tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498866791857479862024-03-05T19:33:21.905-08:00Kurosawa in Review"Take myself, subtract movies, and the result is zero"
-Akira KurosawaKevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-47513371418498182922009-08-27T10:57:00.000-07:002009-08-29T15:06:16.097-07:00Ran (1985)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />After <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha</span>, Kurosawa set out to make the film that he had been wanting to make for almost a decade, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran</span>.<br /><br /><span>Though he would direct three films after it, </span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Ran </span>would be Kurosawa's final epic period film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPBhKUu5fScBAAZ6RFEDIWGrZMlK86YbVTjjamFd0ey5gK8VTDQpA8uGGrGWXiMHVvaYKYbQ3iSCjeJUdB54Nt80dFh5jvyGeMX9qt4gEiLLG1WK0g2EuNYOdCtyPUHLWKsV0D9YFwvg/s1600-h/ran.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPBhKUu5fScBAAZ6RFEDIWGrZMlK86YbVTjjamFd0ey5gK8VTDQpA8uGGrGWXiMHVvaYKYbQ3iSCjeJUdB54Nt80dFh5jvyGeMX9qt4gEiLLG1WK0g2EuNYOdCtyPUHLWKsV0D9YFwvg/s320/ran.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374707837968782786" border="0" /></a><br />He initially had trouble finding the $12 million he needed to make the film. It was the highest budget for a Japanese film ever at that time.<br /><br />Finally he found the money he needed in the French producer Serge Silberman.<br /><br />Kurosawa initially thought of the idea when he read about a famous warlord named Mori Motonari, who was known to have three sons.<br /><br />Kurosawa only later discovered the similarities between this story and Shakespeare's <span style="font-style: italic;">King Lear</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ran </span>was nominated for four Oscars. One which it won for Best Costume Design, and three which it did not win including Best Directing.<br /><br />Because of the Japanese film industry's ill feelings towards Kurosawa at the time, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran </span>was not entered as the Japanese film in the Best Foreign Film Oscar category nor was it nominated for Best Feature at the Japanese Academy Awards.<br /><br />Despite its massive budget, the film did make enough to come out a few million dollars ahead.<br /><br />But most importantly, Kurosawa was able to make the film he had been wanting to for years. Though not his final film, it is certainly his last great masterpiece.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ran </span>tells the story of a fictional clan leader named Hidetora Ichimonji and his three sons Taro, Jiro and Saburo.<br /><br />After a boar hunt the four men sit down with two lords from neighboring clans when Hidetora falls asleep.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddhO4jdxPMnUPRQwHDm9OeN6FBPBIFs8IEWLtcNM4m3hjzv4I69TbX95t5K4T1jc4aD9aSmTc-oMSqIAzSn9VWZI_lcutAX5YKarOm8_6DoSUH4k50e-V4Eg4CNKZF4tKjdTWwhYpRM8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h37m45s45.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddhO4jdxPMnUPRQwHDm9OeN6FBPBIFs8IEWLtcNM4m3hjzv4I69TbX95t5K4T1jc4aD9aSmTc-oMSqIAzSn9VWZI_lcutAX5YKarOm8_6DoSUH4k50e-V4Eg4CNKZF4tKjdTWwhYpRM8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h37m45s45.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375490317748924162" border="0" /></a><br />When he awakens from his nightmare, he decides that he must hand over the clan to his oldest son Taro, a decision that Saburo openly protests.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRvYgbBzj3EYxCqVEvBRWAF6rrRPZxPzjRaV41jQfqR5ntyD-aRMugNcYqMcbmDZofQW98V6vQfn6f-Dxc0EHLn8slVZBZE-NQKv44Zqf9KsdwKj4KJVOk4j-I64MNxXsDRJ1J6OtuYE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h40m43s29.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRvYgbBzj3EYxCqVEvBRWAF6rrRPZxPzjRaV41jQfqR5ntyD-aRMugNcYqMcbmDZofQW98V6vQfn6f-Dxc0EHLn8slVZBZE-NQKv44Zqf9KsdwKj4KJVOk4j-I64MNxXsDRJ1J6OtuYE/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h40m43s29.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375490333254123970" border="0" /></a><br />Saburo is so insistent that it comes out as insolence, and he is banished by his own father along with one of his closest advisers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaauajN8oZdtXJYFiXtNqs1Egs3RMACy19cCO9swN1glpC1_bHiGEmRFsmUo0T_s1UpPW_wkRaaXMz7OOZ7HCNGM9jK6uzS3m-EJsIBqRygcE03nhOSmF-qNZKjEMMo5Zxip-bbh5ceo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h52m49s124.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaauajN8oZdtXJYFiXtNqs1Egs3RMACy19cCO9swN1glpC1_bHiGEmRFsmUo0T_s1UpPW_wkRaaXMz7OOZ7HCNGM9jK6uzS3m-EJsIBqRygcE03nhOSmF-qNZKjEMMo5Zxip-bbh5ceo/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h52m49s124.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375490350924807874" border="0" /></a><br />Taro, who quickly takes on the role of puppet as his wife Lady Kaede begins to pressure him to exert more authority, demands his father put in writing that he will give up all power and dissolve his small fighting force.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8pIQxVtYLAiuCHtN_MQHNmSgmQf-UuWCewoeaH2NgsvWp7qZoXKDGZHGuE3RdxA2Xmix9575ayiCDjL0Rjb6T7WO-dhAJwwZYadZoAaQvWNxJoGtbnlijdx2L58wYUIGfrDL1B-dehk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h59m41s145.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8pIQxVtYLAiuCHtN_MQHNmSgmQf-UuWCewoeaH2NgsvWp7qZoXKDGZHGuE3RdxA2Xmix9575ayiCDjL0Rjb6T7WO-dhAJwwZYadZoAaQvWNxJoGtbnlijdx2L58wYUIGfrDL1B-dehk/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h59m41s145.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375490364217243106" border="0" /></a><br />Feeling spurned by his own son, Hidetora goes to his second son Jiro, but is turned away as Jiro has his own plans to take over the clan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwZQUhwSu2yrM9xyo-cofoLEyp4m0edwIM7v846VgP4yPDag8URTyDs1Z17ofVoA2oSjb2ZZYzRq8QEF7dNhJDmU8ttNLS2iih8Ks_oXhZwCx0uZ19Mx9Opd0t68zP5p2VJH3bcldX3o/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h20m14s187.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwZQUhwSu2yrM9xyo-cofoLEyp4m0edwIM7v846VgP4yPDag8URTyDs1Z17ofVoA2oSjb2ZZYzRq8QEF7dNhJDmU8ttNLS2iih8Ks_oXhZwCx0uZ19Mx9Opd0t68zP5p2VJH3bcldX3o/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h20m14s187.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375490383047095314" border="0" /></a><br />Hidetora eventually resolves to settling in the third castle that would have been Saburo's. While Hidetora sleeps, Jiro and Taro march on the castle and begin to attack.<br /><br />Hidetora's forces are quickly overtaken and the castle is set alight. After he is unable to find a sword to commit ritual suicide, Hidetora exits the castle after going mad inside its keep.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJeccHsiyXq8rCZtxSQJ6XWco0nqjnRmQtQggDqHK3_24B2xLWIqiJ6Ay7lJq9sW3ZiXBlcSEP2-q2jHDNFeycFb3xYcuiYkSQ-xpUzHphAQHikc7NNSn6bhEyz_KFgwkW1j3rRRTwpo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h40m10s112.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJeccHsiyXq8rCZtxSQJ6XWco0nqjnRmQtQggDqHK3_24B2xLWIqiJ6Ay7lJq9sW3ZiXBlcSEP2-q2jHDNFeycFb3xYcuiYkSQ-xpUzHphAQHikc7NNSn6bhEyz_KFgwkW1j3rRRTwpo/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h40m10s112.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375497258923416578" border="0" /></a><br />Hidetora, along with his former adviser Tango and Kurosawa's version of Shakespeare's court jester, begin the journey to another abandoned castle that was burned to the ground long ago by Hidetora himself.<br /><br />Along the way they find the brother of Jiro's wife, whose eyes were gauged out long ago by Hidetora.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1RY1R79bUnJ7hf_qe0iwM8TxeQDy_KPxSJVsphjWZOZk7E7uqRKG7vL0-Hsu_j-VsQvqu1XeUGZkUkoOoNeKdTgGQ163JdUA3L4dGKTK9RZ19OqWHZuiAYDWnwQF02dvkMsYyrdgevk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h53m24s115.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1RY1R79bUnJ7hf_qe0iwM8TxeQDy_KPxSJVsphjWZOZk7E7uqRKG7vL0-Hsu_j-VsQvqu1XeUGZkUkoOoNeKdTgGQ163JdUA3L4dGKTK9RZ19OqWHZuiAYDWnwQF02dvkMsYyrdgevk/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h53m24s115.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375497276145561474" border="0" /></a><br />Meanwhile, Lady Kaede has forgotten her husband who was killed in the attack on Hidetora's castle and has begun to court Jiro so that she can remain in her position of authority.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPXKOebkLiOEClPz_cd3I2TM5Mx8LG6rTeSFJe_WoI84M-fCyDn2q9UrwV080xLenB3FFAGX2HH-CwvHTwdym6X_esfb6rcLp1ResJeytgmICa8tRCwLjHW-zktc5GmiR5Uh0jh_vXho/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h04m20s22.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPXKOebkLiOEClPz_cd3I2TM5Mx8LG6rTeSFJe_WoI84M-fCyDn2q9UrwV080xLenB3FFAGX2HH-CwvHTwdym6X_esfb6rcLp1ResJeytgmICa8tRCwLjHW-zktc5GmiR5Uh0jh_vXho/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h04m20s22.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375497288143323074" border="0" /></a><br />Lady Kaede herself is the daughter of a lord that Hidetora killed, a fact that fuels her revenge against the man.<br /><br />Saburo, learning of his father's whereabouts, travels to reclaim him, only to be confronted by Jiro.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY69xVERnN6SrMVaMLpeYQuKRvkj05wF-oE1b5ckgapAVy-x_X-hO90_zI1A6nzSjtuIW5iSHkH4SXnvdLxUm6mwVjmgFNlHuYqHfLl3K448gyFoiMc5GwgHrWXYth0tG4aqqQ9Dl33yM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h51m10s217.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY69xVERnN6SrMVaMLpeYQuKRvkj05wF-oE1b5ckgapAVy-x_X-hO90_zI1A6nzSjtuIW5iSHkH4SXnvdLxUm6mwVjmgFNlHuYqHfLl3K448gyFoiMc5GwgHrWXYth0tG4aqqQ9Dl33yM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h51m10s217.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375497298838071890" border="0" /></a><br />While Saburo goes off with a small contingent of forces to find his father, his main army stays to fight Jiro's forces.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG64q8RfrUumzIcCYHZxligI3ahh9oOP69mCxr9R8kdXvphPKVid18rhS6Lpykov5405nKrRc4UvCCqSqH6OcfxECt6m2SG3txsZs4PP4-kXiRRJBobGbR1HKGZkh0S2LJgIyuoatAN1I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h55m58s28.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG64q8RfrUumzIcCYHZxligI3ahh9oOP69mCxr9R8kdXvphPKVid18rhS6Lpykov5405nKrRc4UvCCqSqH6OcfxECt6m2SG3txsZs4PP4-kXiRRJBobGbR1HKGZkh0S2LJgIyuoatAN1I/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h55m58s28.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375497312137644978" border="0" /></a><br />What Jiro doesn't know is that an ally of Saburo's is taking his castle as he fights Saburo's forces.<br /><br />As Jiro returns to unsuccessfully defend his castle, Hidetora is reunited with Saburo. As they begin to ride away, Saburo is shot by an enemy sniper. Hidetora is so shaken by his son's death that he too dies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rnhNgPSDsaKK0R7gAzX8Q3OI5B19VOLGVgrL75T1kP7JKfvU2SaEBnOFUOuUG53gWS_BAr98O6axUq8dTSptowAxuIBxx8HCWd4xI2zJQL_u4qLaj593jdiEAuj_uigszzIYwmxHdxM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h00m53s158.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rnhNgPSDsaKK0R7gAzX8Q3OI5B19VOLGVgrL75T1kP7JKfvU2SaEBnOFUOuUG53gWS_BAr98O6axUq8dTSptowAxuIBxx8HCWd4xI2zJQL_u4qLaj593jdiEAuj_uigszzIYwmxHdxM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h00m53s158.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375504798198607090" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ran </span>is a film that is certainly representative of Kurosawa's later period. Kurosawa's former belief that goodness will prevail out of so much evil is here replaced with the feeling that human beings are inherently evil, and that those few good people that are in the world are doomed to live in sadness.<br /><br />From the beginning of the film, we know that Hidetora will see no happy ending. In his dream, he says, he is walking alone in a desolate field.<br /><br />And indeed just prior to his death at the end of the film he is very much alone. All that he loved is now gone. His kingdom and more importantly his sons, have all left him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5ffpMgPfs3NkAmf_3VFHvmfp87BsEDbpZLbPqO_HdfMfsWttJ09VN9QNXSD6Ry9RLyzf7XJ1AYyplGoBTc2m3RMlQvhQ6oHqU9SEi_VvcBcCO03fN1_8wL1Tyq5mejzvOZwVRMkts6I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h07m33s59.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5ffpMgPfs3NkAmf_3VFHvmfp87BsEDbpZLbPqO_HdfMfsWttJ09VN9QNXSD6Ry9RLyzf7XJ1AYyplGoBTc2m3RMlQvhQ6oHqU9SEi_VvcBcCO03fN1_8wL1Tyq5mejzvOZwVRMkts6I/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h07m33s59.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375505446632185234" border="0" /></a><br />Throughout the film he is haunted by his past. These are decisions he doesn't appear to regret because in his state of insanity he already feels as if he has gone to hell.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran</span>, Kurosawa deals with one of the primary concerns of his entire career, which is the corruption that comes along with power.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood, Ikiru, The Bad Sleep Well, </span>and<span style="font-style: italic;"> Kagemusha </span>to name a few, those who are in power are portrayed negatively.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ran</span>'s characters, especially Taro and Jiro, are all vying for power. Both are corrupted by their advisers, and both end up dying in the end.<br /><br />In the beginning of the film the sons' ambitions are established. Taro and Jiro, attempt to hide their ambitions for clan leadership by questioning their father's decision and then finally coming to accept it.<br /><br />Saburo, who we already know is the true loyal and good son as he demonstrated when he alone stayed to shade his father after he fell asleep, does not share these ambitions and speaks frankly when voicing his opposition.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXX5JLKPNx7xzb4EWwToFb-pUYJKHf48H2kCO5b9jM8KfwV7Zu6tCADvUzlDgJFsa4FOAycgswiZWx7X2BkB6GOUfL28JzeW7lgkpfbKvCYPkHkkmsfhSEPm_UbSjUWDBTmM1vgjO3a0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h39m01s33.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXX5JLKPNx7xzb4EWwToFb-pUYJKHf48H2kCO5b9jM8KfwV7Zu6tCADvUzlDgJFsa4FOAycgswiZWx7X2BkB6GOUfL28JzeW7lgkpfbKvCYPkHkkmsfhSEPm_UbSjUWDBTmM1vgjO3a0/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h39m01s33.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375510211230179858" border="0" /></a><br />In the end, it is clear that Kurosawa is once again expounding the old adage that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wFPthGwRFsX9kJT74N0voGy2PNyv_HF0I6duD0gFtlpTW3Cx5FLsqq0rLS9yJHCN6pTrAhRpEx59Ir1xMFc-HNSUk6EiRuXcef_ioOvwvnfrg7iUaiUqpUUE39xcpsNv_CAO0YT0aWc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h06m58s227.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wFPthGwRFsX9kJT74N0voGy2PNyv_HF0I6duD0gFtlpTW3Cx5FLsqq0rLS9yJHCN6pTrAhRpEx59Ir1xMFc-HNSUk6EiRuXcef_ioOvwvnfrg7iUaiUqpUUE39xcpsNv_CAO0YT0aWc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h06m58s227.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375510228650468546" border="0" /></a><br />Up to this point in his career religion was not incredibly important to Kurosawa and had never much come up in any of his films except sparingly in films like <span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru, The Idiot, </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwcdGX0D8quSQPT91UJ72I9yZWGRPT2oc-VXjp2hv6zH46OLIY8xalo9eMi119Sv7brJuWtXNHyS5QyxUANmTkCzWn06X1q64n-pLR1obdFbisIPyZ62sCzR9KWI1AKREvQuOhZ_d8-8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h13m59s19.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwcdGX0D8quSQPT91UJ72I9yZWGRPT2oc-VXjp2hv6zH46OLIY8xalo9eMi119Sv7brJuWtXNHyS5QyxUANmTkCzWn06X1q64n-pLR1obdFbisIPyZ62sCzR9KWI1AKREvQuOhZ_d8-8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h13m59s19.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375505481576519522" border="0" /></a><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran</span>, Jiro's wife, Lady Sue, is the only purely good person in the film. Her innocence and faith in Buddha translate to Hidetora as naivety. There is no Buddha in such dark times, Hidetora tells her.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkp8I9lK9GwCnuoVzg2HL8lit4kQX21rxo4z4mXKRXLMJPGzawP5IAPwQWFqk_pr_thHpIomj497X3OGW_HanDi81-s3Jo9O7qKouxs-SOPPX3BvaAvIcBUll6Jq5WrHdAFiIPqr748I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h14m34s114.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkp8I9lK9GwCnuoVzg2HL8lit4kQX21rxo4z4mXKRXLMJPGzawP5IAPwQWFqk_pr_thHpIomj497X3OGW_HanDi81-s3Jo9O7qKouxs-SOPPX3BvaAvIcBUll6Jq5WrHdAFiIPqr748I/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h14m34s114.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375505471761064834" border="0" /></a><br />And indeed Kurosawa himself might have been questioning religion at this time in his life as well.<br /><br />The very end of the film contains religious importance as well. Lady Sue's brother was given a scroll with a picture of Buddha on it while she went to go look for a flute he had left behind. She is later killed and never returns, and as her brother stands on a cliff overlooking the valley where Hidetora's and Saburo's bodies are being carried in a procession, he drops the scroll and it falls into a small cavern.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FztE_4Jjo8YSnjaIl2qkIbyKk84Wpb85isXjkmSf7QF4ep1VNdkX1Sq_imZmoPQvItAhRbeVWSI-0IW5V_A2Qu9bJqauYRvjzysMQu1oarkmZmMczh3R24EJQmacTBVRQvw883Q-1FI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h09m27s181.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FztE_4Jjo8YSnjaIl2qkIbyKk84Wpb85isXjkmSf7QF4ep1VNdkX1Sq_imZmoPQvItAhRbeVWSI-0IW5V_A2Qu9bJqauYRvjzysMQu1oarkmZmMczh3R24EJQmacTBVRQvw883Q-1FI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h09m27s181.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375505455265129170" border="0" /></a><br />At the end of the film all faith is lost, and not even religion can save them. Ran is the Japanese word for chaos, and chaos is exactly what the film descends into.<br /><br />Kurosawa's depiction of women is once again an interesting one. At one end of the spectrum there is Lady Kaede. Lady Kaede, who could easily be compared to Lady Washizu in Kurosawa's <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood</span>, is the strongest female character of any Kurosawa film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ6Vi7fRf-PQC2tSirLzoArst02lgWL8cKqqEHCUsE6PWuGX7nzMvUiBeCUlwWmuQB1zHR2H9pbROUzKEWKOqj30551GNFfyTs5STXisiLX89CfYfzMw-Rp-EhVh_H7KK0xQD6JcWe0s/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h04m04s215.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ6Vi7fRf-PQC2tSirLzoArst02lgWL8cKqqEHCUsE6PWuGX7nzMvUiBeCUlwWmuQB1zHR2H9pbROUzKEWKOqj30551GNFfyTs5STXisiLX89CfYfzMw-Rp-EhVh_H7KK0xQD6JcWe0s/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h04m04s215.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375505495291514562" border="0" /></a><br />Though she is fueled by revenge and her feelings towards the Ichimonji clan are clearly justified, her character remains an evil one in comparison to the female character on the opposite side of the spectrum, Lady Sue.<br /><br />In the end, both of the characters die, but it is only in Lady Sue's death that we feel remorse. Despite the justice that is being served by Kaede, it is Sue's position of forgiveness through religion that we sympathize with and which makes her death that much more tragic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQIgx_DkQP5nyRUlKQN222ZQzMJKbOfr7iUKdDrt6bfMlPxe0jgvqGxRd5H96WcubPoHnVKu4I1Sn-GJ0vg-d5RRhSJdEtu290dP4v9UOGqSswkXnZZnV_6vaD0CUaHMZ9vPvd5kKiK4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h05m26s75.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQIgx_DkQP5nyRUlKQN222ZQzMJKbOfr7iUKdDrt6bfMlPxe0jgvqGxRd5H96WcubPoHnVKu4I1Sn-GJ0vg-d5RRhSJdEtu290dP4v9UOGqSswkXnZZnV_6vaD0CUaHMZ9vPvd5kKiK4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h05m26s75.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375506240272208258" border="0" /></a><br />Indeed, our feelings toward Kaede are partially guided by Jiro's right-hand man Kurogane. Though Kurogane himself is not free from guilt over the evil that pervades the film. It was he who fired the shot that killed Taro, though he claims the shot came from Hidetora's castle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcoC_Mn0jrlznVg__xK6gxxt1lcXCiTYS8ePgSv_vpg7bEAnO4oEVFKytpZLmIbaAfGXf-u9g0nfdbtizJK2zajWJP3aY-rTKmkL3hSQPIsBWCHULx2SDhooG1Rwj9ArF5emvp0wLCho/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h39m19s119.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcoC_Mn0jrlznVg__xK6gxxt1lcXCiTYS8ePgSv_vpg7bEAnO4oEVFKytpZLmIbaAfGXf-u9g0nfdbtizJK2zajWJP3aY-rTKmkL3hSQPIsBWCHULx2SDhooG1Rwj9ArF5emvp0wLCho/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h39m19s119.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375506249593536722" border="0" /></a><br />The character of the fool, or court jester, is a new and interesting one for Kurosawa. In <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran</span>, Kyoami is Hidetora's last surviving servant. He remains loyal to Hidetora even when he descends into madness. This loyalty may be partially due to the fact Hidetora earlier in the film saved Kyoami from an oncoming attack from one of Taro's men.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHSXEGpB1AXW1idURn2EM-Cr3iY03hU5MYVK8xN_C3Ipd4fI4XHZJJ2NyWq_QvVh5ziEQQ_JTVwf4wSFOtnMBkyz42cspglineLI9xcJLYJhz3VFzjTgV9TxwbDOqa2KrggbW-EwpIC4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h01m11s22.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHSXEGpB1AXW1idURn2EM-Cr3iY03hU5MYVK8xN_C3Ipd4fI4XHZJJ2NyWq_QvVh5ziEQQ_JTVwf4wSFOtnMBkyz42cspglineLI9xcJLYJhz3VFzjTgV9TxwbDOqa2KrggbW-EwpIC4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h01m11s22.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375506273913660082" border="0" /></a><br />However, despite this loyalty Kyoami is quick to point out the irony of Hidetora's downfall. Essentially telling Hidetora he had it coming, he recalls a story of a bird who accidentally sits on a snake egg and is killed by it after it hatched. He tells his master that before it was he who was supposed to make him laugh but now the tables have turned due to his loss of sanity.<br /><br />He even makes Hidetora a makeshift crown of grass and flowers, poking fun at how much power Hidetora has lost.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqfntzWTBl43F2j340ko3oNONQ3TqZQH7_zi8YGtTORCBMazL16MKK9a_mXGnnbonJNmhqmi_hJh6LMo23tflARkUfuhyphenhyphenyzV6wCI3TkNk899rQpxiPhl-nghKqYDwmjP926woajjXn78/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h11m21s134.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqfntzWTBl43F2j340ko3oNONQ3TqZQH7_zi8YGtTORCBMazL16MKK9a_mXGnnbonJNmhqmi_hJh6LMo23tflARkUfuhyphenhyphenyzV6wCI3TkNk899rQpxiPhl-nghKqYDwmjP926woajjXn78/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h11m21s134.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375506284608968146" border="0" /></a><br />The image of Hidetora with his crown of grass is in stark contrast to the Hidetora at the beginning of the film. In true old-style Kurosawa fashion, the main character goes through a startling transformation throughout the film.<br /><br />In the beginning, Hidetora is shown during the boar hunt atop his horse with an arrow ready in his massive bow. This image is one of strength and power, completely different from the ghostly white image of Hidetora at the end of the film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJbfToIlKy33OMvaaPs4M8Q7u1fUz5_A7k9mWKlnPFBo617B9F1Bqs-A45cK8CvgxmGgygMZJ7wp-MPGILL-L4KxYS_ucPQMERx0z6uvNxoS-iMtOjKmeNKNzpn9YoOQgabxRG5d8w24/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h33m49s240.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJbfToIlKy33OMvaaPs4M8Q7u1fUz5_A7k9mWKlnPFBo617B9F1Bqs-A45cK8CvgxmGgygMZJ7wp-MPGILL-L4KxYS_ucPQMERx0z6uvNxoS-iMtOjKmeNKNzpn9YoOQgabxRG5d8w24/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h33m49s240.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375506298383479778" border="0" /></a><br />But like any great Shakespearean tragedy, we knew he was doomed from the start. And also like any Shakespearean tragedy, foreshadowing plays an important role.<br /><br />After Hidetora relinquishes power to Taro, he attempts to prove that his decision to give up power to his sons was a good one. First he hands each of his sons an arrow and instructs them to break it, which they do with ease.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjge0XBiWBjOa9TixPvCDyVxcc9zGnGaM04030bmm-vrqjpb7mOMZ4Jse1k6VBecWA2hmNr27D54K0fa-KQlOm3D9nxc3et1_bFckHUUlfd697Ll4d5k6a_SBLYCUJfBxXyVkZBhK0emAM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h43m34s207.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjge0XBiWBjOa9TixPvCDyVxcc9zGnGaM04030bmm-vrqjpb7mOMZ4Jse1k6VBecWA2hmNr27D54K0fa-KQlOm3D9nxc3et1_bFckHUUlfd697Ll4d5k6a_SBLYCUJfBxXyVkZBhK0emAM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h43m34s207.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375507057682423778" border="0" /></a><br />He then hands them three arrows bunched together and tells them to break them. Taro and Jiro are unable to with brute strength alone, but Saburo breaks the arrows using his leg, then tells his father that there are indeed ways to break things apart.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioek_nghZWaZQTjjD47F9p8778Qt5OwmOmJDyOcSpOe9K7SGzKMIkg_COOUN_ZuZBwOJvIVjpBy4nCSDmfXr3WAgcKRP2sicc-9LseJz7vTZQoSKMSd9YKDBhfdc61oIv2QtNJHQ6LhtU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h48m55s79.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioek_nghZWaZQTjjD47F9p8778Qt5OwmOmJDyOcSpOe9K7SGzKMIkg_COOUN_ZuZBwOJvIVjpBy4nCSDmfXr3WAgcKRP2sicc-9LseJz7vTZQoSKMSd9YKDBhfdc61oIv2QtNJHQ6LhtU/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h48m55s79.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375507073641799170" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa utilizes another interesting technique to signify trouble coming up in the film. At times during the beginning of the film, before the fighting begins, to transition between scenes Kurosawa will point the camera to the sky and shoot billowing clouds, a symbol of the storm brewing down below.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddz_b1JZAo__SiLHaNWkolLokwSd-En6IYGoepiZl6qBbVPQ54TtuyxhjyVci6MFntuuDiBUreRx5upB06-CzlQbiD0V_4TqcK2xgadlYKGf6Sse4WhVbx-BYijU65EhdS3IM3uOnohI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h43m09s206.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddz_b1JZAo__SiLHaNWkolLokwSd-En6IYGoepiZl6qBbVPQ54TtuyxhjyVci6MFntuuDiBUreRx5upB06-CzlQbiD0V_4TqcK2xgadlYKGf6Sse4WhVbx-BYijU65EhdS3IM3uOnohI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h43m09s206.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375507083706901938" border="0" /></a><br />During the siege of Hidetora's castle, Kurosawa cuts to a shot of the sun being taken over by black smoke. Hidetora's crest is a sun, and in this scene it is he who is being overtaken by the black smoke that is Jiro and Taro's forces.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOYxu-9SPW0ysjgazWE5D2Bi942OPUW-ltS__83GzSir8BuImVDW_mGULS240UWFfyxaj8zsCnKoimhRAVG2yEtb4geZie7tgWFY0kM50aG13gaSVxsygN8BGl_WrzhN5ej4s9dQmx18/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h35m45s24.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOYxu-9SPW0ysjgazWE5D2Bi942OPUW-ltS__83GzSir8BuImVDW_mGULS240UWFfyxaj8zsCnKoimhRAVG2yEtb4geZie7tgWFY0kM50aG13gaSVxsygN8BGl_WrzhN5ej4s9dQmx18/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h35m45s24.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375507097614857202" border="0" /></a><br />These shots, like many of the others in the film, are static. The camera in <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran </span>is the most immobile of any Kurosawa film to this point. Apart from a few tracking shots the camera simply pans around or doesn't move at all.<br /><br />Far from the simple, slightly above ground level static shots that Ozu employed throughout his career, Kurosawa's shots feel more like paintings than anything. Kurosawa, in fact, storyboarded this entire film as full size paintings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz4TuXyJtq_bxm6U99tPvFRz5IJBE54Fede_cUJg8RFelFZSMWVHh8Wu4llcm6DXtNJbvW_M8pe_3LjDUC8HwIn5HFkTomzL6OXepxOFLaNl3KSSymb1bgqJswwdBSuSq_FUyF1iWcck/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h31m45s25.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz4TuXyJtq_bxm6U99tPvFRz5IJBE54Fede_cUJg8RFelFZSMWVHh8Wu4llcm6DXtNJbvW_M8pe_3LjDUC8HwIn5HFkTomzL6OXepxOFLaNl3KSSymb1bgqJswwdBSuSq_FUyF1iWcck/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-13h31m45s25.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375507110601472306" border="0" /></a><br />Along those same lines, the colors of the film are as vibrant as those seen in <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den</span>. Though in <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran </span>they more often than not symbolize the three sons. Taro in yellow, Jiro in red and Saburo in blue.<br /><br />Though the color of the film makes a startling transformation from beginning to end as well. The lush green grass that permeates the beginning of the film is replaced in the end with baron land that looks like a desert.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BwJXRXN6bSjQd9aiWrBIYZB5dS5gfqgdUuTqdbDBgTWLtoTkXGt_j3CNJugCU4_yPIpTFKavxfO87VbyVXsrZWVZpfmk6DoZwO4Yn9SGnqgxgFaRlvFdqI0nRslnPkpLmkaxvstUcWk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h03m10s249.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BwJXRXN6bSjQd9aiWrBIYZB5dS5gfqgdUuTqdbDBgTWLtoTkXGt_j3CNJugCU4_yPIpTFKavxfO87VbyVXsrZWVZpfmk6DoZwO4Yn9SGnqgxgFaRlvFdqI0nRslnPkpLmkaxvstUcWk/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-16h03m10s249.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375508129716458882" border="0" /></a><br />Apart from the mostly static camera, another sign of Kurosawa's later career is his reluctance to accompany the action with music.<br /><br />The longest stretch of music, and the one that doesn't merely seek to punctuate some small moment in the film, comes during the siege of Hidetora's castle by Taro and Jiro.<br /><br />Going a different route than <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha</span>, Kurosawa cuts out all of the diegetic sound (sound from the film world) and plays only the non-diegetic (film score on the soundtrack).<br /><br />The haunting music accentuates the horrors that we see on the screen. It is a nightmarish scene that gets that much more powerful with music over the soundtrack.<br /><br />Finally, no discussion of the film would be complete without mentioning the superb acting of Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoiodVF96FSwOn96wT_xz7uu9u-b7IswYzQhHxX00OfPWHYdGVGd1cNaucHIMgXKDXjU8HAsYL4-ZZA_tvfnA6a1l4ssrkaBjq5qKBlYXCrtFZDf2Jl_c4I5eMqIp0-ztjbMq4u_O7Lc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h43m37s132.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoiodVF96FSwOn96wT_xz7uu9u-b7IswYzQhHxX00OfPWHYdGVGd1cNaucHIMgXKDXjU8HAsYL4-ZZA_tvfnA6a1l4ssrkaBjq5qKBlYXCrtFZDf2Jl_c4I5eMqIp0-ztjbMq4u_O7Lc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h43m37s132.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375508146011655170" border="0" /></a><br />Nakadai completely becomes the role. When he walks out of the burning castle, he looks like a man possessed. He plays the mad clan leader with such energy that it's hard to believe there is an actor underneath the costume. His performance is one of the greatest of any Kurosawa film, and rivals that of Mifune's in his best roles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XgGpp6bRv7FlVDoz8u0dLF_mjM0bwlfzZ9Hr4jxg2qRJXP1ACQOx7XIP5CADmj5fs3CxsZGe0lJ3_DnLoL_It65LVnD-3urfHHVhtDQQ0Fn4pmkIpuDPB0MbIAfUXHuhYI6ovjFsEtc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h45m17s107.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XgGpp6bRv7FlVDoz8u0dLF_mjM0bwlfzZ9Hr4jxg2qRJXP1ACQOx7XIP5CADmj5fs3CxsZGe0lJ3_DnLoL_It65LVnD-3urfHHVhtDQQ0Fn4pmkIpuDPB0MbIAfUXHuhYI6ovjFsEtc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-14h45m17s107.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375508158797892546" border="0" /></a><br />Though it was made during a period when many felt Kurosawa's work faltered, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran </span>is a film that rivals the director's best work in the 50s and 60s.<br /><br />Its thematic concerns are equaled only by Kurosawa's mastery of the camera and his talent in bringing out the best performances among his actors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjMqeC7Fzq1WxlRSgZXY1YBEE7VdfM4usm123HZc-mxJ9rfJVh320e5hpLPJHwsmSKheuV-fmwrDR10Eh_Af6rHHdMRLQ5vm7fTCADIjBVL3yKh3pb9v65p8LiOcmLZA0ubIK0iH0Tnk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h12m24s0.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjMqeC7Fzq1WxlRSgZXY1YBEE7VdfM4usm123HZc-mxJ9rfJVh320e5hpLPJHwsmSKheuV-fmwrDR10Eh_Af6rHHdMRLQ5vm7fTCADIjBVL3yKh3pb9v65p8LiOcmLZA0ubIK0iH0Tnk/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-28-15h12m24s0.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375508168316223970" border="0" /></a><br />Though he may have peaked decades before, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran </span>should be listed among the best of not only Kurosawa's work, but of Japanese cinema as a whole.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-51781950788863700802009-08-24T17:10:00.000-07:002009-08-26T00:31:50.536-07:00Kagemusha (1980)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />The financial failure of <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>left Kurosawa devastated. It was, in fact, such a low point in his life that Kurosawa attempted to take his own life. Luckily he failed and recovered.<br /><br />After his suicide attempt it looked as though Kurosawa would never make another film again. Production companies didn't want to fund films for the aging director especially after his suicide attempt that increased the rumors about his mental stability.<br /><br />However, in 1975 Kurosawa was asked by the Soviet Union production company Mosfilm to direct a joint Soviet-Japanese film of his choosing.<br /><br />For this film Kurosawa chose the true story of a Siberian hunter who helps a group of Russian troops survive in the harsh Russian wilderness.<br /><br />The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film and more importantly brought Kurosawa back to filmmaking.<br /><br />For his next film, Kurosawa would find the funding he needed from two unlikely sources. American directors Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, two big fans of Kurosawas, convinced 20th Century Fox to pay for part of the production in exchange for the international distribution rights.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBMLAbqRV6cPhX0b1vjoFsyujQF4hUMRHuV7JNiQGpTu57OIXnluVFovQWkqjAMVYRD2UatYMU47EeEBISK1WWUc59dsEofdMv38urosSznp-NgDJN1RX4NFrtL_Rp7uUht7yAVYta38/s1600-h/6a00c2252c91b0f21900cdf7e2ea7b094f-500pi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBMLAbqRV6cPhX0b1vjoFsyujQF4hUMRHuV7JNiQGpTu57OIXnluVFovQWkqjAMVYRD2UatYMU47EeEBISK1WWUc59dsEofdMv38urosSznp-NgDJN1RX4NFrtL_Rp7uUht7yAVYta38/s320/6a00c2252c91b0f21900cdf7e2ea7b094f-500pi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373690086263773042" border="0" /></a><br />With the funding he needed, Kurosawa began making<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>his next period film <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha </span>(The Shadow Warrior) is based, in part, on the true story of Shingen Takeda, a 16th-century clan leader in feudal Japan.<br /><br />The film begins with Nobukado Takeda, Lord Shingen's brother, presenting a man he believes could act as a double for the lord should the need arise.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwnsxSDqgNt3Gh2soAJPWpYCCW14iG93BPh6TT5tA5OfzCmRxNwMBBvJwLraYlv905sELFOVIapAuzbg_V4AlqEqn3yuvj6QoKHJcZF6nEUQBHCYN7tIYlsoHySTrFh8FjttxjwIaACM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h31m44s110.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwnsxSDqgNt3Gh2soAJPWpYCCW14iG93BPh6TT5tA5OfzCmRxNwMBBvJwLraYlv905sELFOVIapAuzbg_V4AlqEqn3yuvj6QoKHJcZF6nEUQBHCYN7tIYlsoHySTrFh8FjttxjwIaACM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h31m44s110.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374166271241221970" border="0" /></a><br />The man, a petty thief, looks exactly like Lord Shingen, though they share no common ancestors.<br /><br />While visiting the battlefield outside an enemy castle, Lord Shingen is mortally wounded by an enemy sniper.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T_cQj0dfPn9L65XCJqfF79Tt2uVuIKioHqD0hvBNU5CkpUVAOCNfYJYMN_kHU6UIKPbFbljSOLMrVuwAFfxBPVQqMa-JDXOKd9T22TqZrHZnqthz0cDz5nK8V0xfp5QeSjLpKNkSsmo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h56m41s232.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T_cQj0dfPn9L65XCJqfF79Tt2uVuIKioHqD0hvBNU5CkpUVAOCNfYJYMN_kHU6UIKPbFbljSOLMrVuwAFfxBPVQqMa-JDXOKd9T22TqZrHZnqthz0cDz5nK8V0xfp5QeSjLpKNkSsmo/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h56m41s232.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374166288103570098" border="0" /></a><br />Before dying, he tells his retainers not to move the clan's forces for three years, lest the word get out that he has been killed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRml8tksraPHbXLEgq9AYte-C9_hFEmskB6G6mpLpDNxYg-L-R7pCXdAVqFfghhq9D7DWP1HHRSi-1gFsF_eQwAIvGcKg-1dFn5jeukaNS1a3O1Ak_nyk-jqANhnjVKL0-3urZyfw1isA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h53m54s97.