Reviews

The contemporary crestings of New Wave film movements in France, Germany, and Australia have been well documented. Now comes an introduction to the angry young men of 1960s Japanese cinema. Led by Nagisa Oshima, these directors sought to overthrow the cinematic conventions of their distinguished predecessors (Kurosawa, Ozu) and deal more honestly with postwar Japan. Aside from Oshima ( Realm of the Senses ; Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence ), few of these directors are known in the United States. Desser's scholarly study is broad, meticulous, and quite thorough, and may help to sheld light on their work. Thomas Wiener, formerly with ``American Film,'' Washington, D.C.