Early Masterpieces 'The Kill' and 'Before the Revolution' Screened Together

Bernardo Bertolucci, son of the renowned poet and literary critic Attilio Bertolucci, carved his name into film history with 'Last Tango in Paris' and 'The Last Emperor.' For nearly 50 years, he projected his unique worldview onto the screen as both a poet and a film director. Now, his early masterpiece, 'Bertolucci's Partner,' finally arrives in Japan.

©1968 Red films Produced by Giovanni Bertolucci

Inspired by Dostoevsky's 'The Double,' 'Bertolucci's Partner' projects his own distinct style, vividly portraying the disintegration of Jacob, played by Pierre Clémenti, into two personalities: a rigid, unyielding young man and a violent, destructive killer. The film not only offers a glimpse into the source of his creativity but also, as his first all-color work, bursts with vibrant hues and overflowing talent.

Alongside 'Bertolucci's Partner,' the director's debut film 'The Kill' (1962), made when he was just 21, and 'Before the Revolution' (1964), an autobiographical work that sensitively depicts the identity crisis of a bourgeois youth, will also be screened.

Jacob's Transformation as He Spends Time with His Double

Jacob, a lonely young man who teaches at a university and is in love with Clara, the professor's daughter. One night, he sneaks into a room and fatally shoots a young man playing the piano. Jacob rushes to Clara's birthday party as if nothing happened, but his bizarre behavior leads to him being kicked out.

©1968 Red films Produced by Giovanni Bertolucci

On his way back, Jacob is confronted by a giant shadow – his own double. From that day on, Jacob and his double begin to live together in the same apartment. One day, Jacob unexpectedly receives a love letter from Clara. Jacob takes his driver, Petrushka, who handles all his daily needs, and goes on a simulated drive with Clara.

From that day on, Clara becomes increasingly infatuated with Jacob, but Jacob ends up killing her. Jacob, who had been somewhat shy until then, begins to change day by day as he spends time with his double. Jacob's murderous impulses also grow.──.

With the release of his first new film in 10 years, 'The Lonely Ones,' scheduled for April, director Bertolucci has embarked on a new phase of his career, marking half a century as a filmmaker. From these early masterpieces from 45 years ago, one can glimpse the youthful power and the origins of the world he has created.