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRml8tksraPHbXLEgq9AYte-C9_hFEmskB6G6mpLpDNxYg-L-R7pCXdAVqFfghhq9D7DWP1HHRSi-1gFsF_eQwAIvGcKg-1dFn5jeukaNS1a3O1Ak_nyk-jqANhnjVKL0-3urZyfw1isA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h53m54s97.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374166297791464802" border="0" /></a><br />Reluctantly, the double for Lord Shingen takes on the duties of the late lord. Only the retainers are made aware of Lord Shingen's death.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pZhNTgW01fHQIV3FBFvahZhC8Gdwz6GmWjWObXH7QcJM2ghm_AKnbuyEtRysJOpGdSX5FNx82IwhagUceDFF3BQ123PpyMnRJWvI_vKm6EU998ppQLpIQs43Okuq7JMQhVWVvXd-aWw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-13h09m59s15.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pZhNTgW01fHQIV3FBFvahZhC8Gdwz6GmWjWObXH7QcJM2ghm_AKnbuyEtRysJOpGdSX5FNx82IwhagUceDFF3BQ123PpyMnRJWvI_vKm6EU998ppQLpIQs43Okuq7JMQhVWVvXd-aWw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-13h09m59s15.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374166312840056146" border="0" /></a><br />Katsuyori Takeda, Lord Shingen's son, believes he should be the leader of the clan, and disobeys his fathers orders by going into battle himself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3Ghv3l6NQ2VKDciSIJHUny0tYHygB9Q8lkb1_Su0NaQ9sjoGfjBigkLqKEH5i0LLfCefZnKQZelYMZ_ff2QqOIAjUm_8dgvibPNHO41dwgqH94uWuHT2Rqast79nkZBLt2UvU4F_rGI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h09m32s165.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3Ghv3l6NQ2VKDciSIJHUny0tYHygB9Q8lkb1_Su0NaQ9sjoGfjBigkLqKEH5i0LLfCefZnKQZelYMZ_ff2QqOIAjUm_8dgvibPNHO41dwgqH94uWuHT2Rqast79nkZBLt2UvU4F_rGI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h09m32s165.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374166325793737554" border="0" /></a><br />Meanwhile, Lord Shingen's double grows increasingly confident. He is so consumed with his role that he attempts to ride the lords horse, which will only respond to its true master.<br /><br />When the double is thrown from the horse, it is discovered that he is in fact the double and he is subsequently cast out of the castle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XMB9iK3od9sEA4IA5aexRjdYvg_PmzHmjH3aZqUMcqOaUOg5zP6bz-8F-qGcv3_MwSCm2Z9oStoFwXFBvlX7apWtqNNG8rR9Is1DWRBxo1-Jvu4809vf0FF1_ExdsAbYmgY24MC2bkY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h14m29s225.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XMB9iK3od9sEA4IA5aexRjdYvg_PmzHmjH3aZqUMcqOaUOg5zP6bz-8F-qGcv3_MwSCm2Z9oStoFwXFBvlX7apWtqNNG8rR9Is1DWRBxo1-Jvu4809vf0FF1_ExdsAbYmgY24MC2bkY/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h14m29s225.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374166968195759378" border="0" /></a><br />Katsuyori, further defying his father's wishes, send his entire army to battle, where they are quickly killed in a hail of gunfire.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhQo5HfpabaMzBIaSG4QAqkWPscLQOtTaim3Mrgctwju8BWPXKhsd8aqmfnQHsjZPKD6cVl9cAXAhfwNFJrOBkiQou6wMjgkhngOPYuJsVdJVXiBjl5UlaEuxVBck2lZIitmzr4g8L2Y/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h25m05s188.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhQo5HfpabaMzBIaSG4QAqkWPscLQOtTaim3Mrgctwju8BWPXKhsd8aqmfnQHsjZPKD6cVl9cAXAhfwNFJrOBkiQou6wMjgkhngOPYuJsVdJVXiBjl5UlaEuxVBck2lZIitmzr4g8L2Y/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h25m05s188.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374166981989183122" border="0" /></a><br />With one final act, Lord Shingen's former double takes up a dead soldiers spear and charges at the enemy, only to be shot himself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQmMakaCoFZpdb0cSzVHqSPyCI6px-6bBeSm75BntFq15xJgy2GsJN0fk_erLrJdcTyHo95BuXgWCqqZCeU_HkE6dgNKqdywNwj-SKq-UTOWox59F0XTIJxw3Da3JrRfxNOMyxe0qYv0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h35m19s178.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQmMakaCoFZpdb0cSzVHqSPyCI6px-6bBeSm75BntFq15xJgy2GsJN0fk_erLrJdcTyHo95BuXgWCqqZCeU_HkE6dgNKqdywNwj-SKq-UTOWox59F0XTIJxw3Da3JrRfxNOMyxe0qYv0/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h35m19s178.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374166996200818082" border="0" /></a><br />As he stumbles into a nearby river, he sees the flag of the Takeda clan floating on the water before he himself is carried downriver by the current.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJZllBljyHyVPUDBTsodeihePkJaedt3TdlJiNH3txMvIEDcddYEKcRCbck0Fo5YgPjxS8066cigzQhT17DQcVvUmuGNMwLr-CZEZTlxM0tKwdrAvtrfbIWoAzAH-uAQBW8eKpA49GW0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h37m05s211.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJZllBljyHyVPUDBTsodeihePkJaedt3TdlJiNH3txMvIEDcddYEKcRCbck0Fo5YgPjxS8066cigzQhT17DQcVvUmuGNMwLr-CZEZTlxM0tKwdrAvtrfbIWoAzAH-uAQBW8eKpA49GW0/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h37m05s211.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374167006411793986" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />After 18 years, Kurosawa returned to the genre that made him famous, the jidai-geki.<br /><br />This time, however, Kurosawa would bring with him both color photography and a story based on the actual history of the time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmeP5vqsL7MDho61NJiRssRAEh8BI4vTPvLxKJY-CZWZ0dI8J5zqgf2A7kOx1THq6nX1CpSb1I5-xRzoc2dFetVbu_cDHEU6gRWqtnI-HJfShcLBrFQIjdwfweceLcg1onS_WlwGeBkI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h42m05s178.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmeP5vqsL7MDho61NJiRssRAEh8BI4vTPvLxKJY-CZWZ0dI8J5zqgf2A7kOx1THq6nX1CpSb1I5-xRzoc2dFetVbu_cDHEU6gRWqtnI-HJfShcLBrFQIjdwfweceLcg1onS_WlwGeBkI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h42m05s178.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374168927126762514" border="0" /></a><br />Indeed, <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha</span> feels more like a historical epic than a great study of humanity that Kurosawa brought to the screen in his earlier films.<br /><br />This is not meant to take anything away from the film, but it is worthy to note that Kurosawa in his later years seemed far more interested in telling a story than expounding his humanist ideology.<br /><br />This is also not to say that his ideology is not present at all in the film. The final scene of the film vividly and powerfully depicts the horrors of war and the needless bloodshed of the feudal period in Japan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1o-stdhKSaULu4VFYpclDpFoIVloBVnb_d778UyhD773KIeakBBwXhjJO5eL9et1p3zlX9Wgi9kS9UsbUOAh_GfAEYOlDvsBWJ4c3IyuENEFN09SEwZRqkQp7voc0zKXNrmiskWhj3vI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h32m03s13.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1o-stdhKSaULu4VFYpclDpFoIVloBVnb_d778UyhD773KIeakBBwXhjJO5eL9et1p3zlX9Wgi9kS9UsbUOAh_GfAEYOlDvsBWJ4c3IyuENEFN09SEwZRqkQp7voc0zKXNrmiskWhj3vI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h32m03s13.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374168941872754002" border="0" /></a><br />But the final battle is merely a fraction of the entire film. The rest is merely an interesting story about a double taking on the role of a fallen lord.<br /><br />Loyalty and power are the main themes of the film, not the horrors of war. Lord Shingen's double (we never do learn his name) becomes increasingly consumed with his role as the de facto clan leader.<br /><br />So consumed is he that even as he is cast out of the castle he continually returns as if he were still or ever really was the clan leader.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMQ9frOW5js8_wBpb4wTNoOFYzsZz4JzPG-K00gWpUXxBwdwIEirvFdJC9VIM9AJ5rU6ME6bV4nH_1-xhcNEHeICoOi8SPkjCVrhzzGn4gPHLM2U6a5NVZyV_Ien5lpMAg_Kr3DDAKI4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h15m09s107.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMQ9frOW5js8_wBpb4wTNoOFYzsZz4JzPG-K00gWpUXxBwdwIEirvFdJC9VIM9AJ5rU6ME6bV4nH_1-xhcNEHeICoOi8SPkjCVrhzzGn4gPHLM2U6a5NVZyV_Ien5lpMAg_Kr3DDAKI4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h15m09s107.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374168951482622194" border="0" /></a><br />The double, though he has the power to do essentially whatever he wishes, chooses to obey the orders of a man he hardly knew. He remains loyal to the bitter end.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNceM9qOGgm-gYbmQL1f1vvHLUG4QQ45altTL6eH5cLp-m88ReM1a2K7TsYUDsFPQFhk4C725IW142aZJ_dmrH2ZjLcof3QgJpL1gz7V_RbvIVEckdQrU3uaXvbxottyOkp92fZgzpjY4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h29m02s247.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNceM9qOGgm-gYbmQL1f1vvHLUG4QQ45altTL6eH5cLp-m88ReM1a2K7TsYUDsFPQFhk4C725IW142aZJ_dmrH2ZjLcof3QgJpL1gz7V_RbvIVEckdQrU3uaXvbxottyOkp92fZgzpjY4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h29m02s247.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374168965132130754" border="0" /></a><br />It is loyalty that leads to the ruin of the clan as well. Katsuyori is quick to ignore everything his father told him and lets his need for power get to his head. He leads his forces into battle despite ill omens including a rainbow that one of the retainers believes is "blocking their path forward".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcz7030Gka_GbBjnsKw2yrNgirheA8U53fumIkoftEp_ozX06paKOdZ0iPjkJzXsBeFd6rnXbvn1CauCX-aFJfH0uAj9GHrnjMNIHhVhAG4siLOBaaWIj0RH7he0H3aNyMAHiCRg3nW8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h19m24s104.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcz7030Gka_GbBjnsKw2yrNgirheA8U53fumIkoftEp_ozX06paKOdZ0iPjkJzXsBeFd6rnXbvn1CauCX-aFJfH0uAj9GHrnjMNIHhVhAG4siLOBaaWIj0RH7he0H3aNyMAHiCRg3nW8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h19m24s104.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374168979707091538" border="0" /></a><br />Also, it is the loyalty of the horse towards its true master that causes it to send Shingen's double flying off its back. Kurosawa always had a lot of respect for horses, and it is perhaps because of his feelings towards them that they are the ultimate cause of the double's fall from grace.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBCg_g41CcrntSR1D0iua9qHXX4122A6v0ydnlsFyuSv9XYT5urj8Le0xI6-BimhszUSsTvZPm62HQKNl0byoxIZmiddJgOu3W13xRc-3Z6-XXV3Fn8_Q-JVdxOEU7Vv51bWHE4iodPg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-13h58m19s89.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBCg_g41CcrntSR1D0iua9qHXX4122A6v0ydnlsFyuSv9XYT5urj8Le0xI6-BimhszUSsTvZPm62HQKNl0byoxIZmiddJgOu3W13xRc-3Z6-XXV3Fn8_Q-JVdxOEU7Vv51bWHE4iodPg/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-13h58m19s89.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374171141041923202" border="0" /></a><br />The film is replete with imagery, most notably in a dream sequence reminiscent of the one in <span style="font-style: italic;">Drunken Angel</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiks8DxrYnhY6FasHtTPdOdsPKOS5PG04vssRsgKgJAEHwsc1lGxKw-Za5jB70orSvzwrXsw2DSaSnSzjTyL2AmiyxC8vbEcE-vul4n5A6x-Nm2nsbCe6NOxr59JwTkQ0P6xcWG8QkHc5M/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h24m08s222.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiks8DxrYnhY6FasHtTPdOdsPKOS5PG04vssRsgKgJAEHwsc1lGxKw-Za5jB70orSvzwrXsw2DSaSnSzjTyL2AmiyxC8vbEcE-vul4n5A6x-Nm2nsbCe6NOxr59JwTkQ0P6xcWG8QkHc5M/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h24m08s222.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374169832860949026" border="0" /></a><br />Shingen's double approaches the jar we know to contain the body of the late lord. When he approaches it Lord Shingen's double bursts out and begins to chase his double.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNmCbAtZw4H9VldnNAB1mDQKU9URpoyheDkqBf6dd_fVFTGh3k5GeiffcqH5dpXrwRXL69rlZ1Gx2NMm9w_71C96kkUTC2M7m7EGVkJ5J8cUoaXWp3zLsCcQtbUnDIP5clVO96exeYIs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h24m40s26.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNmCbAtZw4H9VldnNAB1mDQKU9URpoyheDkqBf6dd_fVFTGh3k5GeiffcqH5dpXrwRXL69rlZ1Gx2NMm9w_71C96kkUTC2M7m7EGVkJ5J8cUoaXWp3zLsCcQtbUnDIP5clVO96exeYIs/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h24m40s26.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374169845540913762" border="0" /></a><br />Here Lord Shingen is being haunted by his sense of duty to the lord. When Lord Shingen goes away, his double begins to wander around as if he were lost, until he finds his way into a shallow pond and begins to create small splashes with his legs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZM0998Gk07yLo1WMnZRx4n9_QoG7Dr9YeueM3uM9cAzWBcI4s25-ciq_jfGXHtnJdL3PtpBA-TBcf4o4EkX5gV13D981a_bCB0msjilJ5WEJP2oV7P5ZNYI6o3qYf6dr4ohrSSETY48/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h28m58s51.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZM0998Gk07yLo1WMnZRx4n9_QoG7Dr9YeueM3uM9cAzWBcI4s25-ciq_jfGXHtnJdL3PtpBA-TBcf4o4EkX5gV13D981a_bCB0msjilJ5WEJP2oV7P5ZNYI6o3qYf6dr4ohrSSETY48/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h28m58s51.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374169857791921842" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa uses a long lens to shoot these splashes up close to make them seem larger than they are. He also puts the sounds of much larger waves on the soundtrack. The double then awakens and behind him we see a painting of a raging sea. Both of these are symbols of the coming battle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKQ6prd6SqzueGOOshvdG2l7IjhEGcTzZZn9_WAea45acCyE-m_3-JlKWicmbyV9IYTOok_KVWBEqNXqnqofIwqZVywTy94Rx2JyBJC9ebabCQ34fQJSXYiAQoUeLVC36Kkd7X1SqbSw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h29m04s109.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKQ6prd6SqzueGOOshvdG2l7IjhEGcTzZZn9_WAea45acCyE-m_3-JlKWicmbyV9IYTOok_KVWBEqNXqnqofIwqZVywTy94Rx2JyBJC9ebabCQ34fQJSXYiAQoUeLVC36Kkd7X1SqbSw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h29m04s109.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374169871771463410" border="0" /></a><br />The dream sequence is also important visually because of the dizzying array of colors that Kurosawa uses. It is a brilliant dream-scape that only Kurosawa could create.<br /><br />Apart from the dream sequence, color comes into play the most during the battle sequences. The majority of the battle scenes take place at night, and the fighting is largely out of sight. Kurosawa replaces the shots of the fighting with smoke lit bright red to signify the bloodshed taking place on the battlefield.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiGHkO8WWyWVaDakqo9R9aSrnFGt5VCyAvg9h44txXRrMTcVvZ5iuYKqSJwQchQkUhPP_MUlnAQM6ZjR4Hxtl7LAlvX0TKBEKpZzH8wFPfsWTwo76zuRoUyeyLdlCjxRuciOrPa1xtQ0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h07m59s7.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiGHkO8WWyWVaDakqo9R9aSrnFGt5VCyAvg9h44txXRrMTcVvZ5iuYKqSJwQchQkUhPP_MUlnAQM6ZjR4Hxtl7LAlvX0TKBEKpZzH8wFPfsWTwo76zuRoUyeyLdlCjxRuciOrPa1xtQ0/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h07m59s7.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374169822183434130" border="0" /></a><br />The second most memorable scene is the final battle. With no sound whatsoever and slow-motion, Kurosawa creates an agonizing picture of a blood-stained battlefield.<br /><br />He cuts to several shots of shot horses (they were given sedatives to create the effect) attempting to get up, soldiers screaming but not being heard, and mounds of dead soldiers in the field.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtgRH16f7FAnxO_6dN0p8JjzQB66pD4Qh0_Yu6Wuo9036sG9SXCXMhb21C2bVw0ugVqmaae0odLJ0vGrV16GB1cj4AsFsHu_MPGqLmeCZOdPD3NheANMw7jcI3QpByxIySEGCSTxILik/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h31m19s80.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtgRH16f7FAnxO_6dN0p8JjzQB66pD4Qh0_Yu6Wuo9036sG9SXCXMhb21C2bVw0ugVqmaae0odLJ0vGrV16GB1cj4AsFsHu_MPGqLmeCZOdPD3NheANMw7jcI3QpByxIySEGCSTxILik/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h31m19s80.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374171148213531346" border="0" /></a><br />The scene is incredibly<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>powerful. Without sound, the audience must concentrate fully on the images, an incredibly smart move by Kurosawa as it heightens the magnitude of the scene considerably.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbclcpK-hQvOn4p4hSqoaQ5Bkla4Q8sl3bZ53-q3ZkkMq29YTCKf81WPhhzzQws2WMDCTnNjswxEpzuznqsaw6E6u1UWEw8WYL_XhEK6mOOnbEegZzE42vI8LAOLuq6prt06vcZbK5ig/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h32m15s133.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbclcpK-hQvOn4p4hSqoaQ5Bkla4Q8sl3bZ53-q3ZkkMq29YTCKf81WPhhzzQws2WMDCTnNjswxEpzuznqsaw6E6u1UWEw8WYL_XhEK6mOOnbEegZzE42vI8LAOLuq6prt06vcZbK5ig/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-15h32m15s133.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374171159764388274" border="0" /></a><br />Though the majority of the Kurosawa company of actors was replaced after <span style="font-style: italic;">Red Beard</span>, several have returned for <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha</span>. In the lead role of Shingen and his double is Tatsuya Nakadai. Nakadai (<span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo, Sanjuro and High and Low</span>) came in as a replacement after the former lead actor had an argument with Kurosawa.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgV_4kTfUVfLAtA3QdrsdeoozQQxd9pxCBMT5aMVFs4dZNvV14FgHKGlxbgHPc-bm3FSz03l-eRyoR0ZKkZsrvTNzpEUHoYs8f3QZKRoWOjkYO0fOOOU50E7breD_Axai6mEbmY1AmxUM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-13h52m23s112.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgV_4kTfUVfLAtA3QdrsdeoozQQxd9pxCBMT5aMVFs4dZNvV14FgHKGlxbgHPc-bm3FSz03l-eRyoR0ZKkZsrvTNzpEUHoYs8f3QZKRoWOjkYO0fOOOU50E7breD_Axai6mEbmY1AmxUM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-13h52m23s112.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374171179041080674" border="0" /></a><br />In smaller parts are former Kurosawa bit part actors Takashi Shimura and Kamatari Fujiwara. These would be their final roles in a Kurosawa film and though their roles are not especially important, it is still a small pleasure to see them working with the great director again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMNO1GNwfwaS9aCt2zHaE5-SmDMyFiXOEGu4TVwWlD6bASc3IYv8Efm_IxmmUFvehcp-DW9NLaMwSh9THdPnmK9oI-cGWGN2KdApHMkAbv0eKqiACTLUOW4oF3Pzgx1BjpU36MC_Lm3s/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h40m30s58.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMNO1GNwfwaS9aCt2zHaE5-SmDMyFiXOEGu4TVwWlD6bASc3IYv8Efm_IxmmUFvehcp-DW9NLaMwSh9THdPnmK9oI-cGWGN2KdApHMkAbv0eKqiACTLUOW4oF3Pzgx1BjpU36MC_Lm3s/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h40m30s58.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374171192697632034" border="0" /></a><br />As for photography the film represents both the culmination of Kurosawa's shooting style and the style he seemed to adopt later in life.<br /><br />There are still the long lenses, long takes and multiple cameras. But gone are the elaborate camera movements and dynamic editing.<br /><br />Though not as immobile as his next film <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran</span>, the camera in <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha</span> is more apt to merely pan around rather than physically move around in the space.<br /><br />This is, perhaps, merely a sign of Kurosawa's age. He was 70 years old at the time he made <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha</span>.<br /><br />Though the color in the film is not as vivid nor hold as much meaning as it did in <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den</span>, it does lend a lot to the realism that Kurosawa always sought with his period films. Again, everything from the sets to the costumes to the props looks authentic to the period.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyo1IMdWg7zRx-G53jLTHPox3aZvKwFN5uXRNc-JQPg8vwYDiDMxmuEfBBS1YIyv28dSM24g1V5we4QU2wPYVKrKkY9l89CYSpgmFfWo0rVceFYzWlU-eCOqxvMCGw2sjaCpzTzlkRzw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h51m57s205.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyo1IMdWg7zRx-G53jLTHPox3aZvKwFN5uXRNc-JQPg8vwYDiDMxmuEfBBS1YIyv28dSM24g1V5we4QU2wPYVKrKkY9l89CYSpgmFfWo0rVceFYzWlU-eCOqxvMCGw2sjaCpzTzlkRzw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-12h51m57s205.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374171772152018386" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa readily admitted that <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha</span> was merely a test run before his next film <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran</span>. Though its ideological message may have given way to the historical aspect of the film, <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha </span>is still an period film by the director who knew them best (well, except maybe Mizoguchi).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFhZc5pCkjACsHx7fmfUC64xXWucFI7kjU8EFahg-QNB8igoIODha1zbTHrfxBQ0dJ8-t7PCIVN2LcVmfbuBGCY5veCoc1C4rXpPsyNT7qIkGit6WBj3yLkTnyidCIqMSHBQMJXQLg-w/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h46m57s92.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFhZc5pCkjACsHx7fmfUC64xXWucFI7kjU8EFahg-QNB8igoIODha1zbTHrfxBQ0dJ8-t7PCIVN2LcVmfbuBGCY5veCoc1C4rXpPsyNT7qIkGit6WBj3yLkTnyidCIqMSHBQMJXQLg-w/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-25-14h46m57s92.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374171784632021474" border="0" /></a>Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-78391045294131330072009-08-17T17:59:00.000-07:002009-08-24T10:16:33.890-07:00Dodes'ka-den (1970)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />After <span style="font-style: italic;">Red Beard </span>Kurosawa was offered the chance to direct the Japanese half of the 20th Century Fox produced World War II epic <span style="font-style: italic;">Tora! Tora! Tora!</span>.<br /><br />After fears of Kurosawa going over budget and the filming schedule going too long, 20th Century Fox fired the director. Rumors of Kurosawa's mental stability were also cited as a reason for 20th Century Fox's decision to fire him.<br /><br />After the drama of <span style="font-style: italic;">Tora! Tora! Tora!</span>'s production, Kurosawa set out to re-invent himself in a way. The one hurtle that he needed to overcome was financial in nature.<br /><br />Turning to fellow veteran Japanese directors Kon Ichikawa, Masaki Kobayashi and Keisuke Kinoshita, Kurosawa formed the production company called<span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span>the<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span> Club of the Four Knights</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>would be the first and only film they would produce.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESeHTPdG0a4g1bsS0bEhtkofH9HbCZJqJAMExqBjcHVwpgWOFfEe1lLZhra6Tvvg14G6dXStEFZyviDgpBf343FervdHPNdFTXf0xUahHDm6vGnUK8d5OM7eWgEr3XNpndNTWbzZt_GA/s1600-h/dodeska_den_criterion.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESeHTPdG0a4g1bsS0bEhtkofH9HbCZJqJAMExqBjcHVwpgWOFfEe1lLZhra6Tvvg14G6dXStEFZyviDgpBf343FervdHPNdFTXf0xUahHDm6vGnUK8d5OM7eWgEr3XNpndNTWbzZt_GA/s320/dodeska_den_criterion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371106356448460082" border="0" /></a><br />The production of <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>stands out for several reasons. Not only was it the first time Kurosawa utilized color film, but it was also his first film with a whole new group of actors.<br /><br />Kurosawa also defied expectations and finished the film before schedule.<br /><br />The film, however, was not a success. What followed was undoubtedly the darkest period of Kurosawa's life.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>Of Kurosawa's films, <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span><span>is probably the one most devoid of a traditional plot. The film is merely a few days in the lives of the inhabitants of a </span>Japanese junkyard town.<br /><br />Rokuchan, a mentally challenged boy, dreams of driving the local trolley. He plasters drawings he's made onto the walls of his home and rides his imaginary trolley into the main junkyard area chanting "<span>Dodes'ka-den, </span><span>Dodes'ka-den</span><span style="font-style: italic;">"</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> (</span>Clickety-clack).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qItcA1fJ3oY76lBwkJfYg6TqdRqkm6w2-N-0qeUx67R0LNbUIGsof_C-Yts4sz-fMPNcxQngYR4QiqXREO_LiqE8cFzuj4LmOjc2_PKJkF7aoFHzKR5zH-n7xsjJHWRIKNWGrGKuv78/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h32m37s225.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qItcA1fJ3oY76lBwkJfYg6TqdRqkm6w2-N-0qeUx67R0LNbUIGsof_C-Yts4sz-fMPNcxQngYR4QiqXREO_LiqE8cFzuj4LmOjc2_PKJkF7aoFHzKR5zH-n7xsjJHWRIKNWGrGKuv78/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h32m37s225.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372818391582475298" border="0" /></a><br />There we meet a colorful cast of characters, literally. In the center of the town there are the gossiping women. On either side of them is a couple, content on living however they please, even if it means swapping husbands.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGekrkR4UhFcT1Mft3B92eTC2Z5OM6yDr_ilqNpnIJXyizlbzYYjnrg7-nxMXsiHxx_89M11rOEM1ZcUVlkNvDO5mG8gXV6gpOPIqSsRgNrvs6dCOw80e9Yjk8GdLjX8ecPUQvhb2NFk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h37m37s154.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGekrkR4UhFcT1Mft3B92eTC2Z5OM6yDr_ilqNpnIJXyizlbzYYjnrg7-nxMXsiHxx_89M11rOEM1ZcUVlkNvDO5mG8gXV6gpOPIqSsRgNrvs6dCOw80e9Yjk8GdLjX8ecPUQvhb2NFk/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h37m37s154.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372818406640547506" border="0" /></a><br />In a beat-up car a man and his son imagine their dream home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBDnSEOzwl_rkT5ceamXZUMqEsRXiFQJbOGWUiKAd0umvljoLSWaQUFJgf3n8EnBG_7gRPmq2uouhYjRIQrNXy7gh8teKX5iAIdFgUu4o_umVmyxwrLud0-AvT1Wz5WPI28jckIJkIJE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h17m34s58.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBDnSEOzwl_rkT5ceamXZUMqEsRXiFQJbOGWUiKAd0umvljoLSWaQUFJgf3n8EnBG_7gRPmq2uouhYjRIQrNXy7gh8teKX5iAIdFgUu4o_umVmyxwrLud0-AvT1Wz5WPI28jckIJkIJE/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h17m34s58.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372818418981926210" border="0" /></a><br />An old man offers life lessons to those in need.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEuA40Vl2BBiFU3GFshTrPmtrDFePXzScf1dR6szKBTdj50HrIaSimgY0J0Sv_mK7XG9RdWr4oj10DM7CODB0jHIlCbAV1seaxsUPNHA_ZK33gRFS1Lv1FjnqrUnl3EHe_1377OB_FXk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h34m45s222.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEuA40Vl2BBiFU3GFshTrPmtrDFePXzScf1dR6szKBTdj50HrIaSimgY0J0Sv_mK7XG9RdWr4oj10DM7CODB0jHIlCbAV1seaxsUPNHA_ZK33gRFS1Lv1FjnqrUnl3EHe_1377OB_FXk/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h34m45s222.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372818429840305522" border="0" /></a><br />A bureaucrat with a nervous tic lives with his overbearing wife.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdWpbzRrLeMhxSTpkMc2jhxVQpUrcRGpyOglgRUuly2ATu1eo21Sqci7XYvOlzEOQRzRLIkL5MRPwNcDMUS0DTA1cCBgUNu-PgYUKYDRa1XRo4yHBK6POKY66oPR64RY_esa5FlNn25I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h59m52s96.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdWpbzRrLeMhxSTpkMc2jhxVQpUrcRGpyOglgRUuly2ATu1eo21Sqci7XYvOlzEOQRzRLIkL5MRPwNcDMUS0DTA1cCBgUNu-PgYUKYDRa1XRo4yHBK6POKY66oPR64RY_esa5FlNn25I/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h59m52s96.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372818846901808578" border="0" /></a><br />A young girl lives with her abusive uncle, toiling away working for two while her aunt is in the hospital and her uncle drinks all day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqRxO70umpbUk2Jz-ltRgza79C9S28UsXGUAPHEpMgwYE5-s9HKDlZfKGvMrqiLCqcPN5OOXeNuz2Mpm9aHf6Ai20v3KmiogCp8KDNXmwPfj-FsQit60pJvNMtruw4nEHKnSGh8uzw1c/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h44m13s21.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqRxO70umpbUk2Jz-ltRgza79C9S28UsXGUAPHEpMgwYE5-s9HKDlZfKGvMrqiLCqcPN5OOXeNuz2Mpm9aHf6Ai20v3KmiogCp8KDNXmwPfj-FsQit60pJvNMtruw4nEHKnSGh8uzw1c/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h44m13s21.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372818448922356034" border="0" /></a><br />All of these stories combine to present a sad, infuriating and sometimes even humorous picture of what life is like for the forgotten and poor people living in Japan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj32Smm5gvr8umEDojyFfiuc4ukZfXytTL4ff0ZyNmvZaiobRgODhaSvW2PPn1-4rK3M2mzyQPZCWcKumiV6VzdUy-hTxY1nKyqm26PbFL1SPtgb-WdyFLKjT2_ISMuqZ17dM52RPtoA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h46m11s241.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQj32Smm5gvr8umEDojyFfiuc4ukZfXytTL4ff0ZyNmvZaiobRgODhaSvW2PPn1-4rK3M2mzyQPZCWcKumiV6VzdUy-hTxY1nKyqm26PbFL1SPtgb-WdyFLKjT2_ISMuqZ17dM52RPtoA/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h46m11s241.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372818858769563090" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>is certainly a departure from the usual Kurosawa film. The Kurosawa film it most resembles would be <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower Depths</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den</span>, like <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower Depths</span>, is a film that is far more concerned with characters than a standard plot.<br /><br />One might say nothing really happens in <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den</span>. Indeed, we leave the characters seeing them much the same way as when we met them. Despite a couple tragic deaths, the film is merely a window into a few days in the lives of a junkyard town.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eOsAgvdkC0sPdgoupVn4IWJUT2FmMJFh3foZKoBkQk_JG5PwLWz-2qCRMrSI_1ErLwg153Tdp1YYLWwrWlDQExLn4NCfFFBTK-L1rYP8WQZjMq6fReWZkztWGOuhRWd3hknvbrZ9htw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h38m28s152.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eOsAgvdkC0sPdgoupVn4IWJUT2FmMJFh3foZKoBkQk_JG5PwLWz-2qCRMrSI_1ErLwg153Tdp1YYLWwrWlDQExLn4NCfFFBTK-L1rYP8WQZjMq6fReWZkztWGOuhRWd3hknvbrZ9htw/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h38m28s152.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373577357639080290" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa's films prior to <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>are rich in characterization. The characters leap off the screen and the actors who portray them often seem to become their characters by the end of the film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_8AgFGF6d7TmgMbB9B2aogCgXHXOQSNJwNzdgLnfJ9zt2W-ezp-I1n_0jPZwiY8C6Dbh-M-6sOB4JTN_d6N6qI5yQFhSOx658cxueHs2qRhLS_6zwjyTLNJu0Hjc-Q1JPSo4ZOqKpo0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h46m53s87.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_8AgFGF6d7TmgMbB9B2aogCgXHXOQSNJwNzdgLnfJ9zt2W-ezp-I1n_0jPZwiY8C6Dbh-M-6sOB4JTN_d6N6qI5yQFhSOx658cxueHs2qRhLS_6zwjyTLNJu0Hjc-Q1JPSo4ZOqKpo0/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h46m53s87.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373577369314574850" border="0" /></a><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>this feeling is not so easily had. The audience is generally asked to sympathize and relate to the characters in most films, especially those of Kurosawa. We go with Watanabe as he deals with his cancer in <span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru</span>, we travel with two lowly peasants in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress</span>, and we seek revenge with Nishi in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well</span>.<br /><br />The issue with <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>is that Kurosawa tries to do too much. He spends so little time with each character that as soon as we begin to relate to one he jumps to the next.<br /><br />Each character has their own story to tell. And despite the film's 140 minute run-time, we are treated to mere snippets of their lives.<br /><br />This is but one flaw in an otherwise refreshingly new Kurosawa film.<br /><br />If one expected to see some trepidation from Kurosawa's first venture into color film, <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>may come as a shock. The director dives into the colors as any natural painter like Kurosawa would.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6zreuzNuyWwmSqhYaQyvc5d-n7mNTUK-UUmjRKskXRj7T0FB05WGFWSSjPHn9obyn0BWTM5nU_P0nPcLygqk5TB4WzPbTd_0bSaIdgZHD17aeLTBa0E53r11xHLBopQ7fYAn944HoqA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h50m48s133.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6zreuzNuyWwmSqhYaQyvc5d-n7mNTUK-UUmjRKskXRj7T0FB05WGFWSSjPHn9obyn0BWTM5nU_P0nPcLygqk5TB4WzPbTd_0bSaIdgZHD17aeLTBa0E53r11xHLBopQ7fYAn944HoqA/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h50m48s133.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373577382719062930" border="0" /></a><br />The film is flooded with bright yellows, reds and blues. Kurosawa displays these colors in the bleakest of worlds.<br /><br />Equally as impressive as his ability to adapt to shooting in color is the way in which he uses color itself to enhance the story.<br /><br />The best example of this comes with the story of the man and his son thinking about their dream home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnIJieXzkiOMasrATLDscepTZNa2_MEViUQ8E4c9G9CbYmLSpxEWBjEuDiS9lN8qrOyE4K4PsL15pRhcV3gO8QUINri3M0cLQi4uCvRiuKj44QFEe99fqpj3-m0tEB3a0xJ5uM3qwqhs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h30m35s190.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnIJieXzkiOMasrATLDscepTZNa2_MEViUQ8E4c9G9CbYmLSpxEWBjEuDiS9lN8qrOyE4K4PsL15pRhcV3gO8QUINri3M0cLQi4uCvRiuKj44QFEe99fqpj3-m0tEB3a0xJ5uM3qwqhs/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h30m35s190.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373577390566325314" border="0" /></a><br />They dream of a home with vibrant colors. As they speak of the images they want to create Kurosawa cuts to a model of their creation. Showing what characters are thinking about in their minds is a new technique from Kurosawa but it works remarkably well to put the audience in the place of the characters on screen.<br /><br />As the film goes on the physical condition of the man and his son begins to deteriorate. At the end of the film their health is so bad that the two look like they are completely devoid of color. With their faces now the color of ash, Kurosawa is showing us the link between color and the human soul.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7XUvWRaZNmmHGxlDli2Cw707rIykhmB_Nv2S7h-fsfNCVRFnSe0TwBI8IVi-3l_tV5o6OXaSrCEscMjLasAXgngx_EEEac9xLTRC7IYPZ7667IubmpHPaotgIOujpTUfbMIKUBOFiBU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h17m40s23.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7XUvWRaZNmmHGxlDli2Cw707rIykhmB_Nv2S7h-fsfNCVRFnSe0TwBI8IVi-3l_tV5o6OXaSrCEscMjLasAXgngx_EEEac9xLTRC7IYPZ7667IubmpHPaotgIOujpTUfbMIKUBOFiBU/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h17m40s23.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373577408655163346" border="0" /></a><br />The most heartbreaking scene in the film occurs when the man's boy dies. In one final dream, the man grants his sons wish by creating a large swimming pool in his mind. Kurosawa zooms-out quickly and in an almost seamless transition the junkyard is transformed into a bright, colorful swimming pool.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIREPFgAzJV42rX79c_gQ0_3lRAbwn5O2IZtaozYXmvdoxTcec3ee17Z_evsZZNCCaRpkSD__Iqy7tkptScUTBkLTYEJOZoeqUyCTrU33odGcFyQ5SyVOccJrYd7UEmbFm4ASUYgeV-_8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h42m37s145.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIREPFgAzJV42rX79c_gQ0_3lRAbwn5O2IZtaozYXmvdoxTcec3ee17Z_evsZZNCCaRpkSD__Iqy7tkptScUTBkLTYEJOZoeqUyCTrU33odGcFyQ5SyVOccJrYd7UEmbFm4ASUYgeV-_8/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h42m37s145.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373578791696351986" border="0" /></a><br />Another strong example of meaning in Kurosawa's use of color occurs when Katsuko, the girl who works for her uncle, is lying on a bed of colorful flowers which she has made. It is a stunning portrait of innocence. The sense of vulnerability is also heightened by the high angle shot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPapOLq4YZghgjBuHJIjN4tcw_aG2Q-SW3YdXj-YbHjk7dQEZkzZjFOfgEE9bgsrE7iOVVkSmZtHna6aBKpw92JBlTuK7l0S2b-Ei9o04wpSJcVo-Dfe0R7S8TY6PO1qLnDLP5LsyWsDo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h44m19s242.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPapOLq4YZghgjBuHJIjN4tcw_aG2Q-SW3YdXj-YbHjk7dQEZkzZjFOfgEE9bgsrE7iOVVkSmZtHna6aBKpw92JBlTuK7l0S2b-Ei9o04wpSJcVo-Dfe0R7S8TY6PO1qLnDLP5LsyWsDo/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h44m19s242.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373578801611166690" border="0" /></a>The innocence is soon destroyed when her drunk uncle comes in and rapes her. The imagery earlier in the scene makes the act that much more heinous.<br /><br />The final scene contains one more flourish of color from Kurosawa. The camera pans around Rokuchan's home which is laden with drawings of trolleys. Kurosawa backlights the drawings so their colors come out through the glass.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MbMHIDwK9I-c0fJnA2e1PI7yxfgF1bvPMLYG7SXF7jIbClmh2b4QjkqyEdQmXJIrPc-RSEEzE0aWKodeaSOGJsRLcL4yoUWFfHTinHBl7Ig5H4uMoMKq9VZMc466POJ1hrBok0cphOk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h45m14s178.