Inanity and reality television are bedfellows. The specialty of reality television is humiliating people for audience snickers. A prime example would be “90 Day Fiancée”. What is next “Romans Feeding Christians to the Lions: Live at the Coliseum!”
It may well be that reality television was born with the Japanese television show “Denpa Shonen” specializing in endurance tasks for its younger contestants. In 1998 a version of the show “A Life of Prizes” was launched. Tomoaki Hamatsu aka “Eggplant” (nasubi in Japanese) because of his longish face was selected to participate in the show. Not knowing if the show would ever be broadcast, he was placed in a room stripped naked and left to survive with magazines and postcards offering prizes including the food he needed to survive which include dog kibble. When his total prize value reached a million yen the contest would end. Real intelligent television.
To the amusement of a television audience that reached 30 million people Nasubi demeaned himself and delighted the younger viewers. The older generation and his own family were not amused by what some family members referred to as cruel exploitation. Nasubi also maintained diaries which later became best sellers.
And when he reached one million yen there was an immediate spinoff Denpa Shonen in Korea. 15 months later that show was wrapped up and Nasubi was taken in front of a live audience and the shock on his face when the blindfold was removed was gigantic. He simply could not comprehend what was happening. I query if the audience enjoyed clips of his desperation in that room? He said that suicide was contemplated and he suffered loneliness. He had lost the ability to connect with people. He felt broken, lost his faith in humanity, his heart wrapped in loneliness, shame and an inability to keep up with people’s expectations.
Years later the Fukushima nuclear disaster and a deadly avalanche at the Everest base camp, which Nasubi survived unlike 19 people who lost their lives, healed, through the reaction of Nasubi, the devastating effects of a reality show.
Directed by Claire Titley.
“The Contestant” has its Hollywood Suite on Demand premiere on 1July2024 with a broadcast release on 20July2024.
RKS 2024 Film Rating 84/100.
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