The Contestant – REVIEW

As someone who has spent countless hours poring over the annals of reality television and its often-questionable impact on society, I found ‘The Contestant‘ to be a harrowing and thought-provoking documentary. The story of Nasubi, a wannabe comedian trapped in a small room for over a year in pursuit of fame, resonated deeply with me – not because of the fame aspect, but because of the profound psychological toll it took on an individual.

In an era dominated by easy fame through social media, the new documentary ‘The Contestant’ transports us to the origins of this phenomenon, focusing on an aspiring comedian named Nasubi. At that time, Tsuchiya, a prominent Japanese producer, had created a segment for one of his shows titled ‘A Life in Prizes.’ Through a random draw, Nasubi was chosen to live by himself in this segment. However, he would later reflect on it as anything but fortunate.

The Contestant shares a unique perspective, blending his own experiences with those of the producers, input from the TV team, and insights from BBC’s Japan correspondent. This blend results in an eye-opening and often hard-to-believe television segment. Initially, it didn’t garner much attention, but quickly gained traction to become a global topic of discussion, with news networks worldwide reporting on the contestant’s year-long ordeal, which was filmed without clothing, and the producer leveraging this for increased viewership, all in the early stages of 24/7 webcam broadcasting.

The film quickly reveals that, aside from high viewer numbers, there was virtually nothing beneficial about this situation. His family felt sad, angry, and ashamed due to his public humiliation; older viewers, who had survived Hiroshima, were displeased by his constant hunger; Nasubi himself became increasingly lonely, depressed, and contemplated death as an option. However, he did have an escape route: all he needed to do was express a desire to leave, yet the documentary fails to provide a convincing reason as to why he chose to stay. Matters worsened for him when the producer added a particularly detrimental psychological element.

Clair Titley’s documentary, titled “A Life in Prizes,” is a riveting watch for the first hour, but unfortunately loses steam afterward. Remarkably, this film was made before Big Brother and The Truman Show were released, with the latter premiering months later. Despite its shortcomings, it remains just as chilling to witness the exploitation of a solitary, undressed man, Nasubi, who appears to be robbed of his dignity in an often heartless manner. It’s distressing that the producer prioritized capturing Nasubi’s face upon release over ensuring his wellbeing. The documentary lacks insight into the impact this ordeal had on Nasubi’s mental health, and it fails to condemn the show for its humiliating tactics, such as mocking him for his long face. What makes this situation even more troubling is that it seems to have inspired fame-hungry individuals willing to endure extreme measures just to appear on television.

Here’s The Contestant trailer…..

2024-11-26 03:23

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