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MbMHIDwK9I-c0fJnA2e1PI7yxfgF1bvPMLYG7SXF7jIbClmh2b4QjkqyEdQmXJIrPc-RSEEzE0aWKodeaSOGJsRLcL4yoUWFfHTinHBl7Ig5H4uMoMKq9VZMc466POJ1hrBok0cphOk/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h45m14s178.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373578816855548482" border="0" /></a><br />Despite their living conditions he shows us that dreams are still alive and important.<br /><br />Kurosawa often contrasts the colorful with the drab and gray. When characters are at their low points he will place them in a backdrop of gray.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKVaJM3aq5-PNjKhOhRWWLHIvrxXSheluvvxqQAo3r6riX_xtKKibXqRLBEkryODrxuzyzq9uDa0yu8brJzo4nteb78k38VORi0u8pyrAf1K4hVggCJsDo88px7IBZ-TOSiHiTyMUbUQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h11m29s150.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKVaJM3aq5-PNjKhOhRWWLHIvrxXSheluvvxqQAo3r6riX_xtKKibXqRLBEkryODrxuzyzq9uDa0yu8brJzo4nteb78k38VORi0u8pyrAf1K4hVggCJsDo88px7IBZ-TOSiHiTyMUbUQ/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h11m29s150.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373578829031359970" border="0" /></a><br />Though he would work with color in all of his later films, it is with <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>that he utilizes the power of color to its fullest.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower Depths</span>, the characters are keenly aware of their situation in life. They know they are the forgotten people and have little or no hope of ever getting out of their particular socio-economic status.<br /><br />The characters in <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>are the same way. They get by the same way the characters in the earlier film do. Some drink, some laugh and others simply do nothing but waste away.<br /><br />There is indeed a lot of humor in <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den</span>. The man's nervous tic seems like something out of a Chaplin film and when the old man assists a burglar by giving him money, the humor in the otherwise tragic situation is brought out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiztFU6STTyG628o3BQ5uO91MpgiZv224uiQ83IRps442Hn_wVixw51QzqRe0v_BGKc0CfsM8THU6c83IiTD7jj-WywnHsiixO_cc6rAaWs0X9AlgK5TAv4ORkLL0mT7yVgOIB2QHFL8fY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h15m43s232.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiztFU6STTyG628o3BQ5uO91MpgiZv224uiQ83IRps442Hn_wVixw51QzqRe0v_BGKc0CfsM8THU6c83IiTD7jj-WywnHsiixO_cc6rAaWs0X9AlgK5TAv4ORkLL0mT7yVgOIB2QHFL8fY/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h15m43s232.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373578842747768242" border="0" /></a><br />Most of the film is, however, quite depressing. The man who dreams up his house laments to his son about how the Japanese people used to be. One can't help but feel that Kurosawa himself is speaking through this man. He himself must have felt the same way and would probably often escape into dreams himself, a subject he would later explore in his semi-autobiographical film <span style="font-style: italic;">Dreams</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjWBkTfi0qb-S8fEaVpKF9qzEdlclSUzCRR6-UsFhZmUUiElcgAwaswYyR0HBtp7WQTvxSA9RIMi34Ssq5dKNgdHTKmMOSC8JDPuubgWCsU-W-vJSo_2FNPMo4Q-3O35_joobIl-U_a0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h48m01s253.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjWBkTfi0qb-S8fEaVpKF9qzEdlclSUzCRR6-UsFhZmUUiElcgAwaswYyR0HBtp7WQTvxSA9RIMi34Ssq5dKNgdHTKmMOSC8JDPuubgWCsU-W-vJSo_2FNPMo4Q-3O35_joobIl-U_a0/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h48m01s253.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373579628163869682" border="0" /></a><br />As in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot</span>, Kurosawa holds a strong amount of sympathy for the mentally challenged. Rokuchan, like Kameda, is a victim of the society in which he lives.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJh9SP6RHcLuKAfddWgl17YHE2vrwgJx1xwLX9qmImVWvMIlWc784CoKH8QvY-x2U7moONj4_r-NG27jZ6nvGxw795J1hzJHArHO3ZTR9OcAOmGlLcmuA5FntTZmrV5g0KwRLAjARp5E/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h51m22s208.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJh9SP6RHcLuKAfddWgl17YHE2vrwgJx1xwLX9qmImVWvMIlWc784CoKH8QvY-x2U7moONj4_r-NG27jZ6nvGxw795J1hzJHArHO3ZTR9OcAOmGlLcmuA5FntTZmrV5g0KwRLAjARp5E/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h51m22s208.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373579641994391986" border="0" /></a><br />Rokuchan is arguably given the more sympathetic ending in <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den</span>. He still has his dreams.<br /><br />With Rokuchan Kurosawa employs another technique to get the audience to feel what he feels. When Rokuchan is operating his imaginary trolley, Kurosawa inserts into the soundtrack the sounds a real trolley would make.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2oWEFAQkTcnnEd0-acDlazOmqQAWm73yH0_3zb5jonBXE__t59r8y7ltcwTmsR9r0ZjEuq4l6R4xV2dvEt0TWcsxOuyHkwaBSS6ZDDj3Pc7cJ_ThFl0QOgkGifhMOArtSLGyg4QtSRg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h30m07s5.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2oWEFAQkTcnnEd0-acDlazOmqQAWm73yH0_3zb5jonBXE__t59r8y7ltcwTmsR9r0ZjEuq4l6R4xV2dvEt0TWcsxOuyHkwaBSS6ZDDj3Pc7cJ_ThFl0QOgkGifhMOArtSLGyg4QtSRg/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h30m07s5.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373579648164037778" border="0" /></a><br />Again, the effect works extremely well. The sound effects for the imaginary trolley and the images of the man's dreams of his home are really the only two examples of Kurosawa bringing the audience into the minds of the characters.<br /><br />It comes as no surprise that these characters are really the only ones that a strong connection is felt with. And because their screen time is so limited, the other characters in the film seem to be merely fillers in an otherwise tragic and interesting story.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ovtj0SPltspfIZzniKo5p1EsNvDpwlMF9mABXKt9rqz5Su_8U37wy4nDrzGpGPClnXTA-a6j5DoVWipUTHQepMLGmJe4KFaZlftuWzJTAaWPmT9YsZdmQKJj5JW_K9L3kRf_wPcpMU4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h40m53s69.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ovtj0SPltspfIZzniKo5p1EsNvDpwlMF9mABXKt9rqz5Su_8U37wy4nDrzGpGPClnXTA-a6j5DoVWipUTHQepMLGmJe4KFaZlftuWzJTAaWPmT9YsZdmQKJj5JW_K9L3kRf_wPcpMU4/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h40m53s69.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373579665428206834" border="0" /></a><br />Apart from the color photography the camerawork is not so different from his previous films. The one major difference is the inclusion of the zoom lens, something never before seen in a Kurosawa film.<br /><br />The camera explores more space than the previous theater-like <span style="font-style: italic;">Lower Depths</span>, but in each house Kurosawa seldom moves the camera in favor of showcasing the acting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPq7cxPC5FrF58PSKAr5lUHQU0F9UbW8aQngysnWXEGzi1Ttn4E3UFCzZQlfJYIOvxGPUUpScQ7ZPH-2xEWw4d1Zut9nSTh-dtjSq35343uHzlyVYpQ_LLgQk-vmeW5GIIurnJRn3hN9Y/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h48m27s160.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPq7cxPC5FrF58PSKAr5lUHQU0F9UbW8aQngysnWXEGzi1Ttn4E3UFCzZQlfJYIOvxGPUUpScQ7ZPH-2xEWw4d1Zut9nSTh-dtjSq35343uHzlyVYpQ_LLgQk-vmeW5GIIurnJRn3hN9Y/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-13h48m27s160.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373579673767486914" border="0" /></a><br />Despite its lack of a strong plot or action, the characters in <span style="font-style: italic;">Dodes'ka-den </span>are its most endearing quality. Although it is not Kurosawa's strongest work, it is still an excellent example of how the director worked with characterization.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfst7M7Fq5qy2tts08UrqdZ5GHM6zBzJRtivFLuZr8DVN06ukAZBcDfd9LwbIzFFSwRqlceSG6ESW_WYHaazPhMvBiHFsFos6j5AcGbPz3OjgeA3z_9sFvbt4tQhFhTP0iCswsUxZGtX4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h28m45s215.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfst7M7Fq5qy2tts08UrqdZ5GHM6zBzJRtivFLuZr8DVN06ukAZBcDfd9LwbIzFFSwRqlceSG6ESW_WYHaazPhMvBiHFsFos6j5AcGbPz3OjgeA3z_9sFvbt4tQhFhTP0iCswsUxZGtX4/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-12h28m45s215.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373580113359731858" border="0" /></a><br />These characters, like those of his other films, seem incredibly real. Because of the verisimilitude in the film, the tragic message does get through.<br /><br />Life goes on, Kurosawa tells us, but even in lives like these people still have their dreams.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsILY0UqGOHgdSnSz9mcrb2EwEfsNSRpGB5QCBQITAKJf1KHyBSwivXT4WADMLOyxPMGLeWVBlAbksV8UlY2MMGIEzHLjfzpfud571NIGVNwqchoR3c50kMF1o1ZUj-mjO7HCIY7mdsl8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h11m32s187.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsILY0UqGOHgdSnSz9mcrb2EwEfsNSRpGB5QCBQITAKJf1KHyBSwivXT4WADMLOyxPMGLeWVBlAbksV8UlY2MMGIEzHLjfzpfud571NIGVNwqchoR3c50kMF1o1ZUj-mjO7HCIY7mdsl8/s320/vlcsnap-2009-08-21-14h11m32s187.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373580127633049858" border="0" /></a>Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-79311852819334478532009-08-10T11:29:00.000-07:002009-08-12T12:19:19.576-07:00Red Beard (1965)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Red Beard</span>, based on a collection of short stories by Shugoro Yamamoto, was a film of lasts for Kurosawa.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIEIIZpJYa6lgcEhTCEfUIWa9IPkhPF35Eb-5MDkStatTzqXom5LCW9T615lCmuIEi5m27Su_FV8vjLRIzcbWHFqb-PSvJwk7_RdJiKubwjMSf_jmOqPdceJA5y0Nd4RbRebeBE3BNc0/s1600-h/redbeard.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIEIIZpJYa6lgcEhTCEfUIWa9IPkhPF35Eb-5MDkStatTzqXom5LCW9T615lCmuIEi5m27Su_FV8vjLRIzcbWHFqb-PSvJwk7_RdJiKubwjMSf_jmOqPdceJA5y0Nd4RbRebeBE3BNc0/s320/redbeard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368407240264697906" border="0" /></a><br />The film would mark the last time Kurosawa would shoot in black-and-white, it was his last film of the 60s and most importantly it was his last film with Toshiro Mifune.<br /><br />There is some conjecture over the exact nature of the split between what was until then one of the greatest actor-director collaborations in film history.<br /><br />One theory from Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince suggests that the financial toll the film took on Mifune as a result of the long filming schedule caused the actor to hold a grudge against Kurosawa.<br /><br />Kurosawa's script supervisor Teruyo Nogami wrote in her book "Waiting on the Weather: Making Movies with Akira Kurosawa" that Hideo Oguni, one of the films screenwriters, told Kurosawa that Mifune was all wrong in his portrayal of Red Beard.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xKJzKvAjLj6PeLGRgfjgjIDYakk-E2GWnD7Gq6TcBKE8a93gumJEKu0PLOwlmTWtgdYJsSH1oFt47QmoYXQ-_I-XuOwrDH7SvR6HJZmaRTot3vkt0MCNfQbi6Ae5bXepzRPpomAagLs/s1600-h/114-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xKJzKvAjLj6PeLGRgfjgjIDYakk-E2GWnD7Gq6TcBKE8a93gumJEKu0PLOwlmTWtgdYJsSH1oFt47QmoYXQ-_I-XuOwrDH7SvR6HJZmaRTot3vkt0MCNfQbi6Ae5bXepzRPpomAagLs/s320/114-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368409536599467954" border="0" /></a><br />Nogami speculates that Mifune wanted dearly to work with Kurosawa again. She details the last exchange between the two men at a funeral of a mutual friend in February 1993:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Catching sight of a spectral Mifune standing with difficulty in the line of mourners, Kurosawa went over to him and said, as he told me later, "Are you okay? Don't overdo, now." Mifune replied, "I'm okay."</span><br /><br />Toshiro Mifune died on Christmas Eve, 1997, having never again worked with Akira Kurosawa.<br /><br />Nogami wrote of the last time Mifune came up in a conversation between her and Kurosawa. She writes that the director said this about him, "If I ever see Mifune again, I want to tell him what a good job he did. I want to praise him."<br /><br />He would never get the chance to tell Mifune these words.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br />In 19th-century Japan, Dr. Yasumoto (Yuzo Kayama) is fresh out of medical school and ready to begin his work as doctor to the shogun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSrJX-C5gHZv0VfAntJoGRLcvv4adKSpRZZhHIr_52OpUcw37ktr_DUUuknesAC0p0y6qbBiFDCu6UxoFAC6Ei5uFJddHeXvGcEkAnvdCsW1CpJa18SxU3iAY7zJK-zFpqa_8Xp6fRZk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-12h56m16s91.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSrJX-C5gHZv0VfAntJoGRLcvv4adKSpRZZhHIr_52OpUcw37ktr_DUUuknesAC0p0y6qbBiFDCu6UxoFAC6Ei5uFJddHeXvGcEkAnvdCsW1CpJa18SxU3iAY7zJK-zFpqa_8Xp6fRZk/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-12h56m16s91.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369151807244433794" border="0" /></a><br />Yasumoto finds himself at a clinic where he believes he is simply being called upon to speak to the head doctor Kyoijo Niide (a.k.a. Red Beard).<br /><br />Before meeting Red Beard (Toshiro Mifune), Yasumoto is treated to a tour of the hospital and sees that it is a place where only the poorest and sickest patients are treated.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5E6jVpylWiAP60wHgut66j097DFrCLXb3tXBr5mAdmN5akDz1rvGoseqbGrBk_C40L0mG-_-KnlClHrny9vol38yk2SuPpYE4bz6-ODL0byE3K6pJ523hM3bf1ip7kA9hU_57JHzzs8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-12h58m25s101.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5E6jVpylWiAP60wHgut66j097DFrCLXb3tXBr5mAdmN5akDz1rvGoseqbGrBk_C40L0mG-_-KnlClHrny9vol38yk2SuPpYE4bz6-ODL0byE3K6pJ523hM3bf1ip7kA9hU_57JHzzs8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-12h58m25s101.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369151815001213602" border="0" /></a><br />Red Beard informs Yasumoto that he will become to new intern at the hospital, much to Yasumoto's displeasure.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsAjPb1OnaawjygX34Ai-fx5joB7WDKITtasct_KnhCdRfsvICGIoUAIQb-36_CU5sUCPbEBGj-YChxjv2W0JGME6rX70D2infY4GGXsoaaopSLJn-MPFJh6wYNjK6uPMrd4TmRIuOfo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-13h04m26s121.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsAjPb1OnaawjygX34Ai-fx5joB7WDKITtasct_KnhCdRfsvICGIoUAIQb-36_CU5sUCPbEBGj-YChxjv2W0JGME6rX70D2infY4GGXsoaaopSLJn-MPFJh6wYNjK6uPMrd4TmRIuOfo/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-13h04m26s121.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369152530712881250" border="0" /></a><br />Seeking to be thrown out by Red Beard, Yasumoto defies the rules and makes every attempt to be fired from the post.<br /><br />After a few encounters with the patients at the hospital, Yasumoto eventually changes his mind and devotes himself completely to the job.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzUQ6Lgkt_iyBC8-l7flk7yGZXwZHDoNhUG8GlqZVwdA2zm4WQdFtfqV9fY_CcpgavxZGFQgS_EyPqrPk3Vkn_5uM242fzuEbdyrp5kFD7o8pEJIbolhGWAc0r766BVdfJEsaLd6ffr0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-13h38m58s112.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzUQ6Lgkt_iyBC8-l7flk7yGZXwZHDoNhUG8GlqZVwdA2zm4WQdFtfqV9fY_CcpgavxZGFQgS_EyPqrPk3Vkn_5uM242fzuEbdyrp5kFD7o8pEJIbolhGWAc0r766BVdfJEsaLd6ffr0/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-13h38m58s112.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369151832085001490" border="0" /></a><br />While out making house calls, the two doctors find a young girl named Otoyo who is being kept like a slave in a brothel. Yasumoto is tasked with rehabilitating Otoyo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8Q6KOrekLefqWch6J1dbVbtW8L49ORho_0CNwFJCd1dffX9MivhnaPLtuJWZZIwSz79H_lS4fRWqKphdwyfyPmjLEbd0Yb9CB1Y0mrV9bxRA1Cz2zgfa9PLIZAYsvNrS2p2zMfvxsBg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h48m20s251.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8Q6KOrekLefqWch6J1dbVbtW8L49ORho_0CNwFJCd1dffX9MivhnaPLtuJWZZIwSz79H_lS4fRWqKphdwyfyPmjLEbd0Yb9CB1Y0mrV9bxRA1Cz2zgfa9PLIZAYsvNrS2p2zMfvxsBg/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h48m20s251.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369151835277674354" border="0" /></a><br />Just as Yasumoto finishes rehabilitating Otoyo, he himself comes down with a high fever and must be tended to by Otoyo herself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHxNVvkXRrXcGMy7BnSUHP1rafhS7mBkHH8oSFXHkHjROPc5CNEZarhvhTS0JSa38ekLENFDnBgyF2DBoSo7xOncputwwtyJhBY5kRl-alUGxGuT9Z_ocNNnhSS5onaiOfe7XaSyrzow/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h08m51s23.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHxNVvkXRrXcGMy7BnSUHP1rafhS7mBkHH8oSFXHkHjROPc5CNEZarhvhTS0JSa38ekLENFDnBgyF2DBoSo7xOncputwwtyJhBY5kRl-alUGxGuT9Z_ocNNnhSS5onaiOfe7XaSyrzow/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h08m51s23.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369153486198069474" border="0" /></a><br />After Yasumoto gets well again a new problem arises. A young boy named Chobo begins stealing food from the hospital. Otoyo feels sympathy for the boy and begins to feed him on the condition that he no longer steals. Chobo breaks the promise only once, but the consequences are dire.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvlkGScM5e-nU63I_fGc7qit5y9a7RVZN60EY1lbmBJwe99FcVR5tbyCZ5E-sgzybIXyNG6Qv0UwR0u8ZvcfbeZ5Ig7LjVp_NG8XkXu5AXFSzarNsxQqav6J1r8NC97-pRK9EaW1SHgY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h31m04s44.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvlkGScM5e-nU63I_fGc7qit5y9a7RVZN60EY1lbmBJwe99FcVR5tbyCZ5E-sgzybIXyNG6Qv0UwR0u8ZvcfbeZ5Ig7LjVp_NG8XkXu5AXFSzarNsxQqav6J1r8NC97-pRK9EaW1SHgY/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h31m04s44.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369152548907879874" border="0" /></a><br />When his parents find out Chobo has stolen they drink poison along with their three children and are rushed to the hospital. Only Chobo survives after being on the brink of death.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVgIG361s1sj25IlhKbYfxgxPSQJS_MtodxcePI_kKBWvGGqqSTWBraip5vBaRVrEur64TMsxeeRTRr0Ny7WBAa-qMdn8fdZ8Z_f1124Oz1MZvRl5YPX7dMNwrZ0iQHrlp6WlRnUC9-w/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h47m52s132.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVgIG361s1sj25IlhKbYfxgxPSQJS_MtodxcePI_kKBWvGGqqSTWBraip5vBaRVrEur64TMsxeeRTRr0Ny7WBAa-qMdn8fdZ8Z_f1124Oz1MZvRl5YPX7dMNwrZ0iQHrlp6WlRnUC9-w/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h47m52s132.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369152551037814818" border="0" /></a><br />In the final scene Yasumoto gets married to the sister of his former fiance who left him before he was assigned to the hospital.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxiEfZ2CC-xSo_nAwmieWjeTCK05UfDu2jLuA7nzy9O8mswj8jmQ3MiIJ2eOA3Pek470py_h00lED0PttNL8vYGDJ5QIyFUtnyD0Pc8kj42mSGWYnp3YyvG0SDYigRGz9KcrYBMgyH2g/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h54m49s209.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxiEfZ2CC-xSo_nAwmieWjeTCK05UfDu2jLuA7nzy9O8mswj8jmQ3MiIJ2eOA3Pek470py_h00lED0PttNL8vYGDJ5QIyFUtnyD0Pc8kj42mSGWYnp3YyvG0SDYigRGz9KcrYBMgyH2g/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h54m49s209.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369152560716377810" border="0" /></a><br />Yasumoto is given the opportunity to work as the head doctor to the shogun, but instead declines so he can remain working at the hospital with Red Beard.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrcDRJ2CXXfLHw23TLZb97gACrdxlQkj-I72RbpDeD0J2PyZfw-Z1hlONPrIcXt-FvpU5_FpWbpgUDKjOlrNNNjD90fV7zs2266hL3yOwSrzK6OBtunpRLMlrzHXdM28YMBaXaHpMT_o/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h59m12s21.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrcDRJ2CXXfLHw23TLZb97gACrdxlQkj-I72RbpDeD0J2PyZfw-Z1hlONPrIcXt-FvpU5_FpWbpgUDKjOlrNNNjD90fV7zs2266hL3yOwSrzK6OBtunpRLMlrzHXdM28YMBaXaHpMT_o/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h59m12s21.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369152644434145442" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Red Beard </span>may be the finest example of Kurosawa's philosophical message that he aims to put forth in just about every film.<br /><br />Like many of his films, Kurosawa begins by showing us the world is not a very happy place and that many people within our world are unhappy themselves.<br /><br />We are, along with Yasumoto, given a tour through what the world is really like. The patients of the hospital lie in their beds, many coughing or struggling to breathe. It is a wake-up call to both the audience and Yasumoto.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0layMqbS5lMBJnpMKwkQA0c8NgX6tCTnYAg6LdMt2EqY5nZhb9KcUSA8KPim8wFD4a5K99rbEK2TxWQmUGpj2AW91HT1weA3TOqEAwFcW9N2784IdREWU07G31DZvZHS1pVfgl3xpPY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-12h58m20s51.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0layMqbS5lMBJnpMKwkQA0c8NgX6tCTnYAg6LdMt2EqY5nZhb9KcUSA8KPim8wFD4a5K99rbEK2TxWQmUGpj2AW91HT1weA3TOqEAwFcW9N2784IdREWU07G31DZvZHS1pVfgl3xpPY/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-12h58m20s51.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369154090316451634" border="0" /></a><br />But Kurosawa does give us hope that this world can change for the better.<br /><br />This film, more than any other, sees its characters evolve through a series of life lessons. Yasumoto, who at first is selfish and rude as he attempts to have himself removed from the hospital. He refuses to don his uniform, he drinks sake and relaxes in the forbidden area of the hospital.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5s9GrkK_wtxK6FLLsMdNGvK-l8lyKxzRiQAEOy2xaimIaN7ZmDO1638I1kO3c14nVBmEGMoYjA4TzlBN7G9Pt-FmcDvLzXGOFgTxXVTN9rVclp4heu5nsxOEpPoOIhPzNeoXxqC0zyA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-13h13m46s91.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5s9GrkK_wtxK6FLLsMdNGvK-l8lyKxzRiQAEOy2xaimIaN7ZmDO1638I1kO3c14nVBmEGMoYjA4TzlBN7G9Pt-FmcDvLzXGOFgTxXVTN9rVclp4heu5nsxOEpPoOIhPzNeoXxqC0zyA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-13h13m46s91.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369154098683340242" border="0" /></a><br />It is only when Red Beard saves Yasumoto's life that he begins to start following orders around the hospital.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7F7vjZ6K-rXo8kfVhTcD6fxNwOZ87KBcPnO4A53QD6eHfjW3ICmvAICDFCbRm61o1AFtGMjcsJCvQ-3l6s9P-uuyyjwUy_et-GEIyxfuaHO2Vi-4yDglklYgxDV2d1aWvIGgicys5vW8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-13h32m14s161.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7F7vjZ6K-rXo8kfVhTcD6fxNwOZ87KBcPnO4A53QD6eHfjW3ICmvAICDFCbRm61o1AFtGMjcsJCvQ-3l6s9P-uuyyjwUy_et-GEIyxfuaHO2Vi-4yDglklYgxDV2d1aWvIGgicys5vW8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-13h32m14s161.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369154106589819266" border="0" /></a><br />And it is not until Yasumoto hears the heartbreaking story of one of the hospital's most beloved patients Sahachi that he dons his uniform and devotes himself fully to his work.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_WkXsKm8iplzDxaONOt9bHny-ODXzAJHbevyLPPenSI2tKRPpLYxKD0RmadR3P8MJj0taPypc7-n13rrHnHW32aXHXrikeRMFCQKq-m5vGDshCFzvrBz0nSWztClf96oHeZL9zqhhOA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h29m54s204.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_WkXsKm8iplzDxaONOt9bHny-ODXzAJHbevyLPPenSI2tKRPpLYxKD0RmadR3P8MJj0taPypc7-n13rrHnHW32aXHXrikeRMFCQKq-m5vGDshCFzvrBz0nSWztClf96oHeZL9zqhhOA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h29m54s204.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369154120599406130" border="0" /></a><br />Yasumoto comes full circle within the course of the first half of the film. Much of this is due to his shadowing of Red Beard himself. When he follows Red Beard around he sees that the doctor is often selfless, thinking more for the patients than anything else. He bends rules and sacrifices whatever he can for the sake of his patients.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyT9jQ_hH1_Z27cVblULDn6tMvNHk1976eIs-DfhzQuM0UCe2jmyXnPgmkyHDW1N1Ey6J3IuFdIB4FsPVZz4p2StD3Hjb_GvESmTrR6LJnVblCOfNoL5YA32YseXmSueYJKafNox1gSYs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h19m20s170.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyT9jQ_hH1_Z27cVblULDn6tMvNHk1976eIs-DfhzQuM0UCe2jmyXnPgmkyHDW1N1Ey6J3IuFdIB4FsPVZz4p2StD3Hjb_GvESmTrR6LJnVblCOfNoL5YA32YseXmSueYJKafNox1gSYs/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h19m20s170.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369154124402922594" border="0" /></a><br />It is these transformations through real-world observation and action that Kurosawa often shows us in his films. Like Watanabe in <span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru</span>, Yasumoto sees the world differently when he devotes himself to a good cause.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Red Beard </span>we find that kindness is a sort of contagious disease, in a good way. Otoyo, the young girl who has known nothing but pain and hatred her entire life must, according to Red Beard, be cured in both body and mind.<br /><br />It is through her rehabilitation that Yasumoto learns still more lessons. When Otoyo refuses to take her medicine by shoving it back at Yasumoto, Red Beard comes in to make an attempt of his own. When Red Beard tries Otoyo comes back with the same reaction, so he tries again and again and again once more until she finally takes her medicine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9nmuxts2zyCoc_PhhotkzZY4gSArN7ATwdJXP1vKn_sSemLW2Pj5sYqEY6hjDbfpa2ZTG2b7H1JYpQvKvNQCQM-PDXC3pUDQEICqFmEnYjHSg167yjbF5FbozvUvF7dNOiakyZJpS9M/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h58m15s63.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9nmuxts2zyCoc_PhhotkzZY4gSArN7ATwdJXP1vKn_sSemLW2Pj5sYqEY6hjDbfpa2ZTG2b7H1JYpQvKvNQCQM-PDXC3pUDQEICqFmEnYjHSg167yjbF5FbozvUvF7dNOiakyZJpS9M/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h58m15s63.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369157078994860946" border="0" /></a><br />Here Yasumoto has learned patience and perseverance.<br /><br />Otoyo, seeing that there are in fact good people in the world, begins to reciprocate with kindness of her own.<br /><br />When she breaks a dish that Yasumoto was holding, she sneaks out of the hospital to beg on the streets for money to replace it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcklC96Ib3S-RDkEQfX8XAmH68KTIU8926bfmaF-tSw7u-JA1xcLBr7PWkh4SnfcVI3BVPr1zwFB55Yf-3WmnuhtX1FCyCbHP3fzWS0Xge_qyq45T4xbEgeOfDPXMehDDX80YCIGVB5TE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h03m05s143.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcklC96Ib3S-RDkEQfX8XAmH68KTIU8926bfmaF-tSw7u-JA1xcLBr7PWkh4SnfcVI3BVPr1zwFB55Yf-3WmnuhtX1FCyCbHP3fzWS0Xge_qyq45T4xbEgeOfDPXMehDDX80YCIGVB5TE/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h03m05s143.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369157081382569458" border="0" /></a><br />When she looks after Yasumoto when he becomes ill, she learns even more about how empathy works.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqolI-bNOnXXmiwSX4-KNLHzQIzn4l3KuOfBFuB5s2L903LzykwI2lebMYudb995e1UNX5YnnZUxXWhYp1AH483SpXk7Faywc_x2CL1-obZ_8cZ_5ySFNl-xevN14fxQPTXm_zUqjXH8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h12m43s38.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqolI-bNOnXXmiwSX4-KNLHzQIzn4l3KuOfBFuB5s2L903LzykwI2lebMYudb995e1UNX5YnnZUxXWhYp1AH483SpXk7Faywc_x2CL1-obZ_8cZ_5ySFNl-xevN14fxQPTXm_zUqjXH8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h12m43s38.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369157092075210690" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, in her greatest show of kindness and the greatest affirmation of her recovery, she helps Chobo by giving him food.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO70cfcmp8DnDwzEr67hYBEiQUL_0cNjATVZRMJ8uwSCbdZ4mIcu3vTrq0_8HM9Za_Nxrno-i6GpfRV4ozob9arkFjzk0njLm40Ef64fcg37CRpdjobOeCTdr423fiEJ1dto_iWc7NYw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h41m12s229.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO70cfcmp8DnDwzEr67hYBEiQUL_0cNjATVZRMJ8uwSCbdZ4mIcu3vTrq0_8HM9Za_Nxrno-i6GpfRV4ozob9arkFjzk0njLm40Ef64fcg37CRpdjobOeCTdr423fiEJ1dto_iWc7NYw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h41m12s229.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369157099279070354" border="0" /></a><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Red Beard </span>Kurosawa shows us that even those thought to be the most far gone can come back and learn how to be a kind person.<br /><br />Kurosawa also slips in another indictment of government in the film. Red Beard tells Yasumoto that it is because of the government cutbacks of his budget that he cannot treat his patients. Because of this Red Beard must seek other means to care for his patients.<br /><br />Throughout his filmmaking career Kurosawa has held government and authority with some disdain.<br /><br />The one character who remains constant throughout the film is Red Beard himself. Almost always calm and collected, Red Beard is a saintly figure among the community.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U6NRdERaO_Oub2A346u4-4Fn5BVtU4VRvnU-wQMGmw0LvperuITmTmMsArOFYWiKliuwtLbvsEmbFuolLVr_JKtsLPq8znyp-gJsV64WJwQrd5MzIK5EHTyACknrWHNImyN-IpxU47k/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h03m53s207.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U6NRdERaO_Oub2A346u4-4Fn5BVtU4VRvnU-wQMGmw0LvperuITmTmMsArOFYWiKliuwtLbvsEmbFuolLVr_JKtsLPq8znyp-gJsV64WJwQrd5MzIK5EHTyACknrWHNImyN-IpxU47k/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h03m53s207.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369157111585278242" border="0" /></a><br />The fault that one of the writers had with Mifune's performance was that he did not give the audience the feeling that Red Beard was a deeply troubled individual, and indeed this does not necessarily come through in Mifune's acting.<br /><br />He shows very little emotion whatsoever throughout the film. Only twice in the film does he become emotional. Once when discussing the government's cuts of his budget and once in his only show of violence as he fights back a mob of men trying to prevent him from taking Otoyo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmF1zRQ3tL9zokCquESfJZHEGG5C8PICmg5qCp1pYK21UpqvTfCgXQgo2NFk1qaYgR01nevRt3a7C_Jj_JEGkPQ3V24J__4D2HDwBHye-DPn4mHuWan9VEH_JgW0cSHT1yh1aQK8QDko/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h45m37s158.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmF1zRQ3tL9zokCquESfJZHEGG5C8PICmg5qCp1pYK21UpqvTfCgXQgo2NFk1qaYgR01nevRt3a7C_Jj_JEGkPQ3V24J__4D2HDwBHye-DPn4mHuWan9VEH_JgW0cSHT1yh1aQK8QDko/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h45m37s158.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369158710684368162" border="0" /></a><br />Even after he fights the men he tells Yasumoto to tend to them, telling him that such violence is a bad thing. Not even Red Beard is capable of maliciousness on that level.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9C0EWjmMStBeEU0w_wQ6hqWoZnhBYNMeo3KEY1Tn1kLP5V02KueDpVt-kgJKhT1TiW9_a6cj2k7GhuO1cfp27aVKel3z5uTZozFSLN2K3qsUlUly_9dd0qHYnN765t9tnvoX-7Z2QMJM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h46m30s180.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9C0EWjmMStBeEU0w_wQ6hqWoZnhBYNMeo3KEY1Tn1kLP5V02KueDpVt-kgJKhT1TiW9_a6cj2k7GhuO1cfp27aVKel3z5uTZozFSLN2K3qsUlUly_9dd0qHYnN765t9tnvoX-7Z2QMJM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h46m30s180.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369158719929503938" border="0" /></a><br />The film is the culmination of Kurosawa's visual style. His use of multiple cameras, long lenses and long takes had been well established by this time and are used to great effect in this film. The three elements just mentioned all help to free the acting to enhance the film's realism.<br /><br />This film also presents one of the most realistic Kurosawa sets in his long career. By this time Kurosawa was working with most all of the same crew, and this crew knew everything from the buildings to the dishes needed to be authentic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sRy1xEzE33bZq0_XSV24o6E_VwvLrLfQ_6lBGsaPciPDR3WpkpBZo_ln9LkoATvwpklPy2sKcKSbohcVWSQDxmWcV_GAxYEIzD6XXTu5ur8ymPtN77OjqgBhAnaM93FFT4II3VtdqYk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-12h59m08s16.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sRy1xEzE33bZq0_XSV24o6E_VwvLrLfQ_6lBGsaPciPDR3WpkpBZo_ln9LkoATvwpklPy2sKcKSbohcVWSQDxmWcV_GAxYEIzD6XXTu5ur8ymPtN77OjqgBhAnaM93FFT4II3VtdqYk/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-12h59m08s16.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369158723143230466" border="0" /></a><br />It is through these sets that the audience is transported back to the time of the film. If the sets were anything but authentic the sense of realism would fade quickly.<br /><br />Kurosawa's use of light and dark and his play with shadows are present as well.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhY7p5YrP7KIKVHpr-6MsI6oGhAAWxNkeCStrcEu6SQ-WlHi5lP-rKEpPUofmo3X9kcWDC03keLom-_vL730iIbYGOpBwa6PZK3fUD13ikrAJxnODUoglZgeqosYAvjOUIH-DMZ1Ynxy4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h29m10s19.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhY7p5YrP7KIKVHpr-6MsI6oGhAAWxNkeCStrcEu6SQ-WlHi5lP-rKEpPUofmo3X9kcWDC03keLom-_vL730iIbYGOpBwa6PZK3fUD13ikrAJxnODUoglZgeqosYAvjOUIH-DMZ1Ynxy4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-14h29m10s19.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369158732354712146" border="0" /></a><br />More important than any of the visual elements is the film's ideology. In the beginning of Red Beard and Yasumoto's relationship, and Yasumoto and Otoyo's relationship there is a sense of opposition.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7BtWXPFtyq9BWLYZ9pPNywvxuhzOPiSgrustgl3hyphenhyphenyRqBro8bx300mmsIRJgZS_zz9fsCPWa3OJy7idTd88MdX2E1HvxBNsS_wQfVRp691eJeGRM4bGPnhl-ewP2T0kZ3Wuofdu3lBg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h42m52s208.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7BtWXPFtyq9BWLYZ9pPNywvxuhzOPiSgrustgl3hyphenhyphenyRqBro8bx300mmsIRJgZS_zz9fsCPWa3OJy7idTd88MdX2E1HvxBNsS_wQfVRp691eJeGRM4bGPnhl-ewP2T0kZ3Wuofdu3lBg/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-11-15h42m52s208.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369158741889702322" border="0" /></a><br />But throughout the film the transformations take place until everyone is living in harmony with one another. Even the hospital in the end doesn't seem like such a bad place.<br /><br />This is the ideal Kurosawa world. A world where everyone is selfless and looking out for one another. Sadly Kurosawa's outlook on life would change in the coming decades, but it is films like <span style="font-style: italic;">Red Beard </span>that he would and should be remembered for.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-45649147922856739672009-08-07T13:29:00.000-07:002009-08-08T14:04:03.640-07:00High and Low (1963)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />In 1963 Kurosawa would for the last time return to the noir.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low </span>was adapted from the American novel <span style="font-style: italic;">King's Ransom </span>by Ed McBain. Kurosawa made the film for two main reasons.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBc31WFfH783oUt2ZGDT1IBcIcQK5VFjeFfB0lr-XY9qas3yw3EVPFKkqMjfY80JPHkZTGkW5wVr2UIM5y6sOSdNDrFihM5XqUkNXOFPvWpYq8ZGDeATKe4tF04it_zk43NPlGc9keqjE/s1600-h/highandlow.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBc31WFfH783oUt2ZGDT1IBcIcQK5VFjeFfB0lr-XY9qas3yw3EVPFKkqMjfY80JPHkZTGkW5wVr2UIM5y6sOSdNDrFihM5XqUkNXOFPvWpYq8ZGDeATKe4tF04it_zk43NPlGc9keqjE/s320/highandlow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367323708578739970" border="0" /></a><br />The first of these was a reaction to what he saw as leniency on the part of the Japanese justice system towards kidnappers. He felt that their sentences were too light, a topic that would be brought up several times throughout the film.<br /><br />The second reason was his interest in one aspect of the McBain novel. Kurosawa was interested by the thought that a person could essentially kidnap anyone, and demand a ransom from someone even if they weren't related.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low </span>(literally translated from Japanese to <span style="font-style: italic;">Heaven and Hell</span>) may not present such a harsh portrayal of corporate greed like that seen in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well,</span> but it remains a first-rate thriller and an eye-opening account of class difference in post-war Japan.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low </span>is split up into two parts. The first half of the film revolves around reclaiming the kidnapped child, while the second half is essentially a detective story that centers around the police tracking down the kidnapper.<br /><br />As the film opens we meet Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune), a wealthy shoe executive who is being confronted by several other directors attempting to get him to go along with their scheme to take over the company.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oFSYfSo8nJzyETBVHxVTkMsVn4hvbvP_rtSsE4KDQzfGPgZnV2u6ebPKkg-XwNjYPqrd1LocvRilbHvP-BOOgXm4bIFdurJA1662TiltO_UXHbqKds09kILSPyjhTFm6H8ZlCjTtvWs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h15m47s114.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oFSYfSo8nJzyETBVHxVTkMsVn4hvbvP_rtSsE4KDQzfGPgZnV2u6ebPKkg-XwNjYPqrd1LocvRilbHvP-BOOgXm4bIFdurJA1662TiltO_UXHbqKds09kILSPyjhTFm6H8ZlCjTtvWs/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h15m47s114.