I saw Hannibal Rising last night and, although I enjoyed it as a person who is only casually interested in the Silence of the Lambs films, there were a few things that made me drop my suspension of disbelief quite rapidly. I think I’ll just focus on one recurring thing for now, though.
Murasaki’s butsudan
So lady Murasaki has an adapted butsudan (Buddhist ancestor shrine/cabinet) in the house. Instead of it being an alcove or large cabinet in a separate room, the entire separate room (appears to be an attic) is transformed to be the butsudan. It’s certainly oddly decorated, as it appears that there are Noh masks hanging from thick fishing nets that are suspended from the ceiling. There are a handful of things that coincide with traditional Japanese Buddhist practice, but it seems scattered and a bit too western in its interpretation. Would Murasaki really have been Westernized enough to drastically change her worship space like that? Also, is there any precedent for polishing metal with clove oil, or is this just some crazy imagining of the author to drive along the plot? (I’m not even going to start with the samurai armor, as its pristine condition is an anachronism in and of itself.)