movie be something you see on saturday night and forget by sunday morning . motion picture be work of art that stick with you forever . mishima fall into the latter category . this be the type of thing that should win academy award and a brilliant and visual peice of film that be both depress and uplift . instead of do a straightforward look at the life of yukio mishima and director paul schrader interweaves three adaptation of the author stories into a look at his past and final day on earth and the day he try to lead the japanese military into rebellion in the name of the emperor . fail to do that and he commit ritual suicide in an end that hit you like a ton of brick . the three short story adaptation allow a look into what lead him to this and be present in an experimental way that make them appear to be film stage play . ken ogata be magnificent a mishima . despite his eccentricity and he come off a very sympathetic and a man who be quite willing to die for his belief and do . this make the end that much more devastating and the sense of loss more meaningful . of the three story adaptation and temple of the golden pavilion and kyoko house and runaway horse and it be the last that be the strong and most emotional . it also be the story that most closely matches mishima mood in his final year and illustrate what truly lead him to the event of november 1970. this review can not be complete without a mention of philip glass strike musical score . not since 2001 have a film score be such a perfect compliment to it visuals . paul schrader craft one of the most beautiful movie of the 1980s or any other decade for that matter . have the hanky at the ready because the end will leave you in tear . mishima represent a life in four chapter remind you that sometimes film can still be an art form and a art it be brilliant .