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367326473258810498" border="0" /></a><br />What the men don't know is that Gondo has a plan to take over the company himself. Just when Gondo's deal is about to be finalized he receives a telephone call from a man claiming to have kidnapped his son.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPKYVNjMd8tzWUxRLawxqlyrY7P-Bm5Qcl6n7yMq_YV5LmJgZsmsaLnbGnJqpf8nO-nR69HSkzc1aqNWxTJvXlFTqdqqO0F8dvTeIYNfvzr89tyzrmGtxp7KPwJSbFp98kDlzUPqQFM4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h27m43s103.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPKYVNjMd8tzWUxRLawxqlyrY7P-Bm5Qcl6n7yMq_YV5LmJgZsmsaLnbGnJqpf8nO-nR69HSkzc1aqNWxTJvXlFTqdqqO0F8dvTeIYNfvzr89tyzrmGtxp7KPwJSbFp98kDlzUPqQFM4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h27m43s103.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367326480850641890" border="0" /></a><br />When Gondo's son returns a minute later they realize the kidnapper in fact kidnapped the son of Gondo's chauffeur.<br /><br />Gondo is forced between paying the kidnapper, thereby losing all of the money he has borrowed to take over the company, or taking a chance and hoping the kidnapper doesn't kill the boy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXpI_p9HD5H2AaNtPgombcsZb2l7mSRD6eRHL1WmtSxSCzQe1IvP3aLby6eLUQTsyTfZTZgKITNIetPua8Kr-uBc8crcnovAJJDIvz_L0azN4ShfPQWREn1cBdOknfqkzdhAPDX64G-s/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h40m33s123.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXpI_p9HD5H2AaNtPgombcsZb2l7mSRD6eRHL1WmtSxSCzQe1IvP3aLby6eLUQTsyTfZTZgKITNIetPua8Kr-uBc8crcnovAJJDIvz_L0azN4ShfPQWREn1cBdOknfqkzdhAPDX64G-s/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h40m33s123.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367326492011603890" border="0" /></a><br />With some convincing by his wife and the pleas of Aoki, the chauffeur, Gondo pays the money and the child is returned after a thrilling scene on a train.<br /><br />The second act follows the police, led by Inspector Tokura (Tatsuya Nakadai). Through diligent police work they eventually track down the young kidnapper and apprehend him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWM9Y1qXaCQUAVcNxVZOJxdFfLkJ-v3rnaNup8OT2GZDhe0NNVxGsYen4b-fZgDfcM_geAOLm18ZapiFcEgpDTRNJk6V-iIC4UV48uMqOYDn_LbKX5sfK_edrPJLh8RQx5gABKCfXJR0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h32m29s208.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWM9Y1qXaCQUAVcNxVZOJxdFfLkJ-v3rnaNup8OT2GZDhe0NNVxGsYen4b-fZgDfcM_geAOLm18ZapiFcEgpDTRNJk6V-iIC4UV48uMqOYDn_LbKX5sfK_edrPJLh8RQx5gABKCfXJR0/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h32m29s208.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367326493262076946" border="0" /></a><br />The final scene sees Gondo and Takeuchi, the kidnapper, confront each other just prior to his execution.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />In his modern day films Kurosawa tends to focus on what he believes is a problem with Japanese society. These social ills take the form of the tabloid press in <span style="font-style: italic;">Scandal</span>, the bureaucratic machine in <span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru</span>, and the long line of corruption in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well</span>.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low </span>Kurosawa tackles a wide range of subjects.<br /><br />While Kurosawa doesn't focus so much on corporate greed after the kidnapper enters the film, the topic still lingers throughout the film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9MBmYOgZiJygkts2-4zwToD8HOnp0l0KcmzLpnfIP8lVDun9gEQunKXuAB2gIIoYqKXMVgRirCNAXaHdxQ2dst_gt3eeO-qjLDmpiG8XRSM9WG1x2EUgnt9tt6GYKF_U3OGBT6XpTyM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h18m06s218.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9MBmYOgZiJygkts2-4zwToD8HOnp0l0KcmzLpnfIP8lVDun9gEQunKXuAB2gIIoYqKXMVgRirCNAXaHdxQ2dst_gt3eeO-qjLDmpiG8XRSM9WG1x2EUgnt9tt6GYKF_U3OGBT6XpTyM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h18m06s218.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367674273475748114" border="0" /></a><br />Capitalism is clearly not something that Kurosawa looks on to fondly. Most of the businessmen in his films, especially this one, are looking out for their own good while trying to scam the public at the same time.<br /><br />The other executives try to get Gondo to help them produce a new type of shoe that would cut costs dramatically. In one of Gondo's few emotional outbursts he tears apart the shoe, telling the men that the public won't be ripped off while he's a part of the company.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZCyc6vD3_X_aNE8P_pKQXQ2hE_61DXSUbisdPcuPYHLCKKFp4awr5ibOUcl_j1UFzRvq1oODTsF4ng7MuvURYO1BrFFsGxSPH8dgD8IzrGqRZ5B3vnzkYOnmNhRWsTYimgTvTc7B8lo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h17m50s64.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZCyc6vD3_X_aNE8P_pKQXQ2hE_61DXSUbisdPcuPYHLCKKFp4awr5ibOUcl_j1UFzRvq1oODTsF4ng7MuvURYO1BrFFsGxSPH8dgD8IzrGqRZ5B3vnzkYOnmNhRWsTYimgTvTc7B8lo/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h17m50s64.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367674280386788834" border="0" /></a><br />This attitude toward capitalism seems to go hand in hand with Kurosawa's feelings toward American and the influence the country had exerted over his own. Kurosawa's nods toward these influences are often subtle.<br /><br />The two young children dress up as a cowboy and a sheriff and run around the house shooting each other with fake guns. Here is the influence the U.S. has had on Japanese youth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyBhpNbeg_oGHwKrd8rJQm4S9Po1waRqFbozobA77hp_rImGiRXklXaDwwXXxLyp3nHh80A1mc4Yf7hiXgkUWgnagk2V9mjSVLI-Y5JA-QPhdMMWhFhFHIoMKhaL79iEzmqesI7dcr9k/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h21m06s224.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyBhpNbeg_oGHwKrd8rJQm4S9Po1waRqFbozobA77hp_rImGiRXklXaDwwXXxLyp3nHh80A1mc4Yf7hiXgkUWgnagk2V9mjSVLI-Y5JA-QPhdMMWhFhFHIoMKhaL79iEzmqesI7dcr9k/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h21m06s224.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367674283804734274" border="0" /></a><br />The greater example occurs in the red-light district of the city when the police are tailing the kidnapper Takeuchi.<br /><br />In one scene they enter a loud and crowded bar filled with Americans. The signs in the bar advertise American drinks, spelled in English. Even the music blaring from the jukebox showcases Americas invasion of the country.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX27x4lFBIkU3-qqP3odLFltjyuOs0EEIWb96A9HFjaYSVKwIvXtmW0VHIveyUhV-66KozDGsEdeOcJVV4uBpC7AE2OJVSo-brf3u8rV-PUWB3_JDTaXSyqhO2QYvHqQ_94kf73OkHbZw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h14m00s131.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX27x4lFBIkU3-qqP3odLFltjyuOs0EEIWb96A9HFjaYSVKwIvXtmW0VHIveyUhV-66KozDGsEdeOcJVV4uBpC7AE2OJVSo-brf3u8rV-PUWB3_JDTaXSyqhO2QYvHqQ_94kf73OkHbZw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h14m00s131.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367674292113673730" border="0" /></a><br />While it may not be the most important aspect of the film, Kurosawa wants to show us that the country's ills can all be boiled down to what his countrymen have allowed to happen.<br /><br />Kurosawa's treatment of the kidnapper is an interesting one. While everyone in the film seems to agree that kidnappers get off far too easily with light sentences, there are often moments where the audience feels sympathy for the kidnapper.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUi3LYinwD577WVKfQG-YIc3crwD3AR3EyZx1bxjSEDniRcEuLYIV-0niQrIWdD9_-ooHJb73e9bt-PJACZEa6tYv2IX2fyZ2MTzjmiKnS8gSWcnPDp6Hqzv2g4QMs06n0DZuFDX6jGc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h14m04s9.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUi3LYinwD577WVKfQG-YIc3crwD3AR3EyZx1bxjSEDniRcEuLYIV-0niQrIWdD9_-ooHJb73e9bt-PJACZEa6tYv2IX2fyZ2MTzjmiKnS8gSWcnPDp6Hqzv2g4QMs06n0DZuFDX6jGc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h14m04s9.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367674294938877394" border="0" /></a><br />The police and Gondo alike imagine the kidnapper is a crazed maniac, but when we meet him in the second half of the film we see that he is far from the image created for us in the first half.<br /><br />Kurosawa has a tendency to sympathize with his antagonists, most notably in <span style="font-style: italic;">Drunken Angel</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low </span>presents a similar situation.<br /><br />After we learn a bit about the kidnapper, we begin to see things from his point of view. This is where the most important theme of the film comes into play, the difference between those up high and those down low.<br /><br />The directly translated title <span style="font-style: italic;">Heaven and Hell</span> would have made the film's message far clearer and perhaps more affective than <span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low</span>.<br /><br />From the first shot this difference is established. By using the windows of Gondo's home, Kurosawa separates the high world from the low.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXYgkJlgDbVOHcDn1Vu7_mWwsn_FT1yimSzIxiA5nUtF2Jt4gPnxYG68MpAKKYZQgA-WTFcGjoKq4JF6hIGqALhSImUSvsEE5WAg-ir1ts7FsL3NDxyYKQiXJeD6YCQwOjLs_t2YsHW8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h12m32s205.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXYgkJlgDbVOHcDn1Vu7_mWwsn_FT1yimSzIxiA5nUtF2Jt4gPnxYG68MpAKKYZQgA-WTFcGjoKq4JF6hIGqALhSImUSvsEE5WAg-ir1ts7FsL3NDxyYKQiXJeD6YCQwOjLs_t2YsHW8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h12m32s205.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367675309489155266" border="0" /></a><br />The first half of the film takes place entirely in the "high" of Gondo's luxury home. His home is, of course, high up on a hill overlooking the ugly streets below. The home is incredibly colorless and besides a small golden clock, lacks any sort of human touch to it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGLqwEa5sArqz57oCPIQxwk3_WH7nJoULUuTHQKXt-wt9aqWLcd55UjD_8qCxf5LrJ7lvVfyBBR3wg736MlaAoFO1RywetAH95qq2K-eB31wXa936jZDnDc9NVn-fZHNdwnvDV1IAlPU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h31m44s204.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGLqwEa5sArqz57oCPIQxwk3_WH7nJoULUuTHQKXt-wt9aqWLcd55UjD_8qCxf5LrJ7lvVfyBBR3wg736MlaAoFO1RywetAH95qq2K-eB31wXa936jZDnDc9NVn-fZHNdwnvDV1IAlPU/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h31m44s204.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367675313211850578" border="0" /></a><br />One could easily compare the home to an earthly heaven. The home is also dead silent when no one is speaking.<br /><br />Kurosawa further separates Gondo's world and the world of the low when Gondo himself opens a door to the outdoors. When he does so a flood of sounds from below come through into the home, and a silenced just as quickly when he shuts the door again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_c7P-DFGd4hJsgOs_ty39PFOsJ03sa9oGKxAeF3zDY_8Pni6N59Cd7Tp7GmNboOLpbA1HhnZptDz3-Hw7QalX4OGAjENNfxI-Phq5UsYKfgFENfNSXpgAMIQhj40uM8nNvA0M_ULdzCc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h16m54s12.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_c7P-DFGd4hJsgOs_ty39PFOsJ03sa9oGKxAeF3zDY_8Pni6N59Cd7Tp7GmNboOLpbA1HhnZptDz3-Hw7QalX4OGAjENNfxI-Phq5UsYKfgFENfNSXpgAMIQhj40uM8nNvA0M_ULdzCc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h16m54s12.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367675322272971730" border="0" /></a><br />The transition from high and low comes when the police begin their investigation. The camera follows two police officers for a short while before locking on to a reflection in a heavily polluted river. Here we meet the kidnapper.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CzKcXb99zFXSdw0j6rK8d8s10bJc97ro1RtATtmNQlbeFSmb5Y1XcMEz7dxibf3lL63zedh-BPv0exrCEYqoK_aHpCDSJpGH7dHLZUTGi5YxhX6UxuxKncKmQnMhkL7HBpHsRfV8tAI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h12m41s198.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CzKcXb99zFXSdw0j6rK8d8s10bJc97ro1RtATtmNQlbeFSmb5Y1XcMEz7dxibf3lL63zedh-BPv0exrCEYqoK_aHpCDSJpGH7dHLZUTGi5YxhX6UxuxKncKmQnMhkL7HBpHsRfV8tAI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h12m41s198.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367675328413434450" border="0" /></a><br />We follow him to his home where he opens a window overlooking Gondo's house. Shot from a low angle to accentuate the difference in elevation between the two men, the audience can't help but empathize with this man who has to live every day in squalor while staring up at Gondo's luxurious home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUG8iDA-04gLMXOlRxPT_VpNIMJsX_TEfApYqeGpiqjT89vj7fr1J4YoeIDDEbgA0sm0K2nFuK33gJcboxphq-iLqwTiS7zDNILnjINTtfhYLsMuQlxInxMnocysXF-uSfoWkmDH6sh4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h15m23s32.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUG8iDA-04gLMXOlRxPT_VpNIMJsX_TEfApYqeGpiqjT89vj7fr1J4YoeIDDEbgA0sm0K2nFuK33gJcboxphq-iLqwTiS7zDNILnjINTtfhYLsMuQlxInxMnocysXF-uSfoWkmDH6sh4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h15m23s32.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367675336288981170" border="0" /></a><br />The feeling that the audience most assuredly feels is not held by any other characters in the film, except perhaps Gondo in the final confrontation scene.<br /><br />The police are more concerned with vengeance for Gondo than anything else. Even though Gondo was hell bent on not giving into the kidnapper by paying the money, after he does eventually pay and his life is ruined, the cops easily change their minds about him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTqtf_JEXZg2qOtQfZ9Eo5EnyfZWQDDYxPk74xq6pvYAoTEhPWYC7QuPColIFoyHBPjry9nKvr4lfNK-m77fZi6xwauQ_apphdvZMHaRdR0CxB4qzorz3m_g2TP8E-h5WOONcSjBwQ8c/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h23m28s11.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTqtf_JEXZg2qOtQfZ9Eo5EnyfZWQDDYxPk74xq6pvYAoTEhPWYC7QuPColIFoyHBPjry9nKvr4lfNK-m77fZi6xwauQ_apphdvZMHaRdR0CxB4qzorz3m_g2TP8E-h5WOONcSjBwQ8c/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h23m28s11.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367676259080306706" border="0" /></a>The turning point occurs when the police are struggling to find a way to hide two capsules in the bags full of money (more on one of those capsules later). Gondo takes it upon himself and gets his hands dirty by breaking out his old tool kit and hides the capsules himself while the rest of the room stands in awe.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mafTAMUR9rzSanys0liTAbRfz12oHOIHTkpJbMcFYecAXWrGkDKip52menstXwq3wpQovVYzetAvEwbhQvnLB1KxZ8eJif7JksR1f6Hs0Ct81BHVDM4Iz71JVUQFY9Vlz5pk1IUj8Dw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h05m16s104.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mafTAMUR9rzSanys0liTAbRfz12oHOIHTkpJbMcFYecAXWrGkDKip52menstXwq3wpQovVYzetAvEwbhQvnLB1KxZ8eJif7JksR1f6Hs0Ct81BHVDM4Iz71JVUQFY9Vlz5pk1IUj8Dw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h05m16s104.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367676263242457250" border="0" /></a><br />The police are so consumed with catching the kidnapper that they don't even care when he tests out drugs on a junkie from the real "hell" of the city, "Dope Alley" as the police call it. These are clearly the true forgotten people of Japan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnGxVvizTYRPVursAUDrOTR_BUyL4vyI7sfGJKXAL4QOnHBB9pP9JkS1_sSYDtLNhd2V9DWjeX0rumnmwaVMZoygkLC6MQ6C4rVyn5EaelNfoEMnBxMEaZZ-WbSitH7ycklHLpx1rKWw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h17m30s175.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnGxVvizTYRPVursAUDrOTR_BUyL4vyI7sfGJKXAL4QOnHBB9pP9JkS1_sSYDtLNhd2V9DWjeX0rumnmwaVMZoygkLC6MQ6C4rVyn5EaelNfoEMnBxMEaZZ-WbSitH7ycklHLpx1rKWw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h17m30s175.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367676267642175826" border="0" /></a><br />Gondo himself goes through a startling transformation throughout the film. In the beginning he is calm and in control. He sits leisurely while smoking a cigarette. When the kidnapper calls his wall of security begins crumbling down. He is no longer in control.<br /><br />He begins to pace around his room. He distances himself from the others, especially Aoki, as evidenced when, as Aoki begs him to pay the money Gondo hugs the wall of the room in a futile attempt to escape the situation.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAOPykN9HSE1LVVLPGsdQFdRzHe1admTHDZUwKfojS4CGdQcCdXNRy4ld45sTEADz-Q9gAlY4ynDZvWDZMi5tc-AWTr0xTJJ9wxpSl0pn_gMiA_ZzgA-rOXNOOIsRGZs9KHfGzgQ-yfw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h42m36s72.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAOPykN9HSE1LVVLPGsdQFdRzHe1admTHDZUwKfojS4CGdQcCdXNRy4ld45sTEADz-Q9gAlY4ynDZvWDZMi5tc-AWTr0xTJJ9wxpSl0pn_gMiA_ZzgA-rOXNOOIsRGZs9KHfGzgQ-yfw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h42m36s72.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367676273476461442" border="0" /></a><br />Later Gondo is seen mowing his lawn in a trance-like state. Without anything else to do, Gondo has resolved to doing the only thing he can by looking after his home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjfnoydvgMDGJXxMLr-YY_NlCTE_rjtkIEMHxprG8bg39hUXdadsslRqFcfgQqWrKVcZDFgk1rzNYD5JPI93HXw615-N620O2pexfdByHxDHzdhcgYc4oM5r1pG7fOchouQcA1R6yu-I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h37m20s143.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjfnoydvgMDGJXxMLr-YY_NlCTE_rjtkIEMHxprG8bg39hUXdadsslRqFcfgQqWrKVcZDFgk1rzNYD5JPI93HXw615-N620O2pexfdByHxDHzdhcgYc4oM5r1pG7fOchouQcA1R6yu-I/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h37m20s143.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367676944069349042" border="0" /></a><br />Finally in the confrontation scene we see a completely broken down Gondo. He shows little emotion during his conversation with the kidnapper. He even begins to sympathize with him, a fact Takeuchi cannot stand.<br /><br />Kurosawa does a most interesting thing in this scene by reflecting the two men's faces in the glass. Takeuchi tells Gondo how bad his life has been, and when Gondo asks if it was really that bad, Takeuchi breaks down. Perhaps Gondo feels the same way about his life prior to his dealings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtYdPrutKRqBtCuNHsYlmzUIYTJr1AlFPw7t68oQTmL1LE4poL9gbpI2T1w5cTVb5V7WRxF4Ow_AYNJTAMVt5iLSSjQ69FSdyzg3c3V7lSrpsQF-GMDkKsZiDdaumtmM3x5QQbkalJbs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h29m22s131.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtYdPrutKRqBtCuNHsYlmzUIYTJr1AlFPw7t68oQTmL1LE4poL9gbpI2T1w5cTVb5V7WRxF4Ow_AYNJTAMVt5iLSSjQ69FSdyzg3c3V7lSrpsQF-GMDkKsZiDdaumtmM3x5QQbkalJbs/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h29m22s131.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367676279372787570" border="0" /></a><br />These men have more in common than they know, and Kurosawa wants to show us this. He has spent most of the film showcasing the contrast between the high and the low, but what he really wants to say is that everyone should be treated equally. This again is the main overarching theme of his entire career. "Why can't people get along together?," he asks us.<br /><br />As noted in<span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>post, Kurosawa wanted to inject a bit of color into that film, but couldn't because of the limited technology.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low</span> one of the capsules that Gondo hides in the briefcase full of money is supposed to turn the smoke pink. When the kidnapper eventually burns the bags, pink smoke is seen from the Gondo home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGYK-WfqnOkdvxfkG8IUR1XMAF1isfQFhELYE_KmAKHV4zqiHMwH4dhNWysg2BdssaKVbvZBzG3YxydTXsHtG4zq-5NV3yYt7WsnsIeAgKdLsyka2WpMEEOdqHiTeCTUhON70FcCCNqM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h58m45s191.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGYK-WfqnOkdvxfkG8IUR1XMAF1isfQFhELYE_KmAKHV4zqiHMwH4dhNWysg2BdssaKVbvZBzG3YxydTXsHtG4zq-5NV3yYt7WsnsIeAgKdLsyka2WpMEEOdqHiTeCTUhON70FcCCNqM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-14h58m45s191.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367676945906563314" border="0" /></a><br />While it doesn't contribute much to the film, the effect is an interesting one.<br /><br />Musically, Kurosawa once again returns to his concept of counterpoint, most noticeably when the kidnapper is finally caught.<br /><br />As he approaches the home of his two accomplices he aims to kill, loud salsa-type music is heard over a radio. When the police ambush him the music continues. The contrast between sound an image is perhaps Kurosawa's most effective use of the technique.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXKPVO_z1igh-LweEfi2GYLwjZO3w-pYUHSiwHSuKdpvxFI5JIzIteVu9GzAN5Re8SWz2xbB-yCV_yoMsFAqlpv-vGCaZfhquBBm0yeCg4TmXn-DWS1IEkdKrOcprJPpC8gTqgmTeKuI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h24m16s143.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXKPVO_z1igh-LweEfi2GYLwjZO3w-pYUHSiwHSuKdpvxFI5JIzIteVu9GzAN5Re8SWz2xbB-yCV_yoMsFAqlpv-vGCaZfhquBBm0yeCg4TmXn-DWS1IEkdKrOcprJPpC8gTqgmTeKuI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-15h24m16s143.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367676956394487122" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low </span>is as great a noir as his first. More than any film before it, Kurosawa seamlessly blends entertainment with ideology in a way that only a great director could.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKsguSs1pwaqwcerG_rcy3MCwdbELcqJfKieEQKigm6twg_qDFxknrLQhk0JfnkfeT4Bwe9nRBD7ATlTXlCedultDYqiOhZspHndlHQZ5CccFFgMyKLEdUurmbLMgPxifroR7n3jr6Ic/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h10m59s47.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKsguSs1pwaqwcerG_rcy3MCwdbELcqJfKieEQKigm6twg_qDFxknrLQhk0JfnkfeT4Bwe9nRBD7ATlTXlCedultDYqiOhZspHndlHQZ5CccFFgMyKLEdUurmbLMgPxifroR7n3jr6Ic/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-06-13h10m59s47.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367676959629687874" border="0" /></a>Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-85824795942043770282009-08-03T10:45:00.000-07:002009-08-04T00:25:52.680-07:00Sanjuro (1962)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>is, as the title suggests, the sequel to the immensely popular <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>. It is, in fact, the only sequel that Kurosawa would ever make.<br /><br />Kurosawa had written the script for <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>even before he directed <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>, but back then the film was called <span style="font-style: italic;">Peaceful Days </span>and the main character was far different from Sanjuro.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHzS3O6VyVUjYPBjxc-zy1y7qC4G4aPXuLwXvp4L0yWsL8_AE3YzEWO7DSdYiJJ1AIYbxmJMEDXwObtaOor4su-khGNumZRmt33GMQ6FzDMF83lD-mp31vDGotYSyHnAu31YGf5N1BtJ0/s1600-h/picture-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHzS3O6VyVUjYPBjxc-zy1y7qC4G4aPXuLwXvp4L0yWsL8_AE3YzEWO7DSdYiJJ1AIYbxmJMEDXwObtaOor4su-khGNumZRmt33GMQ6FzDMF83lD-mp31vDGotYSyHnAu31YGf5N1BtJ0/s320/picture-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365803843879228386" border="0" /></a><br />He had planned to pass the project off to Hiromichi Horakawa to direct it but, because of the success of <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>, Kurosawa himself ended up re-writing and then finally directing the picture at Toho's request.<br /><br />While <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>never got the same acclaim or respect as <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>, it is still another fun adventure tale with one of Kurosawa's most endearing characters.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>begins with nine samurai discussing their plan to rid their clan of corruption. What the samurai don't know is that Sanjuro (Toshiro Mifune) is quietly listening in an adjacent room.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNto3eNgM5t_x2kHGigiRpiSrJfANVIZw377eQc0zzONmQd3aNtsrXUiI2DWl6_i242EPXa4RVM8FsX78qxUa8e-JQqJJJVCE9L7-zgrm7-R2O8kcG5ix0nSZSWhvB6JeE0jS4gRhDXA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h24m36s111.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNto3eNgM5t_x2kHGigiRpiSrJfANVIZw377eQc0zzONmQd3aNtsrXUiI2DWl6_i242EPXa4RVM8FsX78qxUa8e-JQqJJJVCE9L7-zgrm7-R2O8kcG5ix0nSZSWhvB6JeE0jS4gRhDXA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h24m36s111.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365854565010792674" border="0" /></a><br />After saving the samurai from being killed at their forest outpost, Sanjuro decides to stay on to aide the samurai.<br /><br />Sanjuro and the other samurai plan to rescue the lead samurai's uncle, a trustworthy official, who has been taken hostage by the two corrupt clan leaders.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSb3gUZwzyFRa1yyYm-gRLn0oUCIpEs6nd-3F3sFQ278taj0x1QT7KH8pOFgHWbKjNYc0X1-RPD2X4qSJAtNd7ElRl5mrRCQJQhAD9C8SHsNz1hvHiFaWxGvJgcyRnmsDLrGVuoaXD6I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h36m08s119.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSb3gUZwzyFRa1yyYm-gRLn0oUCIpEs6nd-3F3sFQ278taj0x1QT7KH8pOFgHWbKjNYc0X1-RPD2X4qSJAtNd7ElRl5mrRCQJQhAD9C8SHsNz1hvHiFaWxGvJgcyRnmsDLrGVuoaXD6I/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h36m08s119.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365854573005347410" border="0" /></a><br />Their main opposition, a man named Muroto (Tatsuya Nakadai), does not know Sanjuro is in league with the samurai and attempts to enlists his help in finding and killing them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZStcVm4YlYZPZ8FTUC6dXrfU6-G6ZDBRr7D4zi7LjuxlMlNwEnhxE70e9yXgr79t1aWGkxDOATSoVxJmtHKLp9iSWOby-maGy0qsppIoI9NQWLyz8B773BhvqQ7RNd7aBzsxd_grytmA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h18m10s1.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZStcVm4YlYZPZ8FTUC6dXrfU6-G6ZDBRr7D4zi7LjuxlMlNwEnhxE70e9yXgr79t1aWGkxDOATSoVxJmtHKLp9iSWOby-maGy0qsppIoI9NQWLyz8B773BhvqQ7RNd7aBzsxd_grytmA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h18m10s1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365854574088964034" border="0" /></a><br />Sanjuro eventually earns the trust of the captors and, with the help of the samurai, re-claims the samurai's uncle while at the same time bringing about the end of the corrupt clan rule.<br /><br />In the end, as Sanjuro is leaving to once again roam the country, he and Muroto duel to the death in one of the most violent climaxes of any Kurosawa film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGs1xfxUJ8VwAJc-uf5ELtaZFchfRVEDsq0-SfsxPUdjjSzdTTiFiVPLZWlJ4zy0vX-dNyW__LfJYrKNz9AtxHXYovrIb34qgsr4mQzT8ILnUDzhpfsFm08pEGHBVMzGB6Bg3A5naV4Q/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h52m05s125.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGs1xfxUJ8VwAJc-uf5ELtaZFchfRVEDsq0-SfsxPUdjjSzdTTiFiVPLZWlJ4zy0vX-dNyW__LfJYrKNz9AtxHXYovrIb34qgsr4mQzT8ILnUDzhpfsFm08pEGHBVMzGB6Bg3A5naV4Q/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h52m05s125.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365854579208876850" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />Perhaps because of the fact that the film was based off a script that Kurosawa had already written, or maybe for other reasons, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>is a far less daring picture than its older brother <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh365zxJLWbdsZeEyCy7uyBg3EzE91H-rcFbSMUR3yKB1faMZmjsTZufwf-SuCFP9ddKeJ1HuZzUc87ByS_wkXaispbV1OPEayjuFuxYeogrew6YnrpRXqxtQ4VLzDkwQSk0TDGs0abZJU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h25m29s136.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh365zxJLWbdsZeEyCy7uyBg3EzE91H-rcFbSMUR3yKB1faMZmjsTZufwf-SuCFP9ddKeJ1HuZzUc87ByS_wkXaispbV1OPEayjuFuxYeogrew6YnrpRXqxtQ4VLzDkwQSk0TDGs0abZJU/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h25m29s136.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366002508636095506" border="0" /></a><br />While Kurosawa's antihero took far more pleasure in killing in <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo, </span>in <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>his propensity to reach for is sword over using his head is greatly reduced, though when he does use it, he wields it with the same masterful fury as before.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWkjiTIdfCtNmPHhu8JPiy1sxZZlI5reGEI-zW0pYLGiujAY6lygQzRMYcuS8jDEntPAxrvyfr68fTdGxLoOaPtzgZGmRphkrilyz_FTLm0TjqW8NOT3gG5BlD0JwUHyAiqqh0oleR98/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h31m48s82.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWkjiTIdfCtNmPHhu8JPiy1sxZZlI5reGEI-zW0pYLGiujAY6lygQzRMYcuS8jDEntPAxrvyfr68fTdGxLoOaPtzgZGmRphkrilyz_FTLm0TjqW8NOT3gG5BlD0JwUHyAiqqh0oleR98/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h31m48s82.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366003323447662754" border="0" /></a><br />Where in <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo, <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span>Sanjuro often kills simply for sport, in <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>he unsheathes his sword only when it is necessary. He even laments at the deaths of the soldiers he had to kill in order to save some of his fellow samurai.<br /><br />Sanjuro's more peaceful attitude in this film may have something to do with one of it's overarching themes, which is first brought up by the wife of the man the samurai are trying to save, and who they saved themselves.<br /><br />The woman compares Sanjuro to a glistening sword and tells him that the best sword is kept in its sheath.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqQfXfZ5yYC-VkieYdgU6e6S2fqg0HgYwAZAXIyNWxWovwTyrdFJNjZRPqVYNYTD22L1GAENFE2hWUyB48ircyY6SIa0qjyzm3mYg7m3r1PAvNGM7eNgrgBrkTcj5gqrqe1bDHPVQi9M/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h46m25s149.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqQfXfZ5yYC-VkieYdgU6e6S2fqg0HgYwAZAXIyNWxWovwTyrdFJNjZRPqVYNYTD22L1GAENFE2hWUyB48ircyY6SIa0qjyzm3mYg7m3r1PAvNGM7eNgrgBrkTcj5gqrqe1bDHPVQi9M/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h46m25s149.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366002511481391746" border="0" /></a><br />These words stay with Sanjuro throughout the film, and are said again by him in the end when he reflects on the death of Muroto.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCTlwRZnVKCgAF6vZULTfr8oy-qjzTi41SEYqEPXIODmuP3yIQHkA5G8zyWQDplIHJYIH_RyJuZ7APOPal6Z3gdReA0P4dNHfDGcD8nLaoiI8kGXDA6V1w3_Np2N2VP5NYIBNbSdeqTg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h54m50s235.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCTlwRZnVKCgAF6vZULTfr8oy-qjzTi41SEYqEPXIODmuP3yIQHkA5G8zyWQDplIHJYIH_RyJuZ7APOPal6Z3gdReA0P4dNHfDGcD8nLaoiI8kGXDA6V1w3_Np2N2VP5NYIBNbSdeqTg/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h54m50s235.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366002514981166258" border="0" /></a><br />Sanjuro once again attempts to distance himself from any sort of emotional connection with his compatriots. The characters in this film confirm what was already quite obvious in <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>, which is that Sanjuro's praise comes out as abuse.<br /><br />Even after all is said and done and Sanjuro has accomplished his task, not only does he not attend a celebration in his honor, he warns his fellow samurai that he will indeed kill them if they attempt to follow him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-h1t0uSJ5RCW_QC_TbuO9sG8IFQzaKxSR3tdh7FVaTg-azi_MxgsHOeKCb3Mq2UWIKe6e5stPclRAwfoaqqg-CPxCLsveFkJnNY2WTcscweYwD2PPOTgXN25Q9oLhFJepmkr26a_3i8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h55m42s248.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-h1t0uSJ5RCW_QC_TbuO9sG8IFQzaKxSR3tdh7FVaTg-azi_MxgsHOeKCb3Mq2UWIKe6e5stPclRAwfoaqqg-CPxCLsveFkJnNY2WTcscweYwD2PPOTgXN25Q9oLhFJepmkr26a_3i8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h55m42s248.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366002525867958322" border="0" /></a><br />Perhaps taking a cue from John Ford's hero in 1956's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Searchers</span>, where Ford's hero leaves his family behind to go out on the road again, Kurosawa does the same with Sanjuro. Both men know they can't function in any sort of ordered society. They cannot be tamed.<br /><br />Sanjuro and Muroto are the only characters in the film who seem to have much sense at all. Like Sanjuro and Unosuke in <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>, they are the only two who think before they act.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdIornfVtUl2xMSFfbaP4pk_1w4E3RR4Ee-oGiQOnUN52cdcljVTbyc25kCkx95V1lQfJm_OikKz1CXRs0ziHRVnVgEj0bwDO0WPnxRJXNUW14-lRC37Dkf8hZhDcpDR8bP2RX7tKjGM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h41m13s3.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdIornfVtUl2xMSFfbaP4pk_1w4E3RR4Ee-oGiQOnUN52cdcljVTbyc25kCkx95V1lQfJm_OikKz1CXRs0ziHRVnVgEj0bwDO0WPnxRJXNUW14-lRC37Dkf8hZhDcpDR8bP2RX7tKjGM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h41m13s3.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366002527926932098" border="0" /></a><br />The other samurai are rash and quick to act. Even when Sanjuro saves them several times, they question his loyalty due to his un-samurai-like behavior. He uses foul language, he's lazy and as one samurai points out, he begs for food rather than starve like a traditional samurai.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_haUAicx84ksz_eZYICNRboFfAH63a4eCERMf_F5ewmsjd9fNjbg-VA8AA2nZ40J3VdwQEiPJgJa7pYCD0THl6DAxl5Otxf6fecZxM18NsW_dmVyjWIeYSVOi_VMECongf86LjOEn6c/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h02m42s188.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_haUAicx84ksz_eZYICNRboFfAH63a4eCERMf_F5ewmsjd9fNjbg-VA8AA2nZ40J3VdwQEiPJgJa7pYCD0THl6DAxl5Otxf6fecZxM18NsW_dmVyjWIeYSVOi_VMECongf86LjOEn6c/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h02m42s188.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366003333362621554" border="0" /></a><br />This all leads back to yet another theme from <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>, that of the conflict between tradition and modernity.<br /><br />The nine samurai are steadfast in their traditional ways. They sit, speak and act formally. Sanjuro is the modern samurai, roaming from town to town trying to make a living rather than trying to make a name for himself or holding to any sort of code of honor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsd0NAIMJmHoYibwwfNiqjRtz9e38alVRXI6C10Z8J9-cuOSbWj9Dip78bCfmlag2tQ1r42-UjFbN0At53mGO6sCRWXZvWfucWsGyZ-AlQbZ_Q79JFpvxdjygAifkSixOqPTlLnXEjOak/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h26m55s132.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsd0NAIMJmHoYibwwfNiqjRtz9e38alVRXI6C10Z8J9-cuOSbWj9Dip78bCfmlag2tQ1r42-UjFbN0At53mGO6sCRWXZvWfucWsGyZ-AlQbZ_Q79JFpvxdjygAifkSixOqPTlLnXEjOak/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h26m55s132.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366003335317122322" border="0" /></a><br />Sanjuro knows how to survive in this increasingly modern world, and attempts to impart his wisdom to a bunch of samurai who are often unwilling to listen.<br /><br />The film itself feels far more like a traditional Japanese jidai-geki (period film) than <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>. Much of the likenesses to the American western in the first film are gone from the second. Gang rivalry is something one might see in any American film, but corruption in the form of feudalism is something truly Japanese.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjMuY4wr8Lq8GUf08K9C9CvgKooz-6e1CDEZ4sgrqiA0Ob0V74X3-iRBMQeMdBkv1y4PqXfhFkzIwXav_klxou7rXSLFMTD7BiJG63tOt7yV7M2cQ_BIFY545MSOTtj9MOJFtDB19h5Y/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h56m54s36.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjMuY4wr8Lq8GUf08K9C9CvgKooz-6e1CDEZ4sgrqiA0Ob0V74X3-iRBMQeMdBkv1y4PqXfhFkzIwXav_klxou7rXSLFMTD7BiJG63tOt7yV7M2cQ_BIFY545MSOTtj9MOJFtDB19h5Y/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h56m54s36.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366003343392498978" border="0" /></a><br />Indeed, this is again more than likely a result of a re-worked script. If Kurosawa was able to write the film completely from scratch it may have been different.<br /><br />Another difference between <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>highlights just how much a movie can change when you are working with a different cinematographer.<br /><br />Where the photography in <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>was often dynamic and intense, contributing greatly to the film's brilliance, the photography in <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>often feels far tamer.<br /><br />What the film lacks in visual appeal it more than makes up for in its story.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSv4hs1XmoFkxzl5loY-BQuaQLZ9sgQ5iHN5xpu3pzgw517XVfG7fOH1Dhk0EnhsaicrleXXbEPsD1q8UPd1WblixBYLJLmnqSgJ8uPEIg95AuMzpsNoyezGRK-QrTuQtj7s_2oNwNcDY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h37m29s168.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSv4hs1XmoFkxzl5loY-BQuaQLZ9sgQ5iHN5xpu3pzgw517XVfG7fOH1Dhk0EnhsaicrleXXbEPsD1q8UPd1WblixBYLJLmnqSgJ8uPEIg95AuMzpsNoyezGRK-QrTuQtj7s_2oNwNcDY/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h37m29s168.