most book-to-film adaptations, we doubt it’ll top the original, and reviews that surfaced since its premiere at Venice Film Festival somewhat support our assumption. The trailer, however, looks beautiful. From its gentle beginning leading up to the dramatic climax, we’re sensing more of the non-verbal, snow-drenched sentimental elements commonly found in Japanese cinema. The film is hitting theaters in the U.K. on March 11th, without a set date for an American release yet.

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