A Lonely Cow Weeps at Dawn (2003) [Uncut]

Director: Daisuke Gotô
Writer: Daisuke Gotô (screenplay)
Stars: Hôryû Nakamura, Ryôko Asagi, Yumeka Sasaki

A young widow, Noriko, lives with her senile father-in-law, Shukichi, on a farm. He believes his favorite cow, long gone, is still alive. Noriko pretends to be the cow and lets him milk her - a satisfying arrangement for them both. Shukichis daughter discovers their bizarre relationship and tries to put an end to it. This arthouse gem deals with taboo social issues in a very touching way.

A most unusually themed 'pink' wherein, Ryoko Asagi puts in a great performance as she successfully convinces us that she covers for her father-in-law's long lost cow. There are wonderfully erotic sequences and some wry humour but essentially this is a movie centred around the increasing senility of the ageing small holding owner, whose son has died and his wife played by Ryoko, has hung on in there. There is some fine cinematography, illuminating the rural scenes but this is never seeming to end gloriously and indeed in the end there is much pathos and a real sense of loss and generosity of spirit. Mind you if you are looking for fleshy sex, there is plenty here, so don't be put of by the serious side. One more film that surely could only have been made in Japan.

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If Grampa starts thinking you're a cow, what do you do? Well, if you're anything like, Noriko, you'll be a good cow, and wake up at 5 am every morning, strip naked, and wait patiently on all fours with the rest of the other cows for the senility stricken old man to yank on your nipples.

There was a time during the flick I was wondering if the old man was just a serious pervert, and he wasn't seeing a cow, but just saying those things to squeeze on his daughter-in law's boobies. As the story unfolds you see that his old age is indeed becoming a problem for him, and this is where the film opens your eyes to movie that's actually much deeper than previously thought. Combine it with some hot and heavy stuff and you got the makings of a very memorable pinku.

Lonely Cow Weeps at Dawn was a good one. With surprisingly good sex scenes, solid direction, acting and cinematography, mixed with an intriguing story, I was kept pretty entertained. And it doesn't hurt that the film is only a tad over an hour long. Check it out if you're looking to watch something a bit more abnormal.

IMDB Reviewers

A Lonely Cow Weeps at Dawn is a film of bittersweet sentiments, which credibly deals with loneliness, greed and the coming to terms with old age. Director Goto s strength is that he never overplays these sentiments, leaving the film to offer subtle depictions of various human emotions, which is helped out in no small part by a terrific ensemble who play their roles succinctly. It s indeed the simplicity of the film which allows it to work as well as it does, and though it employs a few common, or even clichéd, narrative devices to depict its urgency, its helmed by a man who understands his material and uses it to create a believable amount of pathos.

Likewise, Hajime Oba s score is beautifully poignant, while Masahide Iioka s photography keeps things visually alluring, with the Japanese countryside providing a pleasant change of pace. A Lonely Cow Weeps at Dawn is a touching film that carefully deals with real issues. The constraints - or rather reputation - of the genre means that it may never reach the wider audience it perhaps deserves, but at the very least it s out there, so those seeking a little arthouse gem for the time being need look no further.

Kevin Gilvear, DvDtimes.co.uk

Daisuke Gotô’s A Lonely Cow Weeps at Dawn (Yoake no ushi) adds an element of the surreal to a tale of Japanese drama and romance that creates an interesting balance between traditional and alternative cinemas. A Lonely Cow, also known as Cowshed of Immorality, presents the story of a widow named Noriko who wakes up every morning at sunrise to get to the house of her father-in-law (the late Horyu Nakamura) before he does. Once there, Noriko disrobes and pretends to be the senile man’s prize cow.

Yes! The logic behind the woman’s charade is to prevent the man’s daughter from taking over the farm by having him declared as incompetent. It becomes obvious, however, that the woman is attracted to the older man and her underlying motive is to feed her romantic desires. The father-in-law shows affection for Noriko that suggests he is equally interested, but it is also obvious that he slips in and out of delusional states. The cowshed fantasy game eventually leads to a physical encounter, but the relationship comes to an abrupt halt once the elderly man commits himself to a hospital.

The thought of a film focusing on a woman who is mistaken for a cow conjures up numerous unpleasant images. Gotô‘s film integrates this weird idea so tightly into a straightforward story of forbidden love that it works. In correspondence conducted for this article, Gotô cited his own imagination as well as Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1900 (Novecento) and Yasujiro Ozu’s Late Spring (Banshun) as thematic influences. Cultural symbolism also plays a role. A Lonely Cow uses physical acts, as opposed to words, to convey emotions and feelings. As previously mentioned, Noriko has dual motives: helping the older man and fostering a taboo relationship. Throughout most of the film, she expresses her emotions, in part, by pretending to be the man’s cow.

No verbal expressions of love are made until the two characters engage in a physical encounter. Once this is over, the verbal expression of emotions disappears. Upon marriage, many Japanese couples buy two bowls as symbol of marriage. The pair is shown eating meals throughout the movie with two such bowls. Here, the two bowls symbolize the internal feelings of love that cannot be acted upon because of the father-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship. Near the end of the film, Noriko prepares to leave the house after the deed has been turned over. A specific shot shows a single bowl, as opposed to two, in the kitchen, which symbolizes the end of the relationship.

The Experience of Cinema

Special Features:
– Daisuke Goto's Director's Notes;
– Cast and Crew Biographies;
– Original Artwork;
– Trailers