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366004346094426898" border="0" /></a><br />While many sequels will try to duplicate as much of the same story as the first film, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>is a completely fresh tale.<br /><br />Because the film takes fewer risks and the story is more traditional and the film has a far lighter tone than <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>, the film contains far more humorous moments.<br /><br />Comedy may not be something Kurosawa was noted for, but <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>certainly show off the lighter side of the director.<br /><br />He even throws some physical humor in the mix, something especially rare for Kurosawa.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6y6e9rQik28P9Gj3w3WvlqkJBBY-1N108n-E4VllNg8JOq2Ya4_jp_kJ-hkzaLE7ysC3vJ69Q4wmmVLsEZp30fS4axF801J2daC9ix_O1vA4b9-Sz3DzQxbEFcdg8S3qc2wUb0IArjIs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h51m25s74.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6y6e9rQik28P9Gj3w3WvlqkJBBY-1N108n-E4VllNg8JOq2Ya4_jp_kJ-hkzaLE7ysC3vJ69Q4wmmVLsEZp30fS4axF801J2daC9ix_O1vA4b9-Sz3DzQxbEFcdg8S3qc2wUb0IArjIs/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h51m25s74.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366004331129623778" border="0" /></a><br />The very end of the film also presents something rarely seen prior to this film, that being the sight of a good amount of blood.<br /><br />In a fight that seems to last forever, Sanjuro and Muroto stand completely still until they both move to strike at the same moment. Sanjuro bests Muroto with a swift movement of his sword as blood comes rushing out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovzMrU2iyq0ybP0nNCDpsuvl5uQ5_FCvyrey6Ph756Lg4kqlrrqVf0ah32ItZlrhyDobZ7v2IqP0FAlsIV_wJEw6dUW8xb39dA3op6nBowvCKpb132ufZK6F0W3Wb2sUFyMgO4FAYG58/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h53m21s119.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovzMrU2iyq0ybP0nNCDpsuvl5uQ5_FCvyrey6Ph756Lg4kqlrrqVf0ah32ItZlrhyDobZ7v2IqP0FAlsIV_wJEw6dUW8xb39dA3op6nBowvCKpb132ufZK6F0W3Wb2sUFyMgO4FAYG58/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h53m21s119.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366004339204481170" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7teo4GgZj2mphlgYgy_Z9nCnPZMQhy5Mp0rZOOko_t4KVIr2zyJ-MKv67Oc_U8LkL5U4LkpIlgNqHHNgnxL0I-DT0sz_9tut3-USN0sW9IxFDS0Tcn9OEcrehGPnCGbkrXFwWzdsTyL0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h53m44s94.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7teo4GgZj2mphlgYgy_Z9nCnPZMQhy5Mp0rZOOko_t4KVIr2zyJ-MKv67Oc_U8LkL5U4LkpIlgNqHHNgnxL0I-DT0sz_9tut3-USN0sW9IxFDS0Tcn9OEcrehGPnCGbkrXFwWzdsTyL0/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-14h53m44s94.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366004346161196034" border="0" /></a><br />Tatsuya Nakadai, the actor who played Muroto, was almost knocked over by the force of the blast.<br /><br />It is also interesting to note one other experiment Kurosawa attempted, or rather wanted to attempt with this film.<br /><br />At one point Sanjuro is to signal his fellow samurai by sending camellias down a stream. Despite filming in black and white, Kurosawa wanted to have only the flowers shot in color. Sadly the technology was not perfected in time for Kurosawa to use it, though he would the next year in <span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR4DDTsCbPF0DHUQhPMTImyE2PwH_76GQYEzt1-d9SCjWrsnSe48LBi0H8YJ97Da-HlkH_1AWGQZBcCxN-kCSkndCm9bwyUCusPO4v-9890uJZooZwTfhsp_VjB1UBDJWcyT2MpOcGwc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h28m11s212.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR4DDTsCbPF0DHUQhPMTImyE2PwH_76GQYEzt1-d9SCjWrsnSe48LBi0H8YJ97Da-HlkH_1AWGQZBcCxN-kCSkndCm9bwyUCusPO4v-9890uJZooZwTfhsp_VjB1UBDJWcyT2MpOcGwc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-03-13h28m11s212.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366004326443658226" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sanjuro </span>may lose a lot of respect due to its constant comparisons to <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>, but it still remains a delightful companion and entertaining picture in its own right.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-26710584839575985872009-08-02T16:42:00.000-07:002009-08-03T15:35:43.003-07:00Yojimbo (1961)<span style="font-weight: bold;">B</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">ackground:</span><br /><br />It is somewhat ironic that Kurosawa, a man called the most western of Japanese director's, had such an effect on the very genre that he himself was influenced by.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZ_3IqfFFonIVNEtqg8gOhMdvbux-66w_dlaKIEI_8_UV_WZThAYB1mWLGbr8hWrWl4IsLOpbAfV1-gr9JSjljUEiFlTuM0gczldQnXbnXGsTy_2RSiRpAaLiA4mkAX0BHJfltpnnuCU/s1600-h/yojimbo-criterion-collection-large.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZ_3IqfFFonIVNEtqg8gOhMdvbux-66w_dlaKIEI_8_UV_WZThAYB1mWLGbr8hWrWl4IsLOpbAfV1-gr9JSjljUEiFlTuM0gczldQnXbnXGsTy_2RSiRpAaLiA4mkAX0BHJfltpnnuCU/s320/yojimbo-criterion-collection-large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365519748363240194" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Outrage </span></span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Magnificent Seven</span>, both re-makes of the Kurosawa films <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Samurai </span>respectively, are two examples of Kurosawa's influence on American westerns.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span> spawned the three-film "Man With No Name" series that launched Clint Eastwood to stardom. These films, directed by Sergio Leone, spawned the genre known as the spaghetti western.<br /><br />Re-made twice into <span style="font-style: italic;">A Fistful of Dollars </span>and the Bruce Willis film <span style="font-style: italic;">Land Man Standing</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>showed Japan just how Western Kurosawa could be.<br /><br />The film even surpassed the popularity of <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Samurai </span>in the United States. The similarities to the American western and the light-humored, action-packed story make <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>one of Kurosawa's most entertaining and accessible films.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br />As Kurosawa himself once pointed out, the story of <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>is so simple it's a wonder nobody thought of it before.<br /><br />The film stars Toshiro Mifune as Kuwabatake Sanjuro (30-something year-old Mulberry Field). Sanjuro, a wandering ronin (masterless samurai), strolls into what seems to be a deserted town.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYe2EeDxGo21ph6NfXu8noWxOPfHmP9CRG-iHMDT8q8dYhW2RJcegBOI_tYS57NCTnRMQta4QO6icyOZfZbOwnf5bGp1jtDnu6AvJPYaR66Vjdg6MdVR_m8kTuaP7G8Ouh51kxtzxGNZI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h04m43s149.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYe2EeDxGo21ph6NfXu8noWxOPfHmP9CRG-iHMDT8q8dYhW2RJcegBOI_tYS57NCTnRMQta4QO6icyOZfZbOwnf5bGp1jtDnu6AvJPYaR66Vjdg6MdVR_m8kTuaP7G8Ouh51kxtzxGNZI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h04m43s149.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365552183267926946" border="0" /></a><br />He soon learns that the town has been run down by two rival gangs. Sanjuro, seeking to both rid the town of the gangs and earn a profit at the same time, offers up his services as a yojimbo (bodyguard).<br /><br />Sanjuro plays both sides of the town, thereby increasing both the money he can make and escalating the war between the two sides.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhak2iyb_65bFARwJJC3FL2IxGvY9J0oCRalCtdqB7JXFf3gFO_a89c_Z-JIgiUnl0CeWbGa7NYhE40FTvGsUeVj3BiCljuM4JHvC-kEaYpxp6U7StpPtNlcMvocl2eTIrMzrp8NUhms/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h16m55s51.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhak2iyb_65bFARwJJC3FL2IxGvY9J0oCRalCtdqB7JXFf3gFO_a89c_Z-JIgiUnl0CeWbGa7NYhE40FTvGsUeVj3BiCljuM4JHvC-kEaYpxp6U7StpPtNlcMvocl2eTIrMzrp8NUhms/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h16m55s51.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365552188069425858" border="0" /></a><br />Sanjuro's luck finally runs out when, after he sets free the wife of a peasant man, he is caught by Unosuke (Tatsuya Nakadai in his first major role in a Kurosawa film), one of the gang bosses more worldly and intelligent sons.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG_ns0OPGyBGLQUFomVxvCquSdhZBmaQmj7hbGTSwvmYGf816i2tX7yeN47oTWbOk8EEoZ52QGiLqEeOMI3zImGp38mN5bee0X2q_Y0EgQw9Vf8FSC3x83AeHxGlhaUJU4Mn1yzcnXpw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h17m16s162.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG_ns0OPGyBGLQUFomVxvCquSdhZBmaQmj7hbGTSwvmYGf816i2tX7yeN47oTWbOk8EEoZ52QGiLqEeOMI3zImGp38mN5bee0X2q_Y0EgQw9Vf8FSC3x83AeHxGlhaUJU4Mn1yzcnXpw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h17m16s162.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365552190353046866" border="0" /></a><br />After almost being beaten to death, Sanjuro escapes and rehabilitates himself with the help of a restaurant owner and casket maker he befriended.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6Psx1GVyycxpuJgBZI0yTCkP6VEevE6s7SO8B7Agoj6EdqT4eaityUUSW01v-EmpxLa6DdW8G9FobtTErzdW4dKPqX0a33At0YjfxuL7zczk1V3VrZ5hsYmx5fFZnYk1lw_TJX5hksU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h39m49s127.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6Psx1GVyycxpuJgBZI0yTCkP6VEevE6s7SO8B7Agoj6EdqT4eaityUUSW01v-EmpxLa6DdW8G9FobtTErzdW4dKPqX0a33At0YjfxuL7zczk1V3VrZ5hsYmx5fFZnYk1lw_TJX5hksU/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h39m49s127.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365552190535091138" border="0" /></a><br />Fully recuperated, Sanjuro returns to the town to make one last stand against the one remaining gang.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsO9jpkuWK0x2B2SfVzsPMmsSTxQtaS3uiaMe3WGcu5XNd-s2UpnLtOoxke2-aItlAdd0mV9KEtwp8kG7r3LsJt59DTxGrxvvNoy2HEe-DOvi3In1CAovQogYLUNja-5ltQIHN9v-HptY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h43m11s92.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsO9jpkuWK0x2B2SfVzsPMmsSTxQtaS3uiaMe3WGcu5XNd-s2UpnLtOoxke2-aItlAdd0mV9KEtwp8kG7r3LsJt59DTxGrxvvNoy2HEe-DOvi3In1CAovQogYLUNja-5ltQIHN9v-HptY/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h43m11s92.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365552197987459986" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />It is easy to see both how Kurosawa was influenced by American westerns and why this film would be an influence on many others.<br /><br />Many of the standard western themes are present in <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>. The film depicts a lone hero who must take the law into his own hands because both politics and the rule of law have failed in the dusty town.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraVZihsEJsbFG4nftTRXuIVUl9XKhF73V7TYXpRgnS7vQvZ3CGWWOUm7EBjetp-mbkxYf-rkIva64Nrt_b9JIp_LPI8h1G54MQy0MHBKe3D7xPUZZkdiJlDmocJ2xYsAdiyNdJXJudiA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h08m42s238.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraVZihsEJsbFG4nftTRXuIVUl9XKhF73V7TYXpRgnS7vQvZ3CGWWOUm7EBjetp-mbkxYf-rkIva64Nrt_b9JIp_LPI8h1G54MQy0MHBKe3D7xPUZZkdiJlDmocJ2xYsAdiyNdJXJudiA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h08m42s238.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365793304742711266" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>also presents another typical western genre code, the battle between tradition and encroaching modernization. Unosuke, brings back from his travels a revolver. The gun gives him an immense amount of power and authority.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXZBgZQVJMkmWhg7uSjwwBc9oVSzMb4x03lEWE9_nw0V_YnJkFeAc_bVjp4-vjYb8btWHpditRxRbOoB8V9MhdFvlsj0e1LA6RKJbfbr4hPU1E3PLoxL_z83riE1m_fUvQQHX_tIY7ys/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h45m45s200.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXZBgZQVJMkmWhg7uSjwwBc9oVSzMb4x03lEWE9_nw0V_YnJkFeAc_bVjp4-vjYb8btWHpditRxRbOoB8V9MhdFvlsj0e1LA6RKJbfbr4hPU1E3PLoxL_z83riE1m_fUvQQHX_tIY7ys/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h45m45s200.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365793307127032050" border="0" /></a><br />Unosuke is contrasted by Sanjuro, another traveled man who, though he has no past that we're aware of, seems to know a great deal about how the world works.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29AfbcUdBU5N9iEKBqO5ZAaFBgnYaQwKQS3Rs4hHesDvK_H4YoJtDv80GceOQEY9ab9HIr889eL0npquvl6rtHU3YTl_LoF6AM82qGKlAYb5ReGAztG82Uxdk181ismBuhgLT8cCVVpE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h40m11s186.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29AfbcUdBU5N9iEKBqO5ZAaFBgnYaQwKQS3Rs4hHesDvK_H4YoJtDv80GceOQEY9ab9HIr889eL0npquvl6rtHU3YTl_LoF6AM82qGKlAYb5ReGAztG82Uxdk181ismBuhgLT8cCVVpE/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h40m11s186.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365793310434497266" border="0" /></a><br />Sanjuro is suave and devil-may-care. He stays cool under pressure, cracks jokes about the towns corruption and kills without remorse.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrin4YonV3OfVtkbg0MHPLXBiChUHV8VCCywjDrruDXk_yh1v5_rSDBPELus9vRCY_Bbi58lmuhOH3fxYEr11bjlnu1Wa4vatyDbdfSo5LLqcTApF_yyT5Nyt_wcbZaLbteHezTsCsn_o/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h18m54s212.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrin4YonV3OfVtkbg0MHPLXBiChUHV8VCCywjDrruDXk_yh1v5_rSDBPELus9vRCY_Bbi58lmuhOH3fxYEr11bjlnu1Wa4vatyDbdfSo5LLqcTApF_yyT5Nyt_wcbZaLbteHezTsCsn_o/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h18m54s212.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365793317931982690" border="0" /></a><br />Sanjuro's moral code may be called into question at times due to his attitude towards killing and his financial motivation to keep the town fight going.<br /><br />Despite this Sanjuro remains a lovable character throughout the film. If there was any doubt about this during the first half of the film, it quickly evaporates when Sanjuro takes it upon himself to free the peasant's wife even when he knows he could be caught at any moment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTNFhwLAJ-TagoccqN3WWjNwcftM9Rgasvirj9Bt3I7OKDK1FGhuB1P89qtsQW8GS8ok7ntemtetCwSoOYJJbTa0sbbWrj7qH4iodDk658DDXj0BpMKObyijt8LOnHZHMLP3mUM1uRKg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h09m54s94.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTNFhwLAJ-TagoccqN3WWjNwcftM9Rgasvirj9Bt3I7OKDK1FGhuB1P89qtsQW8GS8ok7ntemtetCwSoOYJJbTa0sbbWrj7qH4iodDk658DDXj0BpMKObyijt8LOnHZHMLP3mUM1uRKg/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h09m54s94.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365793319812463522" border="0" /></a><br />Much like your typical cowboy, roaming from town to town, Sanjuro has a bit of mystery behind him.<br /><br />From the beginning we see that he lets fate decide what's next for him when he chooses follow the point of a stick he's thrown in the air. He doesn't want to get too attached either. He enjoys controlling a situation and hates appearing weak.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBd1xzjU89XHTOTMWoNtQYGG3cOT1bp3q19iAXHJkeK-oNq2vLxw32GEWeoLo0K3xhSIwVodkhWAVkg5Oqwyw17P3Ir7u1yGnui6z3zLe-Gx3b7U78vmZch2Sv5aszoGHU-GUSHgwa5o/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h02m23s36.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBd1xzjU89XHTOTMWoNtQYGG3cOT1bp3q19iAXHJkeK-oNq2vLxw32GEWeoLo0K3xhSIwVodkhWAVkg5Oqwyw17P3Ir7u1yGnui6z3zLe-Gx3b7U78vmZch2Sv5aszoGHU-GUSHgwa5o/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h02m23s36.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365794045211292082" border="0" /></a><br />One way he attempts to avoid appearing weak is to crack jokes. <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>is certainly Kurosawa's funniest film, and it is through the excellent writing and somewhat surprising comedic timing of Toshiro Mifune that the humorous atmosphere is achieved.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aIsS5GU5D_QLdPimdjctsscWb0x1b65R6yg2t2UbQlSYcNrO1YlQkST8Btbh_0uJOVcw5CArEFx8ajOpXMskzJjv-ZxzWWmr9GBfiSzp8XYLw684vmTtWp5GF3Kd3vWCtTCqKuHsSs8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h08m14s216.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aIsS5GU5D_QLdPimdjctsscWb0x1b65R6yg2t2UbQlSYcNrO1YlQkST8Btbh_0uJOVcw5CArEFx8ajOpXMskzJjv-ZxzWWmr9GBfiSzp8XYLw684vmTtWp5GF3Kd3vWCtTCqKuHsSs8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-19h08m14s216.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365794033212714626" border="0" /></a><br />In the end he leaves the town the same way he came in. His work is done and it's time for him to move on to his next adventure.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn86EsDlEO_O89oz7Rh-EOs93Yt15sKr9NuG_8CjGvKIcnrOSurPxeESAhcTD0fXD5S9aX7hDUDaG-AxJJtWL6Z-bgPvbRm_bN5ejp6SYpnbriWwX5-HgYKDmVCnUD0c7ymiybIfp0Cg4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h50m11s199.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn86EsDlEO_O89oz7Rh-EOs93Yt15sKr9NuG_8CjGvKIcnrOSurPxeESAhcTD0fXD5S9aX7hDUDaG-AxJJtWL6Z-bgPvbRm_bN5ejp6SYpnbriWwX5-HgYKDmVCnUD0c7ymiybIfp0Cg4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h50m11s199.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365794037900845314" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa draws a line in the sand when it comes to the characterization in <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>. Far from the ambiguity of his characters in previous films, <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>presents us with good characters and bad characters. Plain and simple.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>certainly wouldn't be the same without its masterful cinematography.<br /><br />The film marked the second time that Kurosawa worked with the famous cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa (the first time being <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon</span>).<br /><br />The image of a lone-ranger is captured brilliantly by Miyagawa, who often shoots Sanjuro from a distance to accentuate his isolation. The wide screen photography often helps to distinguish the two gangs in the frame.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxokRZ3TtrDDt4UJTU5hVACy0vgVoV2OndrL8KgdXzcLdcRgmzRvPEzwv9HwfUCG3dKg-FoP_8aOxVsD7fGuXsEEVjpYvuGUigl87rwSfb0sFmyN0xg9XfX1OC1R7BoeUSEjQgdAb9jc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h41m04s105.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxokRZ3TtrDDt4UJTU5hVACy0vgVoV2OndrL8KgdXzcLdcRgmzRvPEzwv9HwfUCG3dKg-FoP_8aOxVsD7fGuXsEEVjpYvuGUigl87rwSfb0sFmyN0xg9XfX1OC1R7BoeUSEjQgdAb9jc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h41m04s105.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365794050760546594" border="0" /></a><br />Once again no space is wasted in the frame, and no shot is without a purpose. Kurosawa's compositions are as strong as ever, with characters placed in exactly the right places to capture a moment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCKCRZGDQz4DG3prd0xDdemFj16OE7aLnw8xwnIcZOpgDdPtvdy4gWsnP0s-38O1qzSYnqqprsQwV8exvz5gVoe2LsSJZ4YAb5PbbK6OnhyEsJ2fIwBzz9ACUXleD42SkA-gvkXzeds8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h03m18s233.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCKCRZGDQz4DG3prd0xDdemFj16OE7aLnw8xwnIcZOpgDdPtvdy4gWsnP0s-38O1qzSYnqqprsQwV8exvz5gVoe2LsSJZ4YAb5PbbK6OnhyEsJ2fIwBzz9ACUXleD42SkA-gvkXzeds8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h03m18s233.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365794615757716658" border="0" /></a><br />There is one element to the film that seems quite unlike any Kurosawa film before or after it, which is Masaru Sato's soundtrack.<br /><br />Kurosawa wanted the music to sound voodoo-like, and it certainly does. The lively brass-oriented orchestra provides the film with an up-tempo, light feeling that helps keep the film rolling along.<br /><br />There are more sensitive moments when the music will reflect the emotion of a scene, most notably when Sanjuro frees the peasant's wife, but other than that the main theme remains present through most of the film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Sw0lYLvcganxURnDjwlvuM_T0cb2TvBJ1355dsCrHWiBBY2QO0WtLLPSGQ0YzmYe5UXy-SgKlpSN_oc0WDqWIY3cjNsZ60OB5e97MPXj1ITFVRAM20p0GeMQZiygWCy2KMG3nYqFaAQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h43m57s41.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Sw0lYLvcganxURnDjwlvuM_T0cb2TvBJ1355dsCrHWiBBY2QO0WtLLPSGQ0YzmYe5UXy-SgKlpSN_oc0WDqWIY3cjNsZ60OB5e97MPXj1ITFVRAM20p0GeMQZiygWCy2KMG3nYqFaAQ/s400/vlcsnap-2009-08-02-20h43m57s41.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365794622245480418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo </span>is one of Kurosawa's greatest films. Far more entertaining and more devoid of ideology than most of Kurosawa's other films,<span style="font-style: italic;"> Yojimbo </span>is an excellent film that proved Japan could produce a western of comparable (or even greater) quality than that of America.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-18241501110478590972009-07-26T20:13:00.000-07:002009-07-31T20:43:34.389-07:00The Bad Sleep Well (1960)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />After <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress, </span>Kurosawa, seeking to make more of the films he himself, not the studios, wanted him to make, started up a new production company. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>was the Kurosawa Production Company's first film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_08SnaKcHt03T6LNIImA7X4kYhsDskfVQh7RmPLIHRg5ewmrkAnlpuMsI3Uy2GxdUKK17WEF4TtXeNYMbBYHF2kFUQTw7LybpFehdgc3dagQdrc2S3njjA8V0nScLWhFck_cBM8zzZn0/s1600-h/badsleepwell.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_08SnaKcHt03T6LNIImA7X4kYhsDskfVQh7RmPLIHRg5ewmrkAnlpuMsI3Uy2GxdUKK17WEF4TtXeNYMbBYHF2kFUQTw7LybpFehdgc3dagQdrc2S3njjA8V0nScLWhFck_cBM8zzZn0/s320/badsleepwell.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362976069451603906" border="0" /></a><br />Due to the films anti-bureaucratic subject matter, it is uncertain whether the film would have been made were it not for funding straight from Kurosawa himself.<br /><br />While <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>might not be mentioned in the same list of Kurosawa masterpieces like <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Samurai </span>or <span style="font-style: italic;">Yojimbo</span>, it is no less a masterpiece in its own right.<br /><br />Not only was <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>Kurosawa's second of three noir films<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>, it was also the second of three films based on a Shakespeare play. For <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well</span>, Kurosawa decided to give Shakespeare's <span style="font-style: italic;">Hamlet </span>a modern treatment.<br /><br />While Kurosawa was forced to change the ending of the film to avoid trouble from the suits at Toho, the co-production company, the film remains a powerful indictment of Japanese corporate corruption and bureaucratic greed.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br />Weddings are normally joyous occasions, but the wedding that marks the beginning of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>is anything but.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_p6ND8DXVYn_Y5qVZBDejV3rwUqvz-IVgmaMRpMgAxTEa1uS3oB1JZ28EcL4ohQBIGyD5FCmziAcg3L4ancg0Ox749M5jgaO2888xply_CjF1gfxRMpzKY2LlAIAd9C5Eaw6jnrnd40c/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h18m29s169.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_p6ND8DXVYn_Y5qVZBDejV3rwUqvz-IVgmaMRpMgAxTEa1uS3oB1JZ28EcL4ohQBIGyD5FCmziAcg3L4ancg0Ox749M5jgaO2888xply_CjF1gfxRMpzKY2LlAIAd9C5Eaw6jnrnd40c/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h18m29s169.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363992223307258354" border="0" /></a><br />Yoshiko (Kyoko Kagawa) and Nishi (Toshiro Mifune) are getting married. Yoshiko is the daughter of the vice president of the Public Corporation, a company who has become embroiled in an embezzlement scandal. Nishi is seemingly a simple small car dealership owner.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJ7B9WTlWkqnHeF1hMJ90counHDWh0XkNvw4yycbfrMy_bduO_xpE77NJHPSikvxW477OLEqqkPZGLzYlmavUiZ7LCXxtGTOANljCxry2fSgBxXqoKrFOgTvbe7WDXhDLyLjrFNljVBQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h20m35s153.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJ7B9WTlWkqnHeF1hMJ90counHDWh0XkNvw4yycbfrMy_bduO_xpE77NJHPSikvxW477OLEqqkPZGLzYlmavUiZ7LCXxtGTOANljCxry2fSgBxXqoKrFOgTvbe7WDXhDLyLjrFNljVBQ/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h20m35s153.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363992226142667778" border="0" /></a><br />While the case against the men build thanks to an unknown informant, more and more company officials are committing "suicide" in order to ensure that the company's dealings are not exposed.<br /><br />One man, Wada (Kamatari Fujiwara), is saved from jumping into a volcano by an unlikely savior. Nishi.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBUkAAJ05zCyTPGcaFND-SCzJ1zOPQEyi-YRsLmwkOhuIfIhB1owDvhW-Cmk6VMuN_WkYS5iRXTgqizrnXj7zcFHaBnZCoqffvBSQKREnmpGBBgQNnfecr9lMs-Bqje7FkaaNJgDWuig/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h44m11s229.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBUkAAJ05zCyTPGcaFND-SCzJ1zOPQEyi-YRsLmwkOhuIfIhB1owDvhW-Cmk6VMuN_WkYS5iRXTgqizrnXj7zcFHaBnZCoqffvBSQKREnmpGBBgQNnfecr9lMs-Bqje7FkaaNJgDWuig/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h44m11s229.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363992232057986162" border="0" /></a><br />We soon learn that Nishi has been plotting revenge against the company that forced his father to jump from a 7th floor window to his death five years earlier.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5VCwknfGmmtrVWFHykpYs7eOvNIb3iBHlhkeiXExBhSuAc8alKjE_LrFSzSDpqt2ccYyrlxZHopIkS8-hNebcIiRs9zLvl3PX7hAJfAlt5gucQsKGKAskGutOUOW6wofa0IQUk-i42s/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h59m39s41.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5VCwknfGmmtrVWFHykpYs7eOvNIb3iBHlhkeiXExBhSuAc8alKjE_LrFSzSDpqt2ccYyrlxZHopIkS8-hNebcIiRs9zLvl3PX7hAJfAlt5gucQsKGKAskGutOUOW6wofa0IQUk-i42s/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h59m39s41.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363992235655486242" border="0" /></a><br />Nishi, in order to gain access to the company and earn the vice president's trust, married Yoshiko and slowly began to build a case against the top officials.<br /><br />While he attempts to distance himself from Yoshiko, he begins to have real feelings for her, but just when they are about to finally end up happily together, Yoshiko is forced by her father to give away Nishi's position, thereby ensuring his fate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GA8CEDa1E3vI5Uz2zqTsviu8SY3pZow7TlOvQ5KmBaXE5gsiCU7YbmlVGZPJlHvw5uKoqEf0utY5SGCOGH37cVAzsxHgi8DxYoXFPTOAZx3Jox7NcsR1v_rt8ziCBjlXNsEHIzYyZds/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-14h38m32s232.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GA8CEDa1E3vI5Uz2zqTsviu8SY3pZow7TlOvQ5KmBaXE5gsiCU7YbmlVGZPJlHvw5uKoqEf0utY5SGCOGH37cVAzsxHgi8DxYoXFPTOAZx3Jox7NcsR1v_rt8ziCBjlXNsEHIzYyZds/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-14h38m32s232.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363992333951875794" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />While Kurosawa hadn't made a noir film in just over a decade, his feel for the genre is just as evident in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well</span> as it was in <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog</span>, and even more so in his final noir film <span style="font-style: italic;">High and Low.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmQgWxs9EYkoPJfzFFvFMdg-3z7WOuKE08yWMrwb0XjidzCU8sdnba4dl9iehvm5XSq8PjFZg4aiNaK4UjraTcD7kwEGQRmshLPyK93wrHFdKosQMarFV58qdhb9Yc4BlwK7mwJksiwQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h52m53s73.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmQgWxs9EYkoPJfzFFvFMdg-3z7WOuKE08yWMrwb0XjidzCU8sdnba4dl9iehvm5XSq8PjFZg4aiNaK4UjraTcD7kwEGQRmshLPyK93wrHFdKosQMarFV58qdhb9Yc4BlwK7mwJksiwQ/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h52m53s73.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364705542722789842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>What makes <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog </span>different is the scope of the two films. While <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog </span>deals with essentially two individuals on two distinct strata of society, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>encompasses a wide range of characters with varying levels of the very noir concept of moral ambiguity.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Scandal</span>, Kurosawa quite directly attacks the press as bloodthirsty men who will do anything to get a story. In <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>the press is portrayed in a similar, yet somewhat positive light.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-okjVWrQnzWV9afWSYh32djVWC-h3uyLLJgHtjOkeHNGsGk243ymIgkrvd46Xmbej6FU2Re-_y2GBoCEi_hT6KDLa_9WeUHvYDpINLCZYX3bFTU_9DMydT67tdYgWOG0ey9abVs-9BkI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h11m46s235.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-okjVWrQnzWV9afWSYh32djVWC-h3uyLLJgHtjOkeHNGsGk243ymIgkrvd46Xmbej6FU2Re-_y2GBoCEi_hT6KDLa_9WeUHvYDpINLCZYX3bFTU_9DMydT67tdYgWOG0ey9abVs-9BkI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h11m46s235.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364705546759514466" border="0" /></a><br />While they do interrupt a wedding ceremony and hound people for a story they serve two important functions in the film. First, they provide the audience with much needed exposition. While this doesn't exactly speak to their character, it is nonetheless important to see that they are serving a greater function than simply printing stories about celebrities and gossip.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb4JMz55sArqNDBDMNQW7KHbb4aocet8DHA7-dhhn201k-VGLR4UNR4HhOnMoun5BRB4m0y5YlSDb6kaEuIFopS12ruc2s92Rl0VTf3RPCLu5_HH5szQ4KX3RCpd_lZcbedkRiJZigPM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h16m25s211.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb4JMz55sArqNDBDMNQW7KHbb4aocet8DHA7-dhhn201k-VGLR4UNR4HhOnMoun5BRB4m0y5YlSDb6kaEuIFopS12ruc2s92Rl0VTf3RPCLu5_HH5szQ4KX3RCpd_lZcbedkRiJZigPM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h16m25s211.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364705550093808386" border="0" /></a><br />Their second function is one within the film world, which is to uncover this story of corruption and print it for the masses to read. Clearly Kurosawa believes the press can do good if they put their mind to it. They are, in fact, a lot like Kurosawa himself. By making the film, or writing the story in a paper, both are doing a service to society by uncovering corruption.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37fpkvEmDBmmY2CqJdjyGNvlK9DrTWUzo22xWO075uRxvBqrvV8QiMkbimUdqKtlsA8XUyVhBxuvwSho63g5Jro4ml3rwdoC2xceYQr-f_vSIiMfllY9MLuD4A60Yamc3fQwlKi5Konc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h17m56s96.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37fpkvEmDBmmY2CqJdjyGNvlK9DrTWUzo22xWO075uRxvBqrvV8QiMkbimUdqKtlsA8XUyVhBxuvwSho63g5Jro4ml3rwdoC2xceYQr-f_vSIiMfllY9MLuD4A60Yamc3fQwlKi5Konc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h17m56s96.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364705555890494386" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>wasn't just a fun project for Kurosawa; few of his films are made purely for his enjoyment. It, like many others, serves a purpose.<br /><br />While the characterization of the press does contain slight ambiguity, Kurosawa takes a much harder line with the company officials.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh1Fp_dVeDNpLgTI_jgHRBBBVsdK57KjSS7We1fal8Yi6VF15hkV9nK72Nngb8Z6GXClX7qwlaaBWUh0eRXiwiJN0KPM5dG9ApHIdnm36VnC6NJmpU-fBRCdggOEfLFPlPFFwAecbbiM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h45m19s148.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh1Fp_dVeDNpLgTI_jgHRBBBVsdK57KjSS7We1fal8Yi6VF15hkV9nK72Nngb8Z6GXClX7qwlaaBWUh0eRXiwiJN0KPM5dG9ApHIdnm36VnC6NJmpU-fBRCdggOEfLFPlPFFwAecbbiM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h45m19s148.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364705560399584066" border="0" /></a><br />He presents these people as men who would (and do) trick their own children if it meant their bad deeds would not be uncovered. They sell out their own friends and fellow schemers, and embezzle public funds for their own personal gain.<br /><br />The man with whom Kurosawa feels the most contempt towards is the leader of the group, vice-president Iwabuchi.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqDSTNQ_jnNFUAzGok-nja5zswxbjZ3UF6tG1B5uPp00WPSwlOIYRh23VCsJyJamTsha_gRG5x35pHADJ4WkHTVtg6ogpivDhBdlwjJzgdjTUIt5wf3ChDBpSvvSZjIlJLX-FMYbr7-I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-14h41m34s3.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqDSTNQ_jnNFUAzGok-nja5zswxbjZ3UF6tG1B5uPp00WPSwlOIYRh23VCsJyJamTsha_gRG5x35pHADJ4WkHTVtg6ogpivDhBdlwjJzgdjTUIt5wf3ChDBpSvvSZjIlJLX-FMYbr7-I/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-14h41m34s3.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364711719435518514" border="0" /></a><br />Iwabuchi is given a bit more depth than his compatriots. Iwabuchi is more like two people. He is at one moment a family man who cares deeply about his company and its employees. He grieves when telling the press about a man who is believed to have committed suicide but was in fact sent to the grave by the very man who grieves for him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3S3LnNMNCl0Q9aB9Zv5xqvxT-pBtBGxggtkd-kuJ7cpWMYwCSFRb62QHwbc9sEbaJ1Z_3-W3TVzWGUIgmtOV9xs7nf_cmPupQ1REDXmgtqrDuXI0RL78Gh3M1aKE90U2mBJ2WSvay-o/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h18m26s52.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3S3LnNMNCl0Q9aB9Zv5xqvxT-pBtBGxggtkd-kuJ7cpWMYwCSFRb62QHwbc9sEbaJ1Z_3-W3TVzWGUIgmtOV9xs7nf_cmPupQ1REDXmgtqrDuXI0RL78Gh3M1aKE90U2mBJ2WSvay-o/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h18m26s52.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364711721194248882" border="0" /></a><br />At another moment he is the soulless bureaucrat, tricking his daughter and sending out death warrants.<br /><br />While Iwabuchi may have two sides to him, one seemingly good and the other clearly bad, we know that good side is merely a farce, so there is little moral ambiguity involved in his character. He's bad, end of story.<br /><br />He knows it as well, but is not phased by it. At one point after he drugs his own daughter he is out in a hallway. As he slowly glances to his left he sees his reflection in a mirror and looks away. While he has ample chances to repent, he chooses not to.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GLvaJNZcjtlS6hsXH8cfLpux4GlW5oopFqrUvQE3nHBt8_IsjOSXyShqKMFnIWgj4Uz70VMScKKOL-CY1VJK3e6yq84OxoxRtl_9WXTXaeA1SxRGZDY77vKF73dbpcD-H1Toc5ngCO8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-14h25m41s209.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GLvaJNZcjtlS6hsXH8cfLpux4GlW5oopFqrUvQE3nHBt8_IsjOSXyShqKMFnIWgj4Uz70VMScKKOL-CY1VJK3e6yq84OxoxRtl_9WXTXaeA1SxRGZDY77vKF73dbpcD-H1Toc5ngCO8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-14h25m41s209.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364712361960641138" border="0" /></a><br />Even at the end of the film when his children come to break off their ties with him, he chooses not to chase after them but go to the phone where the next rung on the ladder of corruption is awaiting him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhId5dj7I_XLBLfFNKGuJKoaXI1vOlUu92cEcIJ_YpMWksJZzMqSdoY36i8LABuzPIjFKrWZxgQppw2Ji4U5goYUecmuveCthjczbhGv-rznoWXF2yz_EafAeM9y_UlXaZFP5QAWrpwxLI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-14h42m37s124.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhId5dj7I_XLBLfFNKGuJKoaXI1vOlUu92cEcIJ_YpMWksJZzMqSdoY36i8LABuzPIjFKrWZxgQppw2Ji4U5goYUecmuveCthjczbhGv-rznoWXF2yz_EafAeM9y_UlXaZFP5QAWrpwxLI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-14h42m37s124.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364711727430162786" border="0" /></a><br />The films title defines perfectly how Kurosawa chooses to characterize the evil characters. The bad do indeed sleep well, it seems, in Kurosawa's film.<br /><br />The final, and most ambiguous character that needs mentioning is Nishi. Fueled by revenge, Nishi does whatever it takes to bring down the men who killed his father.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5IhT0p5tdzC2cralE2NHC63l2Jz7aFCxB8Mziz-spbvUUfjZC6QK94oJmuwkT1AloJegYyzan4Gre2qNgJxQgDKHQUIBbk2xs_rGv1LoQZHmAhmL-JgD8mV4guUC7KEKej5nLK-1vIk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h31m28s187.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5IhT0p5tdzC2cralE2NHC63l2Jz7aFCxB8Mziz-spbvUUfjZC6QK94oJmuwkT1AloJegYyzan4Gre2qNgJxQgDKHQUIBbk2xs_rGv1LoQZHmAhmL-JgD8mV4guUC7KEKej5nLK-1vIk/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h31m28s187.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364711736369684786" border="0" /></a><br />His loyalty, conviction and sense of duty are something to be admired. He has spent every waking moment for five years plotting his revenge. While some might want swift revenge, Nishi has a bit more class than that. He makes his victims suffer and sweat a bit. He gives hints to the police to help their case, he places his own little calling cards throughout the film and he even uses company officials as weapons against themselves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakcZmwOSdvMetVd2dzdMF-mo9pkI0yx09RJMDFIPmh2_4_c6DgYbP1B5L4sB6Vh9pADTQfDCn4cyOwQjld4RflWcSx4b0BJmMGQ4eWfO0t5r4YW6pdtkFYi2tN1CWWVfKpSXGnu1MEk0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h59m39s41.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakcZmwOSdvMetVd2dzdMF-mo9pkI0yx09RJMDFIPmh2_4_c6DgYbP1B5L4sB6Vh9pADTQfDCn4cyOwQjld4RflWcSx4b0BJmMGQ4eWfO0t5r4YW6pdtkFYi2tN1CWWVfKpSXGnu1MEk0/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h59m39s41.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364712352417137890" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgTigIvXXnTpVdN9snxFnA8Y4F0qBeqknAIVuhYLc5c54bHGvpYm62SM3frhGcdZAmfrERa1m4jUVLcz2jy8wBp3c3Sj9uVAK9byjAy1AzIrOTzZ-VADNd4vT-VfCm7R1DjoUrC9Dh-o/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h29m29s116.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgTigIvXXnTpVdN9snxFnA8Y4F0qBeqknAIVuhYLc5c54bHGvpYm62SM3frhGcdZAmfrERa1m4jUVLcz2jy8wBp3c3Sj9uVAK9byjAy1AzIrOTzZ-VADNd4vT-VfCm7R1DjoUrC9Dh-o/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h29m29s116.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364712360344251506" border="0" /></a><br />While no one can fault Nishi for wanting to avenge his fathers death, and the fact they he is exposing high-level corruption is no doubt an admirable task, he is not completely without bad qualities.<br /><br />He is, after all, only using Yoshiko to get to her father. Even though he does fall for her in the end, his initial intention was not to fall in love or seemingly even care for his wife. He stays out late plotting against her father, he sleeps in a different bed, drinks heavily and barely says a word to her. He does all of this while she makes every attempt to express her love for him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPUBwoZq6eOFFkEaPKHK2_3Gq_OlDrpPof9fp6QH8IqprYeKa7QY3IJZHDjHa7wE7_eYlLiLeS7aRlzOxy49URu0UvJg7bFAHSyRkxYZhgtUZHiXLBH0ijl8w-irhDy30nyzQMEnjPaI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h12m35s121.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPUBwoZq6eOFFkEaPKHK2_3Gq_OlDrpPof9fp6QH8IqprYeKa7QY3IJZHDjHa7wE7_eYlLiLeS7aRlzOxy49URu0UvJg7bFAHSyRkxYZhgtUZHiXLBH0ijl8w-irhDy30nyzQMEnjPaI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h12m35s121.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364713159160403250" border="0" /></a><br />But alas the great Shakespearean tragedy prevails when Nishi, after finally expressing his love for Yoshiko, who despite everything Nishi has done still loves him, dies at the hands of the man he was trying to bring down.<br /><br />Nishi himself recognizes his darker side when he says that he himself must become evil to fight evil. Despite his behavior towards Yoshiko, his border-line torture of a bureaucrat and his taunting of a man by dangling him out a window, Kurosawa would like us to believe that the end justifies Nishi's means.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZhyHGZugBSYY5AB_Aue306qhEWcW8Em3LRkzHpedchEQRGWZjxaLjSz13pSaEGHFfpb3qOPv90Bt_WiZ7mpBXIa16vZ3B5OYZ1_xt4DCb40-0qLTSf-KlEFjWB95-4Sgn3zBTorSTvc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h34m37s27.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZhyHGZugBSYY5AB_Aue306qhEWcW8Em3LRkzHpedchEQRGWZjxaLjSz13pSaEGHFfpb3qOPv90Bt_WiZ7mpBXIa16vZ3B5OYZ1_xt4DCb40-0qLTSf-KlEFjWB95-4Sgn3zBTorSTvc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h34m37s27.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364711738360684930" border="0" /></a><br />Nishi would not be the same character were it not for the masterful acting of Toshiro Mifune. Mifune, in perhaps his most subdued role, plays Nishi like a volcano. He is ready to explode at any moment, and when he finally does at small intervals throughout the film, his energy bursts off the screen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4Vl9lJvnib-y9W790vmMAiwP8gipQuV256pysGRXl87-UPiQ5Og92bCGf_buq4wwxDp8mLGi0iSQej47p5X_tetvMwtwenaq_guUqK3qN-8A0qvZ7362LM70b_MEPoA3W0UAvuOwNiM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h34m09s6.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4Vl9lJvnib-y9W790vmMAiwP8gipQuV256pysGRXl87-UPiQ5Og92bCGf_buq4wwxDp8mLGi0iSQej47p5X_tetvMwtwenaq_guUqK3qN-8A0qvZ7362LM70b_MEPoA3W0UAvuOwNiM/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h34m09s6.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364713158592297410" border="0" /></a><br />Mifune plays Nishi as a man of deep conviction. He is a man on a mission and nothing will get in his way. He is patient. He bides his time. But beneath the calm exterior lies a caged lion. It is the quintessential Mifune role.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhej3uwO3Arnd7JCG0DvIDFwLH8KXGINmutw77pGIxjzU7sZ_Iot_ITqXs9arqN3nkfIHP9WBCl2UWdyWErJ2FN6dmV16CK3ied0mLwS5LfPapCDPjwOvDvDzvCvtpLaFv5UkVJua2ixs8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h40m40s78.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhej3uwO3Arnd7JCG0DvIDFwLH8KXGINmutw77pGIxjzU7sZ_Iot_ITqXs9arqN3nkfIHP9WBCl2UWdyWErJ2FN6dmV16CK3ied0mLwS5LfPapCDPjwOvDvDzvCvtpLaFv5UkVJua2ixs8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h40m40s78.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364713164347440514" border="0" /></a><br />Far from Kurosawa's previous Shakespeare adaptation <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood</span>, whose sets often resembled the sets of a stage, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well</span> takes a different approach. It is perhaps because of the way in which Kurosawa picks from bits and pieces of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Hamlet </span>story that the film is not considered a true adaptation of the play.<br /><br />The film is no less a masterpiece because of this fact. While Hamlet may now don modern clothes and live in a modern society, the themes of the source material still remain, and only help to further the other theme of corporate greed and corruption.<br /><br />Apart from the moral ambiguity of many of the film's characters, there are other flourishes of film noir in the film.<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Matching the tone of the movie, the film is very dark. Not much daylight is seen in the film and most of the action occurs in the dead of night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MT1hVcjT3MX_vI93Y6URGv41u84N5_pcKSMy6LiF4sBdZdn8sIHu4heyZkRHYmUFN4ZVxRjdn72FDk4jR5lOBm7_nfFsX3zO2ZKFjfKr7qhRJimLiH-oaOWQfrOgvNKvv5aQgn3RfiA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h28m36s255.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MT1hVcjT3MX_vI93Y6URGv41u84N5_pcKSMy6LiF4sBdZdn8sIHu4heyZkRHYmUFN4ZVxRjdn72FDk4jR5lOBm7_nfFsX3zO2ZKFjfKr7qhRJimLiH-oaOWQfrOgvNKvv5aQgn3RfiA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h28m36s255.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364713174050929346" border="0" /></a><br />Another minor occurrence of classic noir is when, during a short montage that significantly speeds up the action, shots of newspaper headlines essentially spelling out the story for the audience are inter-cut with newsreel-like footage of the events the newspapers depict.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ACcd2fqoaqwgsCVmXpYi4-CXn6Sb6hADjUn8fCLtw9a0LEO60Too5Vslb29Z_DmEvIOIAc3vNDoypKRxsdfP9Fa-xyECVnVESB6OWRqiFI5xkzPX0OZvWqlNTuUllGR7OvjFQD5OJ4E/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h30m56s219.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ACcd2fqoaqwgsCVmXpYi4-CXn6Sb6hADjUn8fCLtw9a0LEO60Too5Vslb29Z_DmEvIOIAc3vNDoypKRxsdfP9Fa-xyECVnVESB6OWRqiFI5xkzPX0OZvWqlNTuUllGR7OvjFQD5OJ4E/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-12h30m56s219.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364713178745572450" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa himself borrows from his noir background in terms of music. At several points in the film Kurosawa utilizes counterpoint. Again, counterpoint is when the action on screen and the music on the soundtrack don't quite match up emotionally. A sad scene might have happy music and vice-versa.<br /><br />One example of counterpoint occurs near the end of the film where Nishi is discussing the final stages of his plan with his captive executive Moriyama. He smiles and laughs as he tells him about how glorious it will be when the company is exposed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJ-6bxfaHzJt1JomSB0JumeZq_x4QociL1Ug49ngey-ecKahGQZBOTrd9Ih3vCcnJGEUe2MV-KbInKmzq3UkBqVUX15K0pcce3F3D5vJUIWbNutu2Zs-GxwoWExxJWUoTecaSfDhVLV8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h55m36s72.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJ-6bxfaHzJt1JomSB0JumeZq_x4QociL1Ug49ngey-ecKahGQZBOTrd9Ih3vCcnJGEUe2MV-KbInKmzq3UkBqVUX15K0pcce3F3D5vJUIWbNutu2Zs-GxwoWExxJWUoTecaSfDhVLV8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h55m36s72.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364713742536287266" border="0" /></a><br />All the while the audience knows that Iwabuchi, after tricking his daughter into revealing Nishi's location, is on his way to kill him at that very moment. Despite this, Kurosawa plays a light, happy song over the soundtrack. Instead of hearing what would normally be considered a light and happy song, the audience hears only a song of tragedy.<br /><br />Like so many of the Kurosawa films before it, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>is a call to action. Kurosawa lays it all out there for the audience to see. While at the time he was making a film that commented on the society that he lived in, the themes live on today.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnqCy_OkG1AECiJV9Kl_oFz0XdWeO4rcGj0G9lz6IwS77qaAIo5Gm1nb7-CTTcnoaBS28xkhQb5bMrh16x73sfVAfVwKQY23hd2f9vTi1MmD-_h-wQdvt3PygNhxFJGhO8Gbi-4qWiH0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h30m31s134.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnqCy_OkG1AECiJV9Kl_oFz0XdWeO4rcGj0G9lz6IwS77qaAIo5Gm1nb7-CTTcnoaBS28xkhQb5bMrh16x73sfVAfVwKQY23hd2f9vTi1MmD-_h-wQdvt3PygNhxFJGhO8Gbi-4qWiH0/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-29-13h30m31s134.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364713744517193922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Shakespeare would be proud.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-65967436179491332062009-07-21T18:09:00.000-07:002009-07-24T14:20:52.722-07:00The Hidden Fortress (1958)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />In 1977 director George Lucas revolutionized the motion picture industry when he made <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span>. What most people don't know is that <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress </span>was one of Lucas' primary inspirations for <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkZnAh_Tb3c3QDVUdHZFPao67-KZUoIsJ70bSXVz4nOOfa5twEYmCWJG5SydKvL6C8K1rs5qj94ihg7W-hixM3A_5LiyOGVu5GD7qXBOlzrykEMy1hG21COZXoymDWPfDKCV6HLz8fBw/s1600-h/the_hidden_fortress.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkZnAh_Tb3c3QDVUdHZFPao67-KZUoIsJ70bSXVz4nOOfa5twEYmCWJG5SydKvL6C8K1rs5qj94ihg7W-hixM3A_5LiyOGVu5GD7qXBOlzrykEMy1hG21COZXoymDWPfDKCV6HLz8fBw/s320/the_hidden_fortress.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361101350694696930" border="0" /></a><br />Although calling <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars </span>a re-make of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress </span>would be an immense stretch, the two films do share common elements.<br /><br />The plot of <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars </span>is very loosely based on <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress</span>. While the film is somewhat told from the perspective of the two lowliest characters (the two peasants and the two droids) and a general is attempting to bring a princess across enemy lines, the circumstances around those events are starkly different in both films.<br /><br />While Lucas focuses more on the journey of a character of his own creation in Luke <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Skywalker</span>, Kurosawa stays with the two peasants and sticks to the storyline surrounding the princess attempting to cross enemy lines.<br /><br />It certainly helps that Lucas sets his movie in outer space while Kurosawa's film is set in 16<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span>-century Japan.<br /><br />Lucas does however use Kurosawa's trademark wipe transitions, replaces the samurai sword for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">lightsaber</span> and it is even rumored that he considered <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Toshiro</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Mifune</span>, the general in Kurosawa's film, to play the role of Obi-Wan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Kenobi</span> in <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span>.<br /><br />Apart from its influence on Lucas, the film was important for Kurosawa as well. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress </span>was Kurosawa's first film in the new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">TohoScope</span> (similar to CinemaScope) aspect ratio and the new 3-channel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Toho</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Perspecta</span> sound system.<br /><br />Kurosawa had said that he enjoyed making more pure entertainment-type films after doing his serious pictures. Making <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress </span>after <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower Depths </span>is a perfect example of this.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress </span>begins with two peasants, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Matakishi</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Tahei</span> (played by long-time Kurosawa veterans <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Kamatari</span> Fujiwara and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Minoru</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Chiaki</span>), returning from war in shambles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVm0DKCpGqwChTa8Koqc8tNHNlhDFgvlO5VyIA3HXLUOnNNXcbqOqsoHanvyLwWEKH2_XLde_ng2xocuxiPGDlQEkK8EzXty84VSSeUQ5IQMMeBkdp5c9t5OVkPU4GuQELJT7kn4oIYc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h20m30s23.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVm0DKCpGqwChTa8Koqc8tNHNlhDFgvlO5VyIA3HXLUOnNNXcbqOqsoHanvyLwWEKH2_XLde_ng2xocuxiPGDlQEkK8EzXty84VSSeUQ5IQMMeBkdp5c9t5OVkPU4GuQELJT7kn4oIYc/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h20m30s23.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361399046678705586" border="0" /></a>After escaping enslavement the two men find themselves near a river where they find a stick of gold embedded in some wood. While searching for more gold they come upon another man who begins to follow them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffvZBGta1NBcAPUj8R1fech3DeHnVwoC6pGFYyxmu6_ySF_kbO3Rj_YajeIG8bTY_bRDhyphenhyphenBqXo3MzjIn_pILc6wZQPdqPq38lT8xY-stmaLrH91L-KFKT8STsejAZuiGXAarMiEKUteE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h39m54s141.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffvZBGta1NBcAPUj8R1fech3DeHnVwoC6pGFYyxmu6_ySF_kbO3Rj_YajeIG8bTY_bRDhyphenhyphenBqXo3MzjIn_pILc6wZQPdqPq38lT8xY-stmaLrH91L-KFKT8STsejAZuiGXAarMiEKUteE/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h39m54s141.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361399464442026002" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Matakishi</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Tahei</span> tell the man, who claims to be the great General <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Rokurota</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Makabe</span>, of their plan to cross through enemy territory. The three men travel to the hidden fortress of the defeated <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Akuzuki</span> clan. There they come across a young girl who we later learn is Princess <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Yuki</span>, leader of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Akuzuki</span> clan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeozE-OjpEe9SiSfH-rxqr2nXJ0Q_jYo161Nyl5p5piziIRsf_HFjq0D5PQi2HIJzWqDw0Jj7TDeswGVjkUpu4wHyIrTIGPn5IBzOrkvAMA85FknyTDdC9I0RikaTYrbson6ChQ05igBo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h44m36s143.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeozE-OjpEe9SiSfH-rxqr2nXJ0Q_jYo161Nyl5p5piziIRsf_HFjq0D5PQi2HIJzWqDw0Jj7TDeswGVjkUpu4wHyIrTIGPn5IBzOrkvAMA85FknyTDdC9I0RikaTYrbson6ChQ05igBo/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h44m36s143.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361399469279180258" border="0" /></a><br />The four of them embark on the trail through enemy territory with 200 bars of gold in tow. Along the way the two peasants make numerous attempts to escape and Princess <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Yuki</span> rescues a young girl who had been sold into slavery.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTgRl-QxLnKWMFGojvLgbRU-mxCd4flgMTBF8aBLUL6fGWFH_6-zfoTbzyvVfwggrdWpgwWriQjnVLcrbdqphyphenhyphenb5aZc9OBWX_gxh5J6TPpGnttbz-gjuJXRliTe412q7lQ5Ane24MKI8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h15m57s174.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTgRl-QxLnKWMFGojvLgbRU-mxCd4flgMTBF8aBLUL6fGWFH_6-zfoTbzyvVfwggrdWpgwWriQjnVLcrbdqphyphenhyphenb5aZc9OBWX_gxh5J6TPpGnttbz-gjuJXRliTe412q7lQ5Ane24MKI8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h15m57s174.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361399472482210802" border="0" /></a><br />Eventually <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Matakishi</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Tahei</span> manage to escape when enemy forces begin to zero in on the princess and the general.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05JjD8k9m7QzJfSyQJVf01SZM5xYLXlPLj4SznoCRGlXSrNdkic6UIRuVqG4ZF0ib5wyQ803FZJeZrY0N4JCUSdzkPLIowV_DKOnuBlL_T70elUECB28bcjTuSFuqIKYsUG_sC63HuzA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h20m50s31.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05JjD8k9m7QzJfSyQJVf01SZM5xYLXlPLj4SznoCRGlXSrNdkic6UIRuVqG4ZF0ib5wyQ803FZJeZrY0N4JCUSdzkPLIowV_DKOnuBlL_T70elUECB28bcjTuSFuqIKYsUG_sC63HuzA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h20m50s31.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361399486461262034" border="0" /></a>Just before their execution, the enemy general, a friend of General <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Rokurota</span>, decides to set the princess and her companions free and defect to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Akuzuki</span> clan.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Matakishi</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Tahei</span>, who were arrested after they were found with the gold-carrying horses that were let go just before the execution by the enemy general, are let out of prison by the princess.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJySZqT-xUiHbCeR689c5KvuRBLOy7_j-d8i2j1X4KcXPrWUvreVXbbrXx4DJmYQypZG6I5D7hyEah-T2FOgOZAt6do-VhHezZuEaGORCaQ9U1jlKcs_kOGA9wldr6UzQ-TDdfJ88VgY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h38m28s118.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJySZqT-xUiHbCeR689c5KvuRBLOy7_j-d8i2j1X4KcXPrWUvreVXbbrXx4DJmYQypZG6I5D7hyEah-T2FOgOZAt6do-VhHezZuEaGORCaQ9U1jlKcs_kOGA9wldr6UzQ-TDdfJ88VgY/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h38m28s118.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361399481483858258" border="0" /></a>The princess, having taken over as leader of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Akuzuki</span> clan, tells the men to share the piece of gold she has given them for all they've done, and the two men are set free.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />Watching <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress, </span>one would never guess that this was the first time that Kurosawa utilized the new CinemaScope (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">TohoScope</span>) format. The director possesses the same control and awareness of the frame that any other director would have after dozens of pictures in the format.<br /><br />Kurosawa had always been very aware of how his films were framed. His intricate staging and camera movements were executed with absolute precision. The new format would prove no different.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tqLWZL0AvtJvNuVOrX75g_1krYvbDoJ04gQ66AWlMyq8qnnr7jJBCy0f_os2103S54BRPfIZ2vw3EO9X8ABnD5y_IIgnZ7GEHW_G7qPA9SbYUE1ARHpQ5clbQjQB8Kqg2sxXmIacAa8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h59m53s95.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tqLWZL0AvtJvNuVOrX75g_1krYvbDoJ04gQ66AWlMyq8qnnr7jJBCy0f_os2103S54BRPfIZ2vw3EO9X8ABnD5y_IIgnZ7GEHW_G7qPA9SbYUE1ARHpQ5clbQjQB8Kqg2sxXmIacAa8/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h59m53s95.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362136880308426466" border="0" /></a><br />The new format was merely a refinement of Kurosawa's old technique. He still utilized his long lenses and long takes, but the acting seems much more free due to the wide screen aspect <span style="font-style: italic;"></span>ratio.<br /><br />This is evident even from the opening scene. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Tahei</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Matakishi</span>, walking away from the camera, move from left to right far more freely than they could have with the old format.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAA1mJGSrytfSeVAkyYClbrj9slIA29GercymphKot438SN9BGsOKaeGKbEoMdWBeBM4pOmknIB8Hkf-9u-Sk_l1Bs1GZwdOfcZxbxdSRx0i_Z4Buwq7g93FAuJ2FXPIF2hiMa1uAaAI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h22m17s65.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAA1mJGSrytfSeVAkyYClbrj9slIA29GercymphKot438SN9BGsOKaeGKbEoMdWBeBM4pOmknIB8Hkf-9u-Sk_l1Bs1GZwdOfcZxbxdSRx0i_Z4Buwq7g93FAuJ2FXPIF2hiMa1uAaAI/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h22m17s65.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362136867073401202" border="0" /></a><br />These subtle differences in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">filmmaking</span> technique contribute to the films authenticity.<br /><br />The feeling of realism is also felt as a result of the cameras range. Perhaps more than any Kurosawa film before it, the camera moves about in its surroundings to showcase the open world Kurosawa has created for the film.<br /><br />Far removed from the often static and limited space of a film like <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower Depths, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress </span></span>provides the audience with a completely authentic looking world.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDpAZVAGVbn0KmcwlxcHhjynIOC6Oczmsh8ZIiB8Gyu8peciSaIfotgGUs1OInYWwyzh_eWCjB3SsXbVlBNzz0gwfw6vtXHk3XMcJ3l4RbvKDkb0kObdnrZThgne27uGJmrQrxx4E23E/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h32m33s239.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDpAZVAGVbn0KmcwlxcHhjynIOC6Oczmsh8ZIiB8Gyu8peciSaIfotgGUs1OInYWwyzh_eWCjB3SsXbVlBNzz0gwfw6vtXHk3XMcJ3l4RbvKDkb0kObdnrZThgne27uGJmrQrxx4E23E/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h32m33s239.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362137884600087522" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress </span>also showcases Kurosawa's perfectionism. Kurosawa had said that fellow Japanese director <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Kenji</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Mizoguchi</span> was the first to demand authentic props and costumes for his films, and that Kurosawa's own crew went about finding the genuine article purely to please the director.<br /><br />All of this contributes to the feeling that one is actually looking through a window into 16<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">th</span> century feudal Japan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSFquP9q8YXnFoSFs85X5dd9zmNnfJN9mhQT2jlglMhfGB5cZwBOnL-Afd3IntRQTzhyphenhyphenBvPh5aOJauvl4HqufI1-wtjreuRD7AIgcDkJOS-41pSBKmzkhHX4ARchXrNhJ-nIs8CGqm0g/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h26m14s133.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSFquP9q8YXnFoSFs85X5dd9zmNnfJN9mhQT2jlglMhfGB5cZwBOnL-Afd3IntRQTzhyphenhyphenBvPh5aOJauvl4HqufI1-wtjreuRD7AIgcDkJOS-41pSBKmzkhHX4ARchXrNhJ-nIs8CGqm0g/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h26m14s133.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362138605562277842" border="0" /></a><br />An important aspect of any film is its pacing. A slow film bores the audience, a fast film is difficult to follow. The key to film pacing is the editing. Kurosawa edited all of his movies himself. If his mastery of the camera is overshadowed by one other area of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">filmmaking</span> process, it is his mastery of the editing machine.<br /><br />Perhaps the greatest example of his feel for pace is the scene in which, after being discovered by enemy soldiers, General <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Rokurota</span> mounts a horse and pursues the men attempting to alert their camp.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7q93b7FGr7fNXqcqZpmenEUwgsWo8gyIg65STw4ra6msgjMMOlowGoBJoPHOq2yrEM-54xo9IVWwWCdyA4hyqwZ_b4YRHa6KN4DZo06AGUrbOhStRRce4gl0Cj0jcscilfOU8pgznqA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h44m59s28.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7q93b7FGr7fNXqcqZpmenEUwgsWo8gyIg65STw4ra6msgjMMOlowGoBJoPHOq2yrEM-54xo9IVWwWCdyA4hyqwZ_b4YRHa6KN4DZo06AGUrbOhStRRce4gl0Cj0jcscilfOU8pgznqA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h44m59s28.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362136884702935010" border="0" /></a><br />With remarkably fast editing and quick pans, Kurosawa creates an immense feeling of suspense. The scene continues through several cuts before it comes screeching to a halt when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Rokurota</span> enters the enemy camp and challenges a fellow general to a duel.<br /><br />Typical of the <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">chanbara</span>, </span>or sword-play film, the editing and action is slow. A complete reversal from the previous chase scene, Kurosawa creates an entirely different feeling of suspense.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-1hwXoVe8NXhVRI51kk3bIp6x2ppjgSsEq9M3aaYyHtXtjmuX1EWTGz-G3O7xo84UpZ4oXeeycxDhi8-uTHsYJOjtprRGpN1vzAeo_sq7X1KEqhRWmWXcOTu7IUd_DkaKoxGATExTV4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h47m55s252.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-1hwXoVe8NXhVRI51kk3bIp6x2ppjgSsEq9M3aaYyHtXtjmuX1EWTGz-G3O7xo84UpZ4oXeeycxDhi8-uTHsYJOjtprRGpN1vzAeo_sq7X1KEqhRWmWXcOTu7IUd_DkaKoxGATExTV4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h47m55s252.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362136892394406098" border="0" /></a><br />All of this is created not through composition or even acting, but through the mastery of editing.<br /><br />Kurosawa utilizes one technique that hadn't been present in a film of his since the early 1940s, superimposition. The technique is used to great effect in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress</span>.<br /><br />Struggling to keep her composure during difficult times, and realizing what lies before her in terms of rebuilding her clan, Princess <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Yuki</span> looks out over her land and begins to cry.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIFRB5jC2oBkoMmGJlfQgDpliCh175eH-n7i1AgOcVOQg8Jjq90g3xGYbSvA-xHUjuuPsajuD_h8mLwLvGUrSB3NXWjtOJ_T4B5af1KgcmyzJpG4a_qx8DA03gj72AGjLjxb0cBWeibY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h11m12s238.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIFRB5jC2oBkoMmGJlfQgDpliCh175eH-n7i1AgOcVOQg8Jjq90g3xGYbSvA-xHUjuuPsajuD_h8mLwLvGUrSB3NXWjtOJ_T4B5af1KgcmyzJpG4a_qx8DA03gj72AGjLjxb0cBWeibY/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h11m12s238.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362136873266665602" border="0" /></a><br />Superimposed over her face is the flag of her clan, with the crescent moon perfectly matched across her face. The scene is made all the more powerful by the epic score of long-time Kurosawa composer <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Masaru</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Sato</span>.<br /><br />This scene presents Princess <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Yuki</span> at her most vulnerable. More than most female characters in Kurosawa films, Princess <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Yuki</span> possesses quite a bit of emotional depth to her.<br /><br />Even in the film one of the servants laments to General <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Rokurota</span> that the princess possesses more qualities of a man than of a woman, and it is perhaps this reason that she is one of the more fully realized Kurosawa female leads.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyWZBIqoOkdSj-EHJLz2FaU8g3KoODW84wc-Zvu7TPfYo8L88pq98N4UwxXRHUfTfG2uK8tyOtV-qwM2yQvUL0Qi4kulw3T2IGDYLmXbAbY7N9E1UCZ234lr3fdcHNwdi3xS6nPRJLcw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h01m13s136.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyWZBIqoOkdSj-EHJLz2FaU8g3KoODW84wc-Zvu7TPfYo8L88pq98N4UwxXRHUfTfG2uK8tyOtV-qwM2yQvUL0Qi4kulw3T2IGDYLmXbAbY7N9E1UCZ234lr3fdcHNwdi3xS6nPRJLcw/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h01m13s136.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362138612628190722" border="0" /></a><br />While her storyline in the end is overshadowed by the peasants tale, Princess <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Yuki's</span> journey is more divergent from the pure entertainment feel of the film.<br /><br />Her character has the opportunity, through her travels, to see the world as it is. She witnesses the joys and hardships of her fellow countrymen. She relishes the opportunity to take part in a traditional fire dance and wanders through a village soaking up all she can about the common man.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eN8SH4XbyFzlRx0n6ZWsPwTuf5npq16RzdsvGcVM3bHO4uhxv0AE4k9PiXidl9HztbWjGlPhzRYm6B5JV2ULF-Ed3ZIgXX4GoYAlqm1Vuzgg6xlQtjbaQp2fYK8l1KdTlRT_ozygGQg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h04m52s177.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eN8SH4XbyFzlRx0n6ZWsPwTuf5npq16RzdsvGcVM3bHO4uhxv0AE4k9PiXidl9HztbWjGlPhzRYm6B5JV2ULF-Ed3ZIgXX4GoYAlqm1Vuzgg6xlQtjbaQp2fYK8l1KdTlRT_ozygGQg/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h04m52s177.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362138608594718626" border="0" /></a><br />The greatest example of her bearing witness to the hardship of the commoners (especially the women), she stands with the air of royalty as she looks down on two women toiling away in a kitchen. While she doesn't say it, we know that she feels it is her duty to end this type of injustice, and that she is growing up before our very eyes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiiWUYN6tk1aVYjvEu3RksAVjXV7j7gvQZyHMJ-GtiWeKJhyphenhyphenZQvG73h988D9YOT6myt_jnxDcd0MBiWhiLB82V6Vm7PG0vTF_OXbKKmHZw0W_zdwW03UENMZ-drNjLT-DviuacIgc8T4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h37m37s212.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiiWUYN6tk1aVYjvEu3RksAVjXV7j7gvQZyHMJ-GtiWeKJhyphenhyphenZQvG73h988D9YOT6myt_jnxDcd0MBiWhiLB82V6Vm7PG0vTF_OXbKKmHZw0W_zdwW03UENMZ-drNjLT-DviuacIgc8T4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h37m37s212.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362137889006269698" border="0" /></a><br />White the princess does not show any outward animosity towards the two peasants, General <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Rokurota</span> certainly does. Often treating them like lowly troops in a two-man army, the general takes every opportunity to put the two men to work.<br /><br />He has them cooking food, digging holes and carrying the majority of the load on their backs during their journey. While he does recognize that it was indeed the peasants idea to travel through enemy territory, even he and a fellow servant cannot acknowledge the genius of their plan. "Sometimes even moss can be smart," one man says.<br /><br />It is often hard to blame the general for his attitude towards the two men. He is, after all, a military man used to giving orders and used to being obeyed. But on top of that the two peasants take every opportunity to either steal the gold for themselves or turn the princess and the general in to the enemy to claim a reward.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorBTIOXQQ_DmOQPAXXN5whMITPtjrUJKC7PsGBgPZP-EB21_cm21zhbL0b3V0-Pma-E6W3wsPmdwbt_tqV7zJI78RQJtiaJ3sOR36EPBWe39mu90ZDKxr3VChx685ig_U4UPEtaPhFCg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h45m40s17.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorBTIOXQQ_DmOQPAXXN5whMITPtjrUJKC7PsGBgPZP-EB21_cm21zhbL0b3V0-Pma-E6W3wsPmdwbt_tqV7zJI78RQJtiaJ3sOR36EPBWe39mu90ZDKxr3VChx685ig_U4UPEtaPhFCg/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-12h45m40s17.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362138621648677618" border="0" /></a><br />While the two peasants provide almost all the comic relief, making them sympathetic characters in the end, one wonders why they continually try to act to their own advantage. While they may be one step away from common thieves, they are still human beings, and any rational human being would realize that they need the help of their companions to get through their adventure alive.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIorYbqcFO0ShHflCTu__IWQGi8WCqx66pu7FfQ0tBVE7poannjAH8RXUBt-izeZQI-NKBHWHlUb1jEXCqNtxTJRURbsCX8OBUK-zM493WkdTx_OgGHWw9UwHAxpXGcnkfu0jHroMivU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h24m44s166.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIorYbqcFO0ShHflCTu__IWQGi8WCqx66pu7FfQ0tBVE7poannjAH8RXUBt-izeZQI-NKBHWHlUb1jEXCqNtxTJRURbsCX8OBUK-zM493WkdTx_OgGHWw9UwHAxpXGcnkfu0jHroMivU/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h24m44s166.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362138616607439954" border="0" /></a><br />The two peasants do at time realize the error of their ways, but just as easily they fall back into their greedy selves. Even their friendship is called into question at times, despite the fact that they can clearly not function without one another.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OEVK0xkxB9X1lQnLzG8Eq8Lz6C2lf2h4GtR0t3jRYuuRE0HCHnlqe1I0nosFwtnl48Uqs07TCwksB6z3sFwqbofsUyKdLSX5BR_xW6q-3Ym36DgPyi6bs4wqHu2WhzUO9hQLA09lkp4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h06m23s64.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OEVK0xkxB9X1lQnLzG8Eq8Lz6C2lf2h4GtR0t3jRYuuRE0HCHnlqe1I0nosFwtnl48Uqs07TCwksB6z3sFwqbofsUyKdLSX5BR_xW6q-3Ym36DgPyi6bs4wqHu2WhzUO9hQLA09lkp4/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-14h06m23s64.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362137902394994754" border="0" /></a><br />This most obvious example of their greed comes near the end of the film where, finally getting across enemy lines, the two promise to stay friends when they return to their village. All promises are negated when the gold-laden horses arrive. The two once again begin to quarrel over who will get how much gold.<br /><br />Clearly these two have learned nothing from their journey.<br /><br />It is only at the very end of the film that some semblance of goodness is seen from the characters.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress </span>may be Kurosawa's most entertaining film. It is a first-rate action-adventure story that is as entertaining today as it must have been when it was released.<br /><br />While the film is mainly pure entertainment, there are subtle themes of greater importance that are felt throughout the film. Without focusing too much on them, Kurosawa creates the perfect blend of entertainment and art.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVI_46r7YmByulByPmaN5zNwHLjE58kqpe0eMCWnJRjvXmsGfBmjbwcFsXtCsNrGI1wPIX3h4if0tbzuWrMHcF8xnkt7k3l4sXh3BU8Cea8podkZ7Fh2jWO_z9cTFLFIaAPVJPHzf9NA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h26m02s177.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVI_46r7YmByulByPmaN5zNwHLjE58kqpe0eMCWnJRjvXmsGfBmjbwcFsXtCsNrGI1wPIX3h4if0tbzuWrMHcF8xnkt7k3l4sXh3BU8Cea8podkZ7Fh2jWO_z9cTFLFIaAPVJPHzf9NA/s400/vlcsnap-2009-07-22-13h26m02s177.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362137896035563202" border="0" /></a><br />The back and forth between serious to entertaining films would continue for the next few films for Kurosawa. These films only further showcase the director's accessibility and love for the medium.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-85875436989816237492009-07-16T19:01:00.001-07:002009-07-17T01:24:03.943-07:00The Lower Depths (1957)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />For his next film Kurosawa chose once again to translate material from the stage to the screen.<br /><br />This time Kurosawa would choose something not from Shakespeare but from another Russian source, in the form of Maxim Gorky's play <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower Depths.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvSpfCkeb8W4gZcGf2fCx3sKtO4K6ixCvjcR7zYuQbPZE-EQymiws-3RSQewY405LReolytsM0KovPMxfMfZiDldYEu59jXMmjy6LqPMFyTnFtmWnCQZGtu3cXe3EIEpFbLdab95BSzw/s1600-h/MV5BMjA5NzEwMTUzOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODg5MzkyMQ@@._V1._SX284_SY400_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvSpfCkeb8W4gZcGf2fCx3sKtO4K6ixCvjcR7zYuQbPZE-EQymiws-3RSQewY405LReolytsM0KovPMxfMfZiDldYEu59jXMmjy6LqPMFyTnFtmWnCQZGtu3cXe3EIEpFbLdab95BSzw/s320/MV5BMjA5NzEwMTUzOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODg5MzkyMQ@@._V1._SX284_SY400_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359251714779089714" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa's film of the same name is set in mid-19th century Edo (now Tokyo). Just as Kurosawa saw similarities between 16th century Japan and the world of <span style="font-style: italic;">Macbeth </span>when he made <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood</span>, he too saw similarities between Gorky's Russia in the early 1900s and his own country in the 1800s.<br /><br />According to the film's opening titles, it was also an entry into the 1958 Cultural Festival.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower Depths </span>takes place in a small Japanese tenement in Edo, Japan. A myriad of colorful characters inhabit a small rundown shack owned by an ill-tempered landlord who lives next door in a much nicer home with his wife Oguni and her sister Okayo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6KaRWIPseMwIv42vo1uWSCkXTNxxfAH7Tka94PQ-CcNyjiy_vA2Xw_rTLisV9FkY-SjEUihWd-jGqviTRYv-JFhKLcwfhL2NTCs6K1sqBPZs4_BjvgJx3efello0_Mmq3qN1sNK7Wac/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h37m05s57.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6KaRWIPseMwIv42vo1uWSCkXTNxxfAH7Tka94PQ-CcNyjiy_vA2Xw_rTLisV9FkY-SjEUihWd-jGqviTRYv-JFhKLcwfhL2NTCs6K1sqBPZs4_BjvgJx3efello0_Mmq3qN1sNK7Wac/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h37m05s57.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359338735394898402" border="0" /></a><br />The characters who inhabit the shack range from an old actor and prostitute to a tinkerer and self-proclaimed former samurai. The most revered and respected among the group is a thief named Sutekichi (Toshiro Mifune).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cmgg12Qq_wmTuIgHYaUkeZ075i3D4uN9bKDOGe_XWU5dRVUbQwWl2rrWyYmTXdduTZhyOQJT6Xw0RiVfScpzfTsrfXjq7D1mzsvFCp8EHwvfzb1wEnPChQ_Ls8keoaeOfe4vL0na6kg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h58m08s142.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cmgg12Qq_wmTuIgHYaUkeZ075i3D4uN9bKDOGe_XWU5dRVUbQwWl2rrWyYmTXdduTZhyOQJT6Xw0RiVfScpzfTsrfXjq7D1mzsvFCp8EHwvfzb1wEnPChQ_Ls8keoaeOfe4vL0na6kg/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h58m08s142.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359339173348679922" border="0" /></a><br />While Sutekichi has had an ongoing affair with Oguni, the landlord's wife, he has recently become enamored by Okayo, Oguni's sister.<br /><br />Oguni sees this as her chance to be free of her husband. She tells Sutekichi that if he kills him, she will ensure that Okayo will be presented to Sutekichi "with a ribbon".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6DpoZ74lOT8iJvElpgSUahHWr6n4eAZObn0DXNMr41KWQeZzpdtS79Dq1tuppdQj9yvrmzO2akm4NHrxG1cmOotyqHS3scpRsoU9bQlwPR4uzCD7rPzCU8qt4-jdCJY8MMkkQNMbx0o/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h57m54s2.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6DpoZ74lOT8iJvElpgSUahHWr6n4eAZObn0DXNMr41KWQeZzpdtS79Dq1tuppdQj9yvrmzO2akm4NHrxG1cmOotyqHS3scpRsoU9bQlwPR4uzCD7rPzCU8qt4-jdCJY8MMkkQNMbx0o/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h57m54s2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359338738805955362" border="0" /></a><br />This subplot merely serves to propel the film along. The real story is in the other inhabitants of the shanty.<br /><br />Their lives have become mundane. Some work with the hope of earning enough to leave, some merely sit and let the world do what it will to them. Some even die. But everything is shaken up when an old man arrives seeking a place to live for a while.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09hi8BnPxwdcfb7iCrnI67hIO3HEueUN87FexaKtcxvUkLW5AqfNkCq2rMPlPZstPrXrrtVtxxsW6gWCCxXyFvlmkgDOZXPs5HD_SvtEIiFT0qs8zQy5wjm2n_HKoL2q6eByLwD5T4Mg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h41m42s166.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09hi8BnPxwdcfb7iCrnI67hIO3HEueUN87FexaKtcxvUkLW5AqfNkCq2rMPlPZstPrXrrtVtxxsW6gWCCxXyFvlmkgDOZXPs5HD_SvtEIiFT0qs8zQy5wjm2n_HKoL2q6eByLwD5T4Mg/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h41m42s166.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359338745815251330" border="0" /></a><br />The man some call Grandpa begins to offer words of wisdom to those who will listen. He tells the actor of a temple where he can rid himself of his addiction to alcohol. He listens to the prostitute when she tells him about a man who sees her for who she really is. He even urges Sutekichi to take Okayo and start a new life somewhere.<br /><br />In the end Sutekichi ends up accidentally killing the landlord while trying to protect Okayo. Okayo believes her sister and Sutekichi are in it together and has them both arrested.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjlZs47QWffsus4g0sfRRFFFLO2Jn_svT65A4jWcqsifspPOOvOe5o4OeL2zhx5-wmJpxUi03-4fNaA5vIkCffSie_DtRcDw-FtjQel2c_xzXlS7iVfRZz7oB9ODx6DQtDGLEYwcbBoo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h14m08s177.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjlZs47QWffsus4g0sfRRFFFLO2Jn_svT65A4jWcqsifspPOOvOe5o4OeL2zhx5-wmJpxUi03-4fNaA5vIkCffSie_DtRcDw-FtjQel2c_xzXlS7iVfRZz7oB9ODx6DQtDGLEYwcbBoo/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h14m08s177.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359338749916759154" border="0" /></a><br />While all this is happening the old man has flees (other characters hint that he himself is on the run from the law).<br /><br />Life finally returns to normal for all the other inhabitants of the shanty, except one. The actor, after learning that the old man's words were merely lies to help ease his pain, hangs himself on a cliff near the town.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAbecFhEVWxt1F8UnZ1U_dkZS5niMgvz04DPenb7hTvZch1CXFxCuCmHRHfYLh1kW45eNjjMrKAI0UFEoMWBXPlxWRqp54U3a5xNECn7iXKgrjgZl9xzjqOtWQdrfg-CjFr70N0Yygk4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h39m47s201.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAbecFhEVWxt1F8UnZ1U_dkZS5niMgvz04DPenb7hTvZch1CXFxCuCmHRHfYLh1kW45eNjjMrKAI0UFEoMWBXPlxWRqp54U3a5xNECn7iXKgrjgZl9xzjqOtWQdrfg-CjFr70N0Yygk4/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h39m47s201.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359338761693966066" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />Because of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower Depths</span>' simplistic setting and more character-driven plot, Kurosawa was able to more easily adapt his film making to come closer to the theater.<br /><br />By utilizing the multiple cameras that he had been using since <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Samurai</span>, the actors could move about and perform with much more ease.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAl4pvgyclgIbCK4HSwxCbhwEIM-C5nSQapqlIh-gyF_6mu8yi5J4q1rZoUtzeeghlvJPWrFq8BfpNWK_ne5sUuii8zFVMiUhR9MaM9Ps3JCv5IamdTTjodJio418YGa3qsecMCn2PXsI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h30m23s33.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAl4pvgyclgIbCK4HSwxCbhwEIM-C5nSQapqlIh-gyF_6mu8yi5J4q1rZoUtzeeghlvJPWrFq8BfpNWK_ne5sUuii8zFVMiUhR9MaM9Ps3JCv5IamdTTjodJio418YGa3qsecMCn2PXsI/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h30m23s33.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359339520131348930" border="0" /></a><br />The film contains only two locations: inside the shack and just outside of it. The inside of the shanty itself feels like a stage. Characters come and go freely from off screen, the action continues without any cuts and the shots are often quite long compared even when compared to some of Kurosawa's other films.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAvEg3hsWaMgXQKmxuNDPkdC2jA20PllYB0wJOmAMSg-4VnOmnTlETFm5Khp8Dy8_I2nNgtKzfQ4YAQJxl9CyPk8Oxfd4L6APTbYaO3y_kvlaPQDTJ96iS4fmJjGpenTIIVEuERurxpM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h28m20s248.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAvEg3hsWaMgXQKmxuNDPkdC2jA20PllYB0wJOmAMSg-4VnOmnTlETFm5Khp8Dy8_I2nNgtKzfQ4YAQJxl9CyPk8Oxfd4L6APTbYaO3y_kvlaPQDTJ96iS4fmJjGpenTIIVEuERurxpM/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h28m20s248.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359339976165790178" border="0" /></a><br />There are only a few fades in the film that signal an elongated passage of time.<br /><br />While Kurosawa clearly modeled the indoor location to look like a stage, he takes full use of the power of film in the outdoor location.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QOhm4o9QTQ_mx-06lILLDX5byK-j9gNS2b45c98Whg1MlVy4y7z9ECco7GVz-qTI56YFZrno01QqzKcmBG0r2gdEFaJ8LU574ANzgO4wgdT3Sx23QgI2izQa73uiuYk6NjcxuLZopxs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h55m30s2.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QOhm4o9QTQ_mx-06lILLDX5byK-j9gNS2b45c98Whg1MlVy4y7z9ECco7GVz-qTI56YFZrno01QqzKcmBG0r2gdEFaJ8LU574ANzgO4wgdT3Sx23QgI2izQa73uiuYk6NjcxuLZopxs/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h55m30s2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359339749567550994" border="0" /></a><br />In almost every shot outside the shanty, characters are shot from a low angle. This could not be more important to the film.<br /><br />The very first scene in the film is a 360-degree pan around the walls of the two houses. The camera finally settles on two children who are dumping trash into the pit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxgNyFs1wpltjJtGgvxdq6S174nvV96IbJt-amqVukK_Bgw3TUkbrOSkIYxuFWz7DDXKqGFJ5J42xvGnuRsZChkHGrqlprdOmYloxs44SUUFMu39rWUm7UABQiJfQLnUu3aOgL0vHDZE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h34m38s118.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxgNyFs1wpltjJtGgvxdq6S174nvV96IbJt-amqVukK_Bgw3TUkbrOSkIYxuFWz7DDXKqGFJ5J42xvGnuRsZChkHGrqlprdOmYloxs44SUUFMu39rWUm7UABQiJfQLnUu3aOgL0vHDZE/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h34m38s118.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359339530012273778" border="0" /></a><br />"It's just an old rubbish heap," says one of the children. The world clearly does not care about these people and does not recognize their existence. During a time of peace (which this time period was) there are still those in "the lower depths" that are forgotten.<br /><br />Throughout the film when characters are walking around the two houses, almost half the frame is taken up by the top of the pit and the sky.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBJ54kNVNYcOcVBa4xKiEsHZa4c9mef2cYqgQrH6MOTvd1sBwC5gmKjypagEccrBQNHod8UdzSr6PVy6hGXskLR_v5U8XywPThXwrAqCQhgwaqyOVOR1lGBiZ7JyyysClNhALBJKeH_M/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h11m11s36.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBJ54kNVNYcOcVBa4xKiEsHZa4c9mef2cYqgQrH6MOTvd1sBwC5gmKjypagEccrBQNHod8UdzSr6PVy6hGXskLR_v5U8XywPThXwrAqCQhgwaqyOVOR1lGBiZ7JyyysClNhALBJKeH_M/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h11m11s36.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359339527790172578" border="0" /></a><br />These people are always looking up. There lies their way out, but although it is so close, it is still unattainable.<br /><br />Every character in the film seems to be all too aware of their situation in life. While only the tinkerer believes that his work will one day earn him enough money to escape the shanty, even his hopes are slashed when he must pay for his wife's funeral.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTyvUXB99HOCgyZ1Gl7BI2erY3BxZrFyN9srPWX_Xdxjfw3icadT9NL2EY2-DVhac90g8trpEKQIQmBAtNFKSLgXIngd3bD_uyqsPU6klCrvaiIJSD0qnx2wV121PgA6dp0uCXvi1mQs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h42m50s181.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTyvUXB99HOCgyZ1Gl7BI2erY3BxZrFyN9srPWX_Xdxjfw3icadT9NL2EY2-DVhac90g8trpEKQIQmBAtNFKSLgXIngd3bD_uyqsPU6klCrvaiIJSD0qnx2wV121PgA6dp0uCXvi1mQs/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h42m50s181.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359340708836685170" border="0" /></a><br />"How can you go to hell if you're already there," one man says.<br />"Lay off the stupid dreams," says another.<br /><br />While the characters in the film are keenly aware that money is the only way to get anywhere, some have negative attitudes toward education. The actor remarks that it is with one's own natural talent that they succeed in life.<br /><br />Not even Sutekichi, who makes far more than any of the other men, is able to leave the squalor of the shanty.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzK60Y6Kp05TrtTig31ilbwifVDACjDUC_PSd-_AOYaD1Yp0OLPg4KN_dXNDR3ZmjiJAHlWn-I51josYkQjtIXOOsZlNhXpwhm9CmNpyQ2DrmgayNs7jFAZxWUltHVkftozFY2JBnyPj8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h58m53s235.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzK60Y6Kp05TrtTig31ilbwifVDACjDUC_PSd-_AOYaD1Yp0OLPg4KN_dXNDR3ZmjiJAHlWn-I51josYkQjtIXOOsZlNhXpwhm9CmNpyQ2DrmgayNs7jFAZxWUltHVkftozFY2JBnyPj8/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h58m53s235.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359341293692081682" border="0" /></a><br />Hope comes in the form of the old man. Dressed in a white kimono like a sort of guardian angel, the old man descends upon the inhabitants and begins to observe and interact with them. He sees the tinkerer's wife through her final days and gives advice to those who need it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FywJbeMenbDuONka5xJo1qiKTJbG7fQ6HF6QT2Qz2iY0WJHxwJZ20INcydCeQz2daPlTf3Ocv2HwHETW_Al74iavVPn6ra2YUvvqOUSg18AwLaVINOZQFnkPpOnJ0ExPrlteLpngAk0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h15m29s58.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FywJbeMenbDuONka5xJo1qiKTJbG7fQ6HF6QT2Qz2iY0WJHxwJZ20INcydCeQz2daPlTf3Ocv2HwHETW_Al74iavVPn6ra2YUvvqOUSg18AwLaVINOZQFnkPpOnJ0ExPrlteLpngAk0/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h15m29s58.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359340711011905634" border="0" /></a><br />Sutekichi is on to the old man from the beginning, telling him he believes he is a fine liar.<br /><br />Even when the old man does try to help those around him, many brush him off, seemingly content to live on drinking and living in their lower depths. Those who do listen only end up in jail or dead in the end. The old man, the others say, only lied to those who he felt were beyond hope.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1Rdj-ktKGX37YmuvffLS9SdLFB_JUTP122sDRWbRWymZHXyZam7tRc3HICWVlbRPSR7Uq09HZ9LhqS-Ay5JPAeqHM_EDhzpHg8803llmHbCgZM7-ncIiu5Mgf6ousCxv1GcIvP_8CZU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h25m41s188.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1Rdj-ktKGX37YmuvffLS9SdLFB_JUTP122sDRWbRWymZHXyZam7tRc3HICWVlbRPSR7Uq09HZ9LhqS-Ay5JPAeqHM_EDhzpHg8803llmHbCgZM7-ncIiu5Mgf6ousCxv1GcIvP_8CZU/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h25m41s188.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359341644289336258" border="0" /></a><br />One of the most integral aspects of characterization for Kurosawa seems to be in the backgrounds of characters. Far more than simply what they appear to be on the surface, Kurosawa gives his characters histories that contribute to who they are and how they act in the film.<br /><br />The prostitute, destined to a life of prostitution, is seen daydreaming throughout the film. She imagines a man who sees her for who she is and doesn't care about her prostituting ways. She takes to the old man, and in the end almost does kill herself, but eventually does return.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAXQI_Uxp8hM9PdWAtRDhiw0i-3mj5hTzRKuIUpH9hKtmwKULyF4xkcStiXJOCbuMJLQm2VvAwclUxRTuDcveUs3kNYvbXoFfquOVw5kzBLBlsV_kU1i5OkFsv3U0NnpYRsxCmHnvgPs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h37m21s217.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAXQI_Uxp8hM9PdWAtRDhiw0i-3mj5hTzRKuIUpH9hKtmwKULyF4xkcStiXJOCbuMJLQm2VvAwclUxRTuDcveUs3kNYvbXoFfquOVw5kzBLBlsV_kU1i5OkFsv3U0NnpYRsxCmHnvgPs/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-14h37m21s217.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359340725103299890" border="0" /></a><br />The actor, who frequently tells those around him of his glory days on the stage, just as frequently forgets the songs he used to sing. He dreams of getting sober and returning to the stage, but tragically kills himself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcINza51m2Zxla8YVQGggQydVOwXut3GowrCg_zVmIfFsvgwBCWMDLN3oc5VvXHPa5_Uu14_m0pFPLFoZxQvglrLc5IPxq7IAsWwA0pypa5t9b6a07eBbe7cVD6FlWKAtclO9RNFK9kZA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h20m31s254.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcINza51m2Zxla8YVQGggQydVOwXut3GowrCg_zVmIfFsvgwBCWMDLN3oc5VvXHPa5_Uu14_m0pFPLFoZxQvglrLc5IPxq7IAsWwA0pypa5t9b6a07eBbe7cVD6FlWKAtclO9RNFK9kZA/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h20m31s254.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359341282004743426" border="0" /></a><br />The former samurai tells the others of his family's high standing while serving the shogunate. His feeling of superiority translates into his bossiness towards others.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEms5-IPliMy4hJ1KLc0BAbZaLQazB3dNToyHeCVQyDEjMxpIET9EBpUDcgj71W0F-CZN6WSo9pHZW2GcHGPBg1U006ezXKFeP4t9AS0b6oS3SvKPtVZ3BaFo95LMQ2-vj5nLOw8qdIQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h49m05s248.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEms5-IPliMy4hJ1KLc0BAbZaLQazB3dNToyHeCVQyDEjMxpIET9EBpUDcgj71W0F-CZN6WSo9pHZW2GcHGPBg1U006ezXKFeP4t9AS0b6oS3SvKPtVZ3BaFo95LMQ2-vj5nLOw8qdIQ/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-15h49m05s248.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359340729133988450" border="0" /></a><br />Each character has their dreams. Dreams that we can relate to even today.<br /><br />It is through of characters like these that the film becomes easier to relate to, and the ending that much more tragic.<br /><br />Kurosawa said that all of his movies deal with essentially the same question: Why can't people be happier? And why can't they be happier together"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower <span style="font-style: italic;">Depths </span></span>is certainly a case where Kurosawa is asking this question.<br /><br />In the beginning it seems that everyone is at war with everyone else, despite their shared poverty. At the end of the film, however, they all share in the same drinking song.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohvJxsPWNJWy91QX15Gz6_Y8hyXBhFJEwSziI64WoOq2edLXqsFJ9UU8LzSBS8ohJALkjmmEK36I113kedjkyBbTZ8fj8SptkyVWv45ybxJNQuAxpSWFojLy521Vp6fU1B2AZqaHJ9Nk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h38m21s112.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohvJxsPWNJWy91QX15Gz6_Y8hyXBhFJEwSziI64WoOq2edLXqsFJ9UU8LzSBS8ohJALkjmmEK36I113kedjkyBbTZ8fj8SptkyVWv45ybxJNQuAxpSWFojLy521Vp6fU1B2AZqaHJ9Nk/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-16-16h38m21s112.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359341290339584706" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Damn, damn it all</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Let the heavens rain down coins</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Money buys your fate in hell</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Money buys you Buddha's mercy</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This dimwit fool is broke</span><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>This song sums up all too well the theme of the movie. Kurosawa once again ends his film on a pessimistic note. He shows us that the world is not the happy place we would like it to be, and there are those like these people who live day in and day out without the hope of a happy life.<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br /></span>Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-22368988321969218552009-07-11T14:56:00.000-07:002009-07-16T12:25:55.833-07:00Throne of Blood (1957)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />For his next film Kurosawa would once again return to the <span style="font-style: italic;">jidai-geki</span>, or period picture.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood</span> would be the first of three Shakespeare adaptations by Kurosawa. <span style="font-style: italic;">Ran </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span>would be the other two (the latter is only loosely based on <span style="font-style: italic;">Hamlet</span>).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOiA5hIKX4vfYCD2auvotPk7wE_eqImyduLrX6MEJWWWh_8f0U_HfPFsOL6ytlN8duugMlQry-LDwNlxoA1hVz3qwZxEhxWrFg28DCbfKuaJlDO2r05o53Bn3n2tYH7U7Ziqa9Q-MdzA/s1600-h/throneofblood.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOiA5hIKX4vfYCD2auvotPk7wE_eqImyduLrX6MEJWWWh_8f0U_HfPFsOL6ytlN8duugMlQry-LDwNlxoA1hVz3qwZxEhxWrFg28DCbfKuaJlDO2r05o53Bn3n2tYH7U7Ziqa9Q-MdzA/s320/throneofblood.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357327270094246978" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa chose 16th century Japan as the setting for <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood</span>, as he saw similarities between what was going on in Scotland at the time of Macbeth and what happened in his country in the 16th century.<br /><br />In Japan this time period was known as the Age of the Country at War. It was a time when, not unlike what happens in Macbeth, lords were being killed and overthrown constantly.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood </span>Kurosawa injected one other notable domestic tradition into the English play, the Japanese Noh theater.<br /><br />Noh is a style of Japanese theater that began during the 13th century and was widely popular during the time <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood </span>is set. Noh dramas can still be seen today in Japan.<br /><br />Noh is characterized by its minimal set, unique music and masks which the actors wear.<br /><br />Kurosawa inserted all of these elements into his film.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br />The film begins with a messenger returning to his castle to bring news from the battlefield. When it looked like all was lost, commanders Washizu (Toshiro Mifune) and Miki (Minoru Chiaki) held the forces back and secured victory.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUAQmTss_3cuO1DwkI69J0AH9_LVFMu9mR_cnGPtXRYzAe_Nv6iMtMghjB60t0NXWrpBFfqA02FgnkdOVM7zj4EAtQDAQ4zRkGlFXsq2_C3v0Osl_HnFB399aQazIlIxDFypZwQ_ULPs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h22m26s220.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUAQmTss_3cuO1DwkI69J0AH9_LVFMu9mR_cnGPtXRYzAe_Nv6iMtMghjB60t0NXWrpBFfqA02FgnkdOVM7zj4EAtQDAQ4zRkGlFXsq2_C3v0Osl_HnFB399aQazIlIxDFypZwQ_ULPs/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h22m26s220.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358005098567579522" border="0" /></a><br />While returning from battle the two men become lost in Spider's Web Forest. There the come across an evil spirit (here Kurosawa replaces the three witches in <span style="font-style: italic;">Macbeth </span>with a more traditional Japanese hag).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_PIacZ065BO_EGX3aSa554weMVLLmLY2pJDEppVMlDJEO-kWAAl8T7WYXym3t0NmY2xJnyOS_zhKK5G4r0lYUVEIUHDSzlxOuJQ1iMNQk3hu0Oy4rA8xt9SCGhISho5GAq03JpGYlRk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h34m41s155.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_PIacZ065BO_EGX3aSa554weMVLLmLY2pJDEppVMlDJEO-kWAAl8T7WYXym3t0NmY2xJnyOS_zhKK5G4r0lYUVEIUHDSzlxOuJQ1iMNQk3hu0Oy4rA8xt9SCGhISho5GAq03JpGYlRk/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h34m41s155.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358005088015047074" border="0" /></a><br />The spirit tells Washizu that he will become leader of the North Garrison and eventually Great Lord of Spider's Web Castle. The spirit also tells Miki that he will become leader of the First Castle and his son will eventually rule as Great Lord.<br /><br />Of course, the evil spirits predictions come true. Washizu, perfectly content at his post as leader of the North Garrison, is urged by his wife to murder the Great Lord and secure his position now.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1lzZD6lvk-gYjepZeRqQ8rIAPlF53oeaDX1GhhX1J0ri-VMIvmB7InKVcEK4G75w2Q9utssMqoXF5yxP0Ll_4Zx6ZsKySIUhUjDy09nDXm1gtLgoHWtzyoUzdtVqmCy_yNTdq3p2Mpo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h44m11s219.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1lzZD6lvk-gYjepZeRqQ8rIAPlF53oeaDX1GhhX1J0ri-VMIvmB7InKVcEK4G75w2Q9utssMqoXF5yxP0Ll_4Zx6ZsKySIUhUjDy09nDXm1gtLgoHWtzyoUzdtVqmCy_yNTdq3p2Mpo/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h44m11s219.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358005111755283234" border="0" /></a><br />Washizu eventually cracks under the pressure and assassinates the Great Lord. After Lady Washizu learns that Washizu intends to announce Miki's son as his heir, she hatches a plot to kill them both. Only Miki is killed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrzqX9krbwjoV0KjquGZD7f3ArbYFjHDVx0VJsj1Obs7DV_38VfzeRmS6rxMZk4trwsZZR6ytqtlSsqt1e_DpaVsW6QEF5oWgE5TE_eE98k7mOJ93E7TGOj7_UE9xFI1ZUC2t8FIdOcM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h06m38s119.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrzqX9krbwjoV0KjquGZD7f3ArbYFjHDVx0VJsj1Obs7DV_38VfzeRmS6rxMZk4trwsZZR6ytqtlSsqt1e_DpaVsW6QEF5oWgE5TE_eE98k7mOJ93E7TGOj7_UE9xFI1ZUC2t8FIdOcM/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h06m38s119.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358005115613225874" border="0" /></a><br />A battle looms on the horizon as opposition forces move to reclaim the throne of Spider's Web Castle. Washizu, who has gone almost completely mad with paranoia, returns to the forest to seek out another prediction from the spirit.<br /><br />The spirit, as in <span style="font-style: italic;">Macbeth</span>, tells Washizu that unless the forest moves, Washizu will not be defeated.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIma3VImn3o5QDfsDTnrInH4ECWTWhRCzjKV-EVVuxdv4ncTTRmAtsguYdOa1IgPj_t2ciBkzLOVid_l2HJMKzsaRxX5hjSuTnAQNk_0lk6fU9TLiK3jdBqMwR9psDPCe9vAQpGsazxiM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h45m14s243.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIma3VImn3o5QDfsDTnrInH4ECWTWhRCzjKV-EVVuxdv4ncTTRmAtsguYdOa1IgPj_t2ciBkzLOVid_l2HJMKzsaRxX5hjSuTnAQNk_0lk6fU9TLiK3jdBqMwR9psDPCe9vAQpGsazxiM/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h45m14s243.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358005613260941362" border="0" /></a><br />With renewed confidence Washizu returns to the castle. The next day he awakes to panicked soldiers. The forest has begun to move.<br /><br />Finally Washizu's own forces (there is no Macduff character in <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood</span>) turn on him and begin to loose volley upon volley of arrows at him. He is struck several times, but the final blow pierces his neck.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-Bfigck4KPULBGATuKsQNkcb52-o4Y8GfrmbOVN0S1-1DV-3yulPG86MwC8Gv50JE3Wvx102TVHno-_Nghpawz6eKN3HUrVeys6vbfnJdJMNPj6L8j5cAdxaRaRapmAyBtIAmyNPo0A/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-13-00h06m18s84.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-Bfigck4KPULBGATuKsQNkcb52-o4Y8GfrmbOVN0S1-1DV-3yulPG86MwC8Gv50JE3Wvx102TVHno-_Nghpawz6eKN3HUrVeys6vbfnJdJMNPj6L8j5cAdxaRaRapmAyBtIAmyNPo0A/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-13-00h06m18s84.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358005615123262898" border="0" /></a><br />He slowly walks down from his perch on the castle walls and collapses in front of his men while the enemy slowly creeps towards the castle.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />Anyone who knows the story of <span style="font-style: italic;">Macbeth </span>knows the fate of Washizu from the very beginning of the film. But even those who are not familiar with the play learn from the opening narration of the film that this will not be a happy story.<br /><br />Kurosawa filmed <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood </span>on Mount Fuji, and as a result there was a tremendous amount of fog that contributed to the setting of the film.<br /><br />Not only did it help establish the grim and dark times of Japan's 16th century, but it contributed strongly to the theme of the film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9pLir44e__1ZRdede8x2Z-v7WKO69INu5aUae_Q7j05Qqf5QmIxLA95e85zutoakuF25F2X8rnKTHqUhLJvfawngKmFgNT7VLjEKyEr0wCoqVt4dMNpepaMdOZ3bCw1nT9XDq-OKJn4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h41m19s36.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9pLir44e__1ZRdede8x2Z-v7WKO69INu5aUae_Q7j05Qqf5QmIxLA95e85zutoakuF25F2X8rnKTHqUhLJvfawngKmFgNT7VLjEKyEr0wCoqVt4dMNpepaMdOZ3bCw1nT9XDq-OKJn4/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h41m19s36.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359138802399149234" border="0" /></a><br />One loses their way easily in fog. Just as Washizu is lost in Spider's Web Forest and the fog leading to Spider's Web Castle, he is also becoming lost within his soul.<br /><br />The uncertainty of the fog is contrasted with the inevitability of fate that permeates the film. Through a series of bad omens and foreshadowing, we know that Washizu is doomed from the time the spirit makes its predictions.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDl_iz3816G-lS_goPGvYaGLbS1YHufjox1fz4JQbxTxxrq5hHEQqrbAeTjmYWVNZ_NVBC9-nfYxb4gQAsdXkrkBHZJvNZxZ78OGa7Aq-H7QovqAtc5MtycjNcPzyxV6hgxH1daZ-hvN0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h44m56s152.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDl_iz3816G-lS_goPGvYaGLbS1YHufjox1fz4JQbxTxxrq5hHEQqrbAeTjmYWVNZ_NVBC9-nfYxb4gQAsdXkrkBHZJvNZxZ78OGa7Aq-H7QovqAtc5MtycjNcPzyxV6hgxH1daZ-hvN0/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h44m56s152.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359139391128090578" border="0" /></a><br />"Life can always be improved," says a soldier in Washizu's army. These soldiers are often the source of hints to Washizu's fate. When the final battle approaches, they talk about the rats that have left the castle. "Rats flee a house before it burns," one says.<br /><br />While those around him are frightened when birds start to flock into the castle, Washizu merely laughs it off, not realizing that it is because the approaching army is causing the birds to flee the trees that are being cut down.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2NDokoaWpQe593j07TOnuMuEtU2HOOhHRdZLKfonJWYIyw7zMgEaBUKNvz38DAy9BaU9D3MFNxSrGezMKrwLsowqsKazdo8CUyqaZnQLTRL9BbGxCEc1hYxxRaP-3rCTLTiZqE4m8M4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h57m14s14.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2NDokoaWpQe593j07TOnuMuEtU2HOOhHRdZLKfonJWYIyw7zMgEaBUKNvz38DAy9BaU9D3MFNxSrGezMKrwLsowqsKazdo8CUyqaZnQLTRL9BbGxCEc1hYxxRaP-3rCTLTiZqE4m8M4/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h57m14s14.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359138822568150658" border="0" /></a><br />Washizu goes through a stark transformation throughout the film. In the beginning, he is simply proud of what he has done on the battlefield, but after he learns of the spirits predictions, a conflict grows inside of him.<br /><br />The scenes between Washizu and Lady Washizu (both wearing make-up that resemble Noh masks) are key to Washizu's transformation.<br /><br />While Washizu contemplates, we see in the background a horse being tamed. The horse is a mirror of Washizu's inner conflict. He is torn between his duty and his ambition. Almost the exact same scene occurs later when Lady Washizu talks of killing Miki.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIZZPxqu9HO9NL3hhpP_9QQ0SN3TamGDrp371MkX5q-Bwh0nMekVYdmIICUb2lWylxR8qV-3jJH0uBAisMrM_KMhaoi4_f3HlnRMCttwf8TnUWux0pDQ8lINPOPx1LSI320dXqgB_fxA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h48m53s223.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIZZPxqu9HO9NL3hhpP_9QQ0SN3TamGDrp371MkX5q-Bwh0nMekVYdmIICUb2lWylxR8qV-3jJH0uBAisMrM_KMhaoi4_f3HlnRMCttwf8TnUWux0pDQ8lINPOPx1LSI320dXqgB_fxA/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h48m53s223.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359138808047769490" border="0" /></a><br />"Ambition makes a man," Lady Washizu says.<br /><br />Lady Washizu herself is just as ill-fated as her husband. When the Great Lord comes to stay at Washizu's castle, Washizu and Lady Washizu must stay in the room of the former lord who, though dead, has left blood stained walls in the room.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-NZQemfWnkZA1cKI7_jPKKducrE3oSrTki-gPXFAbpeU2MY57WozkwxEm70DzkM9cP08wuYbwQbG4pvgcPRyW5EnW4AC6zXWvEVOagauN5U_kElxNXBjn2EJi2-lzJg_lmM0vCSrev0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h07m52s97.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-NZQemfWnkZA1cKI7_jPKKducrE3oSrTki-gPXFAbpeU2MY57WozkwxEm70DzkM9cP08wuYbwQbG4pvgcPRyW5EnW4AC6zXWvEVOagauN5U_kElxNXBjn2EJi2-lzJg_lmM0vCSrev0/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h07m52s97.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359138805895735826" border="0" /></a><br />No matter how hard they scrub, two men say, the stains will not come off. This comment is more foreshadowing, for at the end of the film when Washizu goes to his wife, he finds her frantically attempting to wash her hands of imaginary blood.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRBS-5FDL0zjVAD8T3mY8xhVt5qMzotieefl1zC1ihZNZxhnnhfJKWFNUBrxiaqQdetc5-snkTp7qxHjkjZ-dSI5s94i3vj8AKENLp2qO8XrnUT6bxaZvdfYcC-mBYxgM7Xz_xZAfTbs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h58m49s200.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRBS-5FDL0zjVAD8T3mY8xhVt5qMzotieefl1zC1ihZNZxhnnhfJKWFNUBrxiaqQdetc5-snkTp7qxHjkjZ-dSI5s94i3vj8AKENLp2qO8XrnUT6bxaZvdfYcC-mBYxgM7Xz_xZAfTbs/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h58m49s200.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359139404060589938" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood </span>is one of if not Toshiro Mifune's best roles in a Kurosawa film. With the exception of perhaps Tajomaru in <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>and Kikuchiyo in <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Samurai</span>, Mifune has not exhibited so much energy in a film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0OAEZF7Rxm3NOFhReXyeHAS80yArGdr29rC90s5MCsnnPfFcung7wkqLbUS63M7ECWRoocsGk2pPS-nk4W3CpY0tt8LxbyhglblQT-c2J0-qrHdPtRmsEj6lzpr-0qfxx9z7WSmAKOg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h51m42s28.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0OAEZF7Rxm3NOFhReXyeHAS80yArGdr29rC90s5MCsnnPfFcung7wkqLbUS63M7ECWRoocsGk2pPS-nk4W3CpY0tt8LxbyhglblQT-c2J0-qrHdPtRmsEj6lzpr-0qfxx9z7WSmAKOg/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h51m42s28.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359141230026473458" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa once said of Mifune, "The ordinary Japanese actor might need ten feet of film to get across an impression; Mifune needed only three."<br /><br />This statement rings true especially in <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood</span>, where Washizu changes emotions quite rapidly at times. Mifune becomes Washizu, and because of this brings a very real air to the character in the film.<br /><br />For a Kurosawa film, <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood </span>contains few close-ups. Because of its Noh underpinnings, the film is shot many times like it was being filmed on a theater stage.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDar4yiUvTWNCXfgBcycO4QRFmS1hmaKf9Nt5kJn2q0GXQviWotNPYywvEI_DVxU4iwdz4XcpzAlZQeJYixc7fWNehyphenhyphenwo_ZL2xNf4lnJHGYiAP-y07jtANQXq6blNhpjUIyVOeVmGpH8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h47m19s47.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDar4yiUvTWNCXfgBcycO4QRFmS1hmaKf9Nt5kJn2q0GXQviWotNPYywvEI_DVxU4iwdz4XcpzAlZQeJYixc7fWNehyphenhyphenwo_ZL2xNf4lnJHGYiAP-y07jtANQXq6blNhpjUIyVOeVmGpH8/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-22h47m19s47.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359139387393494482" border="0" /></a><br />At one point in the film, Washizu kills a messenger and instead of cutting in or moving the camera, the camera remains stationary, as if the audience were observing a play.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwTuLxwxKpt9F14KNGYWD-tFARGc6-Jepa2aadEntSN32VZMb2DdtJD_n4Z9XWoqtwTnv5RdWTw5Za2FLR9_r_ViXb7KpSFXoxaRTWvBTMuT_aUQXiLSqSQbwNHXWlNebHwdM0HDTbwc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h37m09s255.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwTuLxwxKpt9F14KNGYWD-tFARGc6-Jepa2aadEntSN32VZMb2DdtJD_n4Z9XWoqtwTnv5RdWTw5Za2FLR9_r_ViXb7KpSFXoxaRTWvBTMuT_aUQXiLSqSQbwNHXWlNebHwdM0HDTbwc/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-12-23h37m09s255.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359138817524914162" border="0" /></a><br />"Here stood Spider's Web Castle," says the inscription on the monument at the end of <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM7eAGknUUYJmUtwhCZzEbp5drF2gWvXoSKBeYenNnt2Cr94AP_p-jT_Ys5Keu6y0SEsj7LYbscvrzue4GLa6FNG5Ok40Hat6QA6eFlv4gH0FjAu7k1b5rN3qK5IzOQqiSAHl86l69e4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2009-07-13-00h08m24s61.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM7eAGknUUYJmUtwhCZzEbp5drF2gWvXoSKBeYenNnt2Cr94AP_p-jT_Ys5Keu6y0SEsj7LYbscvrzue4GLa6FNG5Ok40Hat6QA6eFlv4gH0FjAu7k1b5rN3qK5IzOQqiSAHl86l69e4/s320/vlcsnap-2009-07-13-00h08m24s61.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359139393609535618" border="0" /></a><br />It is a solemn reminder that we should not forget our past and that it is possible to learn from it. But like many Kurosawa films, <span style="font-style: italic;">Throne of Blood </span>takes a bit of a pessimistic attitude toward the future.<br /><br />This film certainly does not end on a high note. With the opposing army approaching, we cannot help but feel that these types of events will continue for centuries, and indeed they do throughout the world.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-4433019158632996132009-07-07T10:08:00.000-07:002009-07-11T19:24:06.389-07:00I Live in Fear (1955)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />It had been 10 years since the end of World War II, but it is clear from <span style="font-style: italic;">I Live in Fear </span>that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were still fresh in the minds of both Kurosawa and the Japanese people.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNILRUVXvpR4rqc8KRa6rI2KXP-ku5zbGlHw6v7OpTG4ewldytn7nF2DVYNVJJgyqiQsbGg9mnd4YmXh7ZiMzqyD5BHYEzdN7V18QUllwYTOKojYxnc7UyoPZf0yTNnOddVIm_UEuPBD0/s1600-h/430px-Ikimono_no_kiroku_poster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNILRUVXvpR4rqc8KRa6rI2KXP-ku5zbGlHw6v7OpTG4ewldytn7nF2DVYNVJJgyqiQsbGg9mnd4YmXh7ZiMzqyD5BHYEzdN7V18QUllwYTOKojYxnc7UyoPZf0yTNnOddVIm_UEuPBD0/s320/430px-Ikimono_no_kiroku_poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355768405856313058" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I Live in Fear </span>would be Kurosawa's final film depicting the atmosphere of post-war Japan. After this film his modern day pictures would be more akin to <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ikiru</span></span>, in that they would depict mainly singular individuals and more common themes.<br /><br />Kurosawa was no stranger to disaster. He recalls a memorable event in his <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">autobiography</span>.<br /><br />As a young boy Kurosawa was living in Tokyo during the Great <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Kanto</span> Earthquake. The death toll of the earthquake was estimated to be over 100,000.<br /><br />One day, Kurosawa and his brother <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Heigo</span> traveled into the city and there they observed dozens of dead bodies strewn about.<br /><br />Kurosawa wanted to look away but his brother told him to keep looking. He said if you look away then fear will consume you, but if you look at your fear straight on, then there's nothing to be afraid of.<br /><br />It is true that Kurosawa's upbringing effected his later films, and it is no doubt true that this event effected Kurosawa greatly in making this film.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I Live in Fear </span>revolves around one man, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kiichi</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Nakajima</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Toshiro</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Mifune</span>), and his family.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU80hkcIgNaTeUXWdWR5we0tJjWCGlZ0VgOeGgBSyoysgmhezEhhYjpD8fyd0kMmeLaf6myB4dV9qc8PH7j_ZagehKCN7oa7fXOrAQ0CEn6iFGn9UkX__sBcJKgvL8BKmRl786IY713iY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1851201.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU80hkcIgNaTeUXWdWR5we0tJjWCGlZ0VgOeGgBSyoysgmhezEhhYjpD8fyd0kMmeLaf6myB4dV9qc8PH7j_ZagehKCN7oa7fXOrAQ0CEn6iFGn9UkX__sBcJKgvL8BKmRl786IY713iY/s320/vlcsnap-1851201.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355827272585594850" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Nakajima's</span> family has taken him to family court because of his recent behavior. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Nakajima</span>, fearful of another nuclear attack, was planning on building an underground structure in the North but after hearing about potential fallout coming from that direction, decided to abandon the project, costing his family a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">considerable</span> sum of money.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Nakajima's</span> next plan was to bring his entire family to live on a farm in the only place on Earth he thought safe, South America.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkGUYYcbC9TcWN-raIHv2GlX9pyNbp3Pl91PN3E3FK91zOkcboA-HfaS8PdpnCJWMjoigY4VhBMZBF5B6zUPSeyQgkO5FtRkLz2B0nZSvk_gMYYT0IC1yMSfgCW0k60BMOqz2m6ApgDo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1856126.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkGUYYcbC9TcWN-raIHv2GlX9pyNbp3Pl91PN3E3FK91zOkcboA-HfaS8PdpnCJWMjoigY4VhBMZBF5B6zUPSeyQgkO5FtRkLz2B0nZSvk_gMYYT0IC1yMSfgCW0k60BMOqz2m6ApgDo/s320/vlcsnap-1856126.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355827280218254690" border="0" /></a><br />A dentist, Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Hanada</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Takashi</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Shimura</span>), is called in from his normal work to perform his duties as a family court arbitrator. Although he himself feels for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Nakajima</span>, the court sides in favor of his family.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTWIYZC0Fm8md2cygSh7WQaL0PHnoiDzlrNTew-iO_mPP5tfWROhljyNzHGAKAgbLbef48f467gRcOtjk7ISiAzjczqOj7EeMKN3gBqkJsmq7FaugUzd8woeKwnMPSAYNaRj7MkHZ0cs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1868029.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTWIYZC0Fm8md2cygSh7WQaL0PHnoiDzlrNTew-iO_mPP5tfWROhljyNzHGAKAgbLbef48f467gRcOtjk7ISiAzjczqOj7EeMKN3gBqkJsmq7FaugUzd8woeKwnMPSAYNaRj7MkHZ0cs/s320/vlcsnap-1868029.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355827295827144098" border="0" /></a><br />Desperate for money and with all of his assets frozen, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Nakajima</span> begins pleading with the families of his mistresses for cash. When they refuse <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Nakajima</span> turns to the man who is letting him live on his farm in Brazil. He tells him the story of his reluctance to leave Japan, but finally had no choice when his house burned down.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuF0QdIxYVVQYyfGj8OUp0NqHzULz7AQhzbgT4Tw70FqfpEf_5ZvOekhDFkDh79b6ALUuC8A6EcvoquhN2Mula3XiEm6_mbxyGwIic6DWTbKDtLGg2q_hqan-5RhVEug6g8t0COuVZJs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1876418.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuF0QdIxYVVQYyfGj8OUp0NqHzULz7AQhzbgT4Tw70FqfpEf_5ZvOekhDFkDh79b6ALUuC8A6EcvoquhN2Mula3XiEm6_mbxyGwIic6DWTbKDtLGg2q_hqan-5RhVEug6g8t0COuVZJs/s320/vlcsnap-1876418.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355827283582157682" border="0" /></a><br />With his entire family against him, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Nakajima</span> makes one last desperate attempt to convince his family to come with him by burning down the foundry that he owns and has put his entire life into.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsW-Ad2lBW_cQ2wq7Ypx8q8MLkgXxlw-TO7m0od83nB6Erk_6z0Tm1tVfU2OnPob3VhilalocS-7PxGmT37-DKnCQHPQOtHhgGatS8y5vsqUUlqjQKKb2y0PZ2UWmQQJ3NduLV7Hyp-E/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1895879.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsW-Ad2lBW_cQ2wq7Ypx8q8MLkgXxlw-TO7m0od83nB6Erk_6z0Tm1tVfU2OnPob3VhilalocS-7PxGmT37-DKnCQHPQOtHhgGatS8y5vsqUUlqjQKKb2y0PZ2UWmQQJ3NduLV7Hyp-E/s320/vlcsnap-1895879.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355827291389387106" border="0" /></a><br />After this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Nakajima</span> is brought to an insane asylum to live out his final years. In the final scene, Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Hanada</span> comes to visit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Nakajima</span> in his room. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Nakajima</span> in one final episode laments about what he believes is the Earth being destroyed, even though what he is really looking at is simply the Sun.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />Like his previous post-war films, Kurosawa attempts in <span style="font-style: italic;">I Live in Fear </span>to capture what it was like living in Japan at that certain time. And like films like <span style="font-style: italic;">One Wonderful Sunday </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog </span>we are invited in this film to observe this world through one or a few individuals.<br /><br />Before meeting these people Kurosawa begins the film with a montage of scenes of daily life. People going about their daily routines without the slightest hint that they are being filmed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYrFrPWWoYKkrU3kSufAz1hnUBOkadS_9B55lm3xq2g5n9RdNV3G9ncGaZZ1nrK0hibDJP69LZlOom_2FeeMhR0SwagHtApPwF-BdhPo49WZRAn0NiffbeHn69kaw5A8fpzGDd3WKNJg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1843850.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYrFrPWWoYKkrU3kSufAz1hnUBOkadS_9B55lm3xq2g5n9RdNV3G9ncGaZZ1nrK0hibDJP69LZlOom_2FeeMhR0SwagHtApPwF-BdhPo49WZRAn0NiffbeHn69kaw5A8fpzGDd3WKNJg/s320/vlcsnap-1843850.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357035474788247042" border="0" /></a><br />After several of these shots Kurosawa has the camera pan to a single window, and with the help of his moving camera, we are invited into the room. This simple camera movement goes a long way in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">establishing</span> the belief in the audience that what we are witnessing in the film could be happening anywhere in Japan.<br /><br />Throughout the film we are told similar things by the characters of the film. Many empathize with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Nakajima's</span> feelings. "All Japanese share your anxiety," says one of the court arbiters.<br /><br />Often it seems that Kurosawa is not asking us to sympathize with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Nakajima</span>, but instead with Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Hanada</span>, the court arbiter who is, as we are, looking at the case from an objective point of view.<br /><br />Somewhat like <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Rashomon</span></span>, where Kurosawa gives the audience of the role of judge and jury, <span style="font-style: italic;">I Live in Fear </span>presents the audience with a similar role, but in this case Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Hanada</span> is our guide. We often feel as conflicted as he does.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLJVHZ9sPT_qvOMbAAY7uWE4r5jOx2h4ohx7NxQZDB18RWIh9wCh6HkUPucph8ubDQhQjHrI-6zmuZNZTifgb-fZWwRL9VPIrKq_UDIdOx86Ci9l7QPW-BDfkUXSGU0SBjp1l4wiygAM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1862520.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLJVHZ9sPT_qvOMbAAY7uWE4r5jOx2h4ohx7NxQZDB18RWIh9wCh6HkUPucph8ubDQhQjHrI-6zmuZNZTifgb-fZWwRL9VPIrKq_UDIdOx86Ci9l7QPW-BDfkUXSGU0SBjp1l4wiygAM/s320/vlcsnap-1862520.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357035480002323714" border="0" /></a><br />While no one could blame <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Nakajima</span> for his wanting to protect his family from being killed by the atom bomb, his actions nonetheless seem irrational. "Everybody has to die," <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Nakajima</span> says, "but I won't be murdered."<br /><br />These types of statements not only make the audience stop and think about their judgment, but the people in the film stop speaking and merely sit and stare as they contemplate the decision they are about to make.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9WFDuUkjQkgdvUx7Fdn-jzBEYTxvEICRhJySEf3hcOBMqxNkQagg271GTQDjsV2G24qpIt_pEw0I3Sh6vgfac0_z1Olh6GczDgWDrFiZRhZgzJGDmm3ifKfPFFir7_Tk19wCNJygL7o/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1869499.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9WFDuUkjQkgdvUx7Fdn-jzBEYTxvEICRhJySEf3hcOBMqxNkQagg271GTQDjsV2G24qpIt_pEw0I3Sh6vgfac0_z1Olh6GczDgWDrFiZRhZgzJGDmm3ifKfPFFir7_Tk19wCNJygL7o/s320/vlcsnap-1869499.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357036523028108962" border="0" /></a><br />In the end Kurosawa is essentially giving his own people two options when it comes to their anxiety about the bomb. They can either let fear consume them to the point where they can no longer function in society, or they can overcome their fear and live their lives.<br /><br />The latter option to several individuals (including Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Hanada</span> by the end of the film) seems to amount to living oblivious to the world around them. When Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Hanada</span> is speaking to the doctor in the asylum at the end, the other doctor wonders if it is really <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Nakajima</span> who is the insane one, or if it is really those who remain undisturbed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTUin0B3gVbRZw9pgAgEabB-wf8Uru8Vsg5DTpbxjBM4etv-AFUOZphjxckQ8dAjPu5cAAUQUk10jtNRRXyfC-wvbEUT74Wb2TdOc94SSc8MfVNBocLLPHqxAUp_AOXYDaIaU8IzZzYI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1902674.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTUin0B3gVbRZw9pgAgEabB-wf8Uru8Vsg5DTpbxjBM4etv-AFUOZphjxckQ8dAjPu5cAAUQUk10jtNRRXyfC-wvbEUT74Wb2TdOc94SSc8MfVNBocLLPHqxAUp_AOXYDaIaU8IzZzYI/s320/vlcsnap-1902674.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357037032088915986" border="0" /></a><br />Like many Kurosawa films, the final verdict is left up to the audience. Even though <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Nakajima</span> ends up in an insane asylum, Kurosawa leaves the door open to a sympathetic viewing of the character.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Nakajima</span> is, from the beginning, presented as an incredibly stubborn, short-tempered and gruff man. He violently opens his fan and frantically waves it to cool himself off. He opens his kids' mail and calls them fools in every other sentence. But he has his good moments as well. He gently cradles a baby, shielding it from what he obviously sees as a world on the brink of destruction. He buys his children soda and supports them financially.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1HBmyHd_-XoN5a8CAyIxZacI9NlvNia1C0FWvqPzXObS4wXZW7I0kjdfAZcqOV9aXKlnvO-pMeLQTjSrBQfPuKkJ4-yQC-PCq2UpQgwQpnkDD4yg-LIQm88NY1ik8rbIoOlS34Ld7Ys/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1866945.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1HBmyHd_-XoN5a8CAyIxZacI9NlvNia1C0FWvqPzXObS4wXZW7I0kjdfAZcqOV9aXKlnvO-pMeLQTjSrBQfPuKkJ4-yQC-PCq2UpQgwQpnkDD4yg-LIQm88NY1ik8rbIoOlS34Ld7Ys/s320/vlcsnap-1866945.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357036092993038034" border="0" /></a><br />Even though he has destroyed himself and all of the workers that were employed at his now destroyed foundry, we cannot help but feel that throughout the ordeal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Nakajima</span> meant well and was only trying to do what was best for everyone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5flrAV7HnvvLvwfOQgnfgAFaQ0zjji44MHPU3gGPw4Pt4-MeHu7p63P2QceGwQucpmL4NVNu2uLHW4BSQhKAZI8qRBME_dgzg0aN9RGp6BhLaiwCT8mF0nqypzk194pZ-jTZbv3FmEiY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1897659.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5flrAV7HnvvLvwfOQgnfgAFaQ0zjji44MHPU3gGPw4Pt4-MeHu7p63P2QceGwQucpmL4NVNu2uLHW4BSQhKAZI8qRBME_dgzg0aN9RGp6BhLaiwCT8mF0nqypzk194pZ-jTZbv3FmEiY/s320/vlcsnap-1897659.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357035488898991954" border="0" /></a><br />It is also clear throughout the film that Kurosawa is making another point about Japanese society, one that was seen in <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Ikiru</span> </span>as well. The issue once again is the conflict between <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">traditionalism</span> vs. modernity, and children vs. parents.<br /><br />Even though <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Nakajima</span> supports the children of several mistresses, one dead and two alive, they are quick to turn their backs on him when he is the one that needs help. Even when he collapses due to exhaustion his children speak more about his will than his condition. They even go behind his back to secure the money they believe he will spend on his master plan.<br /><br />All of their actions are done in the name of helping their father who they believe to be mentally ill. Even though to some people this may seem like a legitimate excuse, their behavior seems cold and heartless when compared to what their father is simply trying to do.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9_JlXrLPqMAca3OyGd7NP9Jlo_nY6im1FwnPlEgSyl4s1IaRICb7FRsWLs7sPZ2jzvjOv9IoXHUuBGNYnOHLliBoh7Qtr9ahvnKKtP92eMx752YpFr5sBRq_vozA1e61j5so6yv71fU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1887500.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9_JlXrLPqMAca3OyGd7NP9Jlo_nY6im1FwnPlEgSyl4s1IaRICb7FRsWLs7sPZ2jzvjOv9IoXHUuBGNYnOHLliBoh7Qtr9ahvnKKtP92eMx752YpFr5sBRq_vozA1e61j5so6yv71fU/s320/vlcsnap-1887500.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357037030431783874" border="0" /></a><br />One of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Nakajima's</span> daughters does help him, but it is too little too late according to him. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Nakajima's</span> own wife eventually realizes that it is her duty to stand by her husband and urges her children to go with them to Brazil.<br /><br />In the end the children get what they want. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Nakajima</span> is finally put away, but they look none the happier for it. The looks on their faces as they leave the asylum seem to be looks of deep inner thought. Did they do the right thing? Was he simply doing what he thought was best for them?<br /><br />It is somewhat ironic that the man who talks to Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">Hanada</span> in the end about whether or not the family did the right thing is not even a blood relative, but the husband of one of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Nakajima's</span> daughters.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeUU7FqZobZoFi3P9yNQDsqlcOXYwYWPttl3daHsjx1xF89lDEeDeFKoCio3rsh7p21kqwROTPZ46PN1gAiGGIo2eqwrIdqdlQmsf-QUl6VW6Tj7DZ1hxPh-CzpHacvFfqKmdsG37TGk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1900807.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeUU7FqZobZoFi3P9yNQDsqlcOXYwYWPttl3daHsjx1xF89lDEeDeFKoCio3rsh7p21kqwROTPZ46PN1gAiGGIo2eqwrIdqdlQmsf-QUl6VW6Tj7DZ1hxPh-CzpHacvFfqKmdsG37TGk/s320/vlcsnap-1900807.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357035489573771490" border="0" /></a><br />Going back to Kurosawa achieving a great sense of place in his films, <span style="font-style: italic;">I Live in Fear </span>creates in its atmosphere a visual <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">representation</span> of its theme, that of anxiety. Much like <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog </span>where the search for a lost gun is made all the more stressful by the heat of the sun, the same effect is created in <span style="font-style: italic;">I Live in Fear</span>.<br /><br />It seems everyone in the film is fanning themselves or trying to cool off in one way or another. Like previous films, the heat of the day matches the heat of the situation. The anxiety is made worse by the constant presence of heat and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">perspiration</span>.<br /><br />Sound is also important to creating this atmosphere. Certain sounds trigger <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Nakajima's</span> anxiety, most notably the sounds of passing airplanes. Whenever a plane goes by, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Nakajima</span> becomes more restless and looks visibly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">uncomfortable</span>. The same can be said during a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">thunderstorm</span> that sends him running and cowering.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDiH92MKqg3mXM6ja5kw2HB58EUaMf1uqdqiR2sxdX56lnHZg4AVl2icJGzl5KZA9y-RrtfM87PgEO0Do5OfVYLMM5MQcawrc6Ml-Sumhd3nzDbyhwUiHvQkBtpzevgxRXOx15cOxX0s/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1860153.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDiH92MKqg3mXM6ja5kw2HB58EUaMf1uqdqiR2sxdX56lnHZg4AVl2icJGzl5KZA9y-RrtfM87PgEO0Do5OfVYLMM5MQcawrc6Ml-Sumhd3nzDbyhwUiHvQkBtpzevgxRXOx15cOxX0s/s320/vlcsnap-1860153.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357035481026223714" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Nakajima</span> is living with this fear wherever he goes. He can't do simple activities without his anxiety often overtaking him. But there are others who are unaffected. Just as Kurosawa shows us the incredibly anxious <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Nakajima</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">increasingly</span> anxious Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Hanada</span>, he often shows people in the background simply going about their daily lives.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOUqy6JdkNKTZsDnmmS-vyzPma9dcOYEdy33Ww08_7DVIUBXwCp_1LsbjIMinxBrb5cUeD-68zxyhLsqkZX6piqRd4YMgli4XUShgECQoI56CIi_BWVUQy-NGCP0eYk9QMmFw1O5b86s/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1870050.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOUqy6JdkNKTZsDnmmS-vyzPma9dcOYEdy33Ww08_7DVIUBXwCp_1LsbjIMinxBrb5cUeD-68zxyhLsqkZX6piqRd4YMgli4XUShgECQoI56CIi_BWVUQy-NGCP0eYk9QMmFw1O5b86s/s320/vlcsnap-1870050.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357036526897186786" border="0" /></a><br />Again, Kurosawa is merely showing one slice of life in Japan. Not everyone, including Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Hanada's</span> own son, is bothered by prospect of another nuclear bomb.<br /><br />The themes of <span style="font-style: italic;">I Live in Fear</span> are as relevant today as they were back then. While the overlying cause of peoples' fear has evolved from nuclear bombs, to communism, and now perhaps to terrorism, the core of the films message remains true. You can either be consumed by your fear or live with it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAPLz5dLIXrP2bZCljhlr-yDwyEOFPLs7XiLK1S-eXGG35GCM8Tl8NW7ItxRaDiD2e9klleca4A0M508rMCw_TuokQQKEHv-95JgMyPsx-FxBlc0c2GiVwKC1F-AVl0kIbo2v67x_ces/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1884405.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAPLz5dLIXrP2bZCljhlr-yDwyEOFPLs7XiLK1S-eXGG35GCM8Tl8NW7ItxRaDiD2e9klleca4A0M508rMCw_TuokQQKEHv-95JgMyPsx-FxBlc0c2GiVwKC1F-AVl0kIbo2v67x_ces/s320/vlcsnap-1884405.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357036105176689618" border="0" /></a>Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-1096586657534041112009-07-06T17:02:00.000-07:002009-07-06T17:05:09.801-07:00Seven Samurai (1954)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAAAJZlDi8CmEP-Mk2Y0GsBuYnKJdVhqiHUlTp7QKasEemiBEvVotM935SjoAdfcbyVZrYKNltKlkZxbnjNqe4ZxQRMgGVJT6L70gj2OrSoYj7arYdZ86xYH1vNGAJJrt9gVbIrMuljM/s1600-h/seven_samurai01_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAAAJZlDi8CmEP-Mk2Y0GsBuYnKJdVhqiHUlTp7QKasEemiBEvVotM935SjoAdfcbyVZrYKNltKlkZxbnjNqe4ZxQRMgGVJT6L70gj2OrSoYj7arYdZ86xYH1vNGAJJrt9gVbIrMuljM/s320/seven_samurai01_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355502507168498850" border="0" /></a><br />Due to extenuating circumstances, the review of <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Samurai </span>may not appear for several weeks.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-17986365838922329472009-06-30T14:46:00.000-07:002009-07-05T17:54:44.111-07:00Ikiru (1952)<span style="font-weight: bold;">B</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">ackground:</span><br /><br />Despite the failure of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot</span>, after <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>began winning awards Kurosawa began to receive new offers to direct films.<br /><br />For <span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru, </span>Kurosawa would return to Toho once again. The film, according to its opening credits, was selected as an arts festival selection in 1952.<br /><br />While many of Kurosawa's films focus on either a single individual or small group of individuals, each one makes a larger universal statement.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>takes on the human propensity to embellish, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hidden Fortress </span>deals with friendship and loyalty,<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well </span></span>makes a statement about bureaucratic greed.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru </span>is a film that focuses on one of the most universal of themes, death.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_PahNUQizQsoHt_JHyGrPyhHa0EOW-6imCMayqljO6sOoEbh5JMnKitq-TQ73A_8tdcB8KIJV7fVWpvU49u2cuBf1v0liMNlH67kihEV0kKzrK4sFUHYUs_3BHkeaHcW9y3JASw9vTE/s1600-h/ikiru.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_PahNUQizQsoHt_JHyGrPyhHa0EOW-6imCMayqljO6sOoEbh5JMnKitq-TQ73A_8tdcB8KIJV7fVWpvU49u2cuBf1v0liMNlH67kihEV0kKzrK4sFUHYUs_3BHkeaHcW9y3JASw9vTE/s320/ikiru.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353242752206803170" border="0" /></a><br />In fact the film, Kurosawa says, was born out of his own thoughts about death. Thoughts that would resurface a few decades later when Kurosawa attempted suicide.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru </span>(meaning "to live") revolves around one man, Kanji Watanabe. Watanabe is played by Takashi Shimura in his best and most central role ever in a Kurosawa film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Mc607i6MQiC3WJ2DeyvMjJDksOE4vAwvNom9dv0tlaNMg5Ap8xRhSvMP77_op1avBYtJ-P9GwHwSTVBqL1jNSZIoLNLeOy_AEuah2hsRe-ci0jw9rctMNzFLBGZ6w5srrnVW9Hi3G90/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9018160.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Mc607i6MQiC3WJ2DeyvMjJDksOE4vAwvNom9dv0tlaNMg5Ap8xRhSvMP77_op1avBYtJ-P9GwHwSTVBqL1jNSZIoLNLeOy_AEuah2hsRe-ci0jw9rctMNzFLBGZ6w5srrnVW9Hi3G90/s320/vlcsnap-9018160.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354874757530005010" border="0" /></a><br />Watanabe works as the chief of a public affairs office, one of the many branches of a bureaucratic system that we soon realize is incredibly flawed.<br /><br />While Watanabe toils away, a local women's group comes in to demand a park be made over a cesspool that they claim is making their children sick. Watanabe and the other's give these women the runaround, and they are not seen again until much later in the film.<br /><br />Watanabe is a seasoned bureaucrat. He has worked without a sick day for over 30 years, a fact his fellow employees are quick to point out when he misses several days of work.<br /><br />What those employees don't know is that Watanabe has visited the doctor. The doctor tells him he has a minor ulcer, but another patient at the hospital tells Watanabe that this is merely a nice way of telling him that he has stomach cancer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIXRC-NATvO-Dfo2bXpdOoueM5HQpcgMGuOhwnVgOb23E9Nc1jyAwkyQB-UvCvStpbTtD2QnNxJqmN5Vty-Vu8rSehk4DHvYV5HDOFLOiYxk5KegJUEhvPO4yfKw8ghw-gdvhV6n-X44/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9026453.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIXRC-NATvO-Dfo2bXpdOoueM5HQpcgMGuOhwnVgOb23E9Nc1jyAwkyQB-UvCvStpbTtD2QnNxJqmN5Vty-Vu8rSehk4DHvYV5HDOFLOiYxk5KegJUEhvPO4yfKw8ghw-gdvhV6n-X44/s320/vlcsnap-9026453.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354875537680974946" border="0" /></a><br />The news leaves Watanabe devastated. Watanabe, seeking to finally live a little before he dies, happens upon a writer who spends the night with him wandering about the Tokyo night life. Watanabe's fun lasts only a night, the next day he is still as grief stricken as the day before.<br /><br />With a son and daughter-in-law who don't seem to care about his odd behavior and without anyone else to turn to, Watanabe latches on to a young girl who quits the public affairs office. In her he sees life.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYEQd7h2KWrzXrgiBogimD2V0V2gxzuG_6hb5t2K_vl2y_5adxt9uoQUOzhhKOqS1ALanQIXui49FQWb2laXpDaFlzPi75auR1fSEsuzhe7CUQ0YFEcXtXXYLxMyWB9JPylf8YVbE2cI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9052889.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYEQd7h2KWrzXrgiBogimD2V0V2gxzuG_6hb5t2K_vl2y_5adxt9uoQUOzhhKOqS1ALanQIXui49FQWb2laXpDaFlzPi75auR1fSEsuzhe7CUQ0YFEcXtXXYLxMyWB9JPylf8YVbE2cI/s320/vlcsnap-9052889.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354876317020899122" border="0" /></a><br />After realizing that he can actually make a difference and do something with his life before he dies, Watanabe commits himself completely to building the park the women were demanding at the beginning of the film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaVBCInaBG0xOUUjk2S936oQnx_o5EHH3gV8pW_p9uWKc5SjXwBs5Wf3qSYyWFgalU16CGzZYlvmWiuRlYOWPVmLCEG3r-FLCaQvk2mR6NkPFCm41mbbuFHakYHKKMJ2P8ZybQlxPENU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9018435.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaVBCInaBG0xOUUjk2S936oQnx_o5EHH3gV8pW_p9uWKc5SjXwBs5Wf3qSYyWFgalU16CGzZYlvmWiuRlYOWPVmLCEG3r-FLCaQvk2mR6NkPFCm41mbbuFHakYHKKMJ2P8ZybQlxPENU/s320/vlcsnap-9018435.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354874761632792978" border="0" /></a><br />The rest of the film is told at Watanabe's wake. There the guests tell the rest of the story, trying to figure out exactly what Watanabe's motives were, and who was really responsible for building the park.<br /><br />After several cups of alcohol, the men commit themselves to living as Watanabe did in his final months.<br /><br />But as the end of the film shows, a deeply flawed bureaucratic system is not easy to break, and life goes on as it did in the beginning.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />Unlike Kurosawa's period films that are more subtly critical of modern Japanese life, his modern day pictures almost always have something to say about the ills of society.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru </span>is no different. The film is, perhaps with the exception of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well</span>, the most wholly critical in that it not only makes a comment on society as a whole, but of human beings in general.<br /><br />Kurosawa was clearly living in a society that he saw as complacent. The characters in the film talk about the flawed society that they live in, but they are seemingly helpless or too lazy to do anything about it. This is where Watanabe comes in. Watanabe represents the complacent Japanese everyman.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilF4622CSk1KEJdiIkCZ8HSmfePrHChNBoggT0TaZRTEaX29pDdSa9W63CPfhmzxhEg0-dfl8lAIhsQK9_FH3H_J3aQi_x_ZkWMNcA92jNSHOPMeZbgPQKm5DDGR9lM0jTFa6MBduix0g/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9052132.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilF4622CSk1KEJdiIkCZ8HSmfePrHChNBoggT0TaZRTEaX29pDdSa9W63CPfhmzxhEg0-dfl8lAIhsQK9_FH3H_J3aQi_x_ZkWMNcA92jNSHOPMeZbgPQKm5DDGR9lM0jTFa6MBduix0g/s320/vlcsnap-9052132.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354879126592316018" border="0" /></a><br />The beginning of the film is marked by narration. In an incredibly smart move by Kurosawa, the narrator brings us into the film world and explains the kind of person Watanabe is.<br /><br />"He is simply passing time without living his life," the narrator says.<br /><br />We are told from the beginning that Watanabe has his stomach cancer, and are almost encouraged to make judgments on Watanabe even before we have gotten to know his character. It is because of this that we can more fully appreciate what he does later in the film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3US8NDtFRIPUKILwwjAxoOb2W8x99_Wt35gGKfZq4C2JxzjfR5_QFxHy17GvaMo-YXVWFXAt8XVcx0JJv0bAOdczXFBpluxvJmYSxh-rFnsHAMmGVR35_61re2Mv5pTlAHAU8byybdk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9017936.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3US8NDtFRIPUKILwwjAxoOb2W8x99_Wt35gGKfZq4C2JxzjfR5_QFxHy17GvaMo-YXVWFXAt8XVcx0JJv0bAOdczXFBpluxvJmYSxh-rFnsHAMmGVR35_61re2Mv5pTlAHAU8byybdk/s320/vlcsnap-9017936.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354874766263756386" border="0" /></a><br />After Kurosawa introduces us to Watanabe, he brings in the problem that he will eventually solve, and raises a societal issue at the same time.<br /><br />When the group of women come into the public affairs office to see about filling in a cesspool they say is making their children sick, the public affairs clerk tells them to go to the engineering department where they are told to go another section. This game continues until they end up at the same place they started, Watanabe's department.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapaQYK2wMN-ZBV3pFFmflfkHRatus_uMesrLLazHifDF0J7ApZ2sXEL9W5tKEklLxnHEk4-RnLyL4g54YwsdpvsmrGuoIRJCcNZP-vSlK4EAcYW7bMRAGnXjiNoxR2bHs_byhsODTYJQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9020910.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapaQYK2wMN-ZBV3pFFmflfkHRatus_uMesrLLazHifDF0J7ApZ2sXEL9W5tKEklLxnHEk4-RnLyL4g54YwsdpvsmrGuoIRJCcNZP-vSlK4EAcYW7bMRAGnXjiNoxR2bHs_byhsODTYJQ/s320/vlcsnap-9020910.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354875535787210594" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSMkJhUax0s1aZ4D-C5qnD1qOiJxCUH82zfBAz-_FWXqwwUjhyphenhyphend-5sgdmO-h5Fe8fA2rR9QpmFJJn1EO8eR-vqASAhDABk6lbRSflJDozL7GvVVmu5BXZv1J3LCiB3Gv3ujGH0EKyGkE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9020887.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSMkJhUax0s1aZ4D-C5qnD1qOiJxCUH82zfBAz-_FWXqwwUjhyphenhyphend-5sgdmO-h5Fe8fA2rR9QpmFJJn1EO8eR-vqASAhDABk6lbRSflJDozL7GvVVmu5BXZv1J3LCiB3Gv3ujGH0EKyGkE/s320/vlcsnap-9020887.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354875530985555154" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKY8MkjRhxa1CELpGNzJY_mNqazcclaCdsYBHt67yyFHysk3TYKbfcu4n8yDHN7-GzLsjgSZEtFwR6iQpwn9BF3cnLDxvdC_L6X8HlMlUfGNMHIVxEe0fi0nwOwZxKHb97btAa9B54lGU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9020839.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKY8MkjRhxa1CELpGNzJY_mNqazcclaCdsYBHt67yyFHysk3TYKbfcu4n8yDHN7-GzLsjgSZEtFwR6iQpwn9BF3cnLDxvdC_L6X8HlMlUfGNMHIVxEe0fi0nwOwZxKHb97btAa9B54lGU/s320/vlcsnap-9020839.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354875525785537106" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The women are finally told to simply put their complaint in writing, but are never told that it will be looked at or responded to.<br /><br />Even at this early stage it is clear that little if anything gets done in this system. Nobody, including the main character, is willing to step in and change anything, and everyone is seemingly content with keeping the system the way it is.<br /><br />After this the film turns sharply towards the individual instead of the bigger problem. From here we follow Watanabe.<br /><br />Kurosawa does not often focus on family dynamics. With the exception of 1955's <span style="font-style: italic;">I Live in Fear, </span>the modern Japanese family never really held much importance for Kurosawa. The family was more the domain of Yasujiro Ozu, perhaps most memorably in his film <span style="font-style: italic;">Tokyo Story</span>.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru</span>, Watanabe lives with his son Mitsuo and his wife Tatsu. Far from the traditional Japanese children who respect their parents and care for them in their old age, the two are far more interested in themselves and their own lives rather than whatever their father is going through.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmQo9Q_EnoZBvIAkdqbw6DOEZq2MD2VkCj7sYdGYgYtAeHFvTM3ZyJOlU8la3eKbKFKn8hbxwdhUY-2MrDm3ozoriDclza1Z_2JND3DOj2Uf9ybPRCaARiUfGteVT6Y6plCnASE7yToE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9029059.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmQo9Q_EnoZBvIAkdqbw6DOEZq2MD2VkCj7sYdGYgYtAeHFvTM3ZyJOlU8la3eKbKFKn8hbxwdhUY-2MrDm3ozoriDclza1Z_2JND3DOj2Uf9ybPRCaARiUfGteVT6Y6plCnASE7yToE/s320/vlcsnap-9029059.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354879121587477218" border="0" /></a><br />They are the new Japanese couple. In pure capitalist fashion their only goals in life are to accumulate wealth, move into a modern home and shed their Japanese traditions. It is only until after their father dies that they realize the error of their ways.<br /><br />When Watanabe does eventually learn of his impending death, he is totally consumed by it. In a brilliantly filmed sequence, Watanabe walks out of the doctors office and out onto the busy street. Despite all the traffic there is silence on the soundtrack. We are hearing what Watanabe is hearing. He is so utterly consumed by the news he has just received that he is oblivious to his senses. Finally, when he walks out into the street he snaps out of his dream-like state and the soundtrack is flooded with the loud noises of the busy street.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSht3-7_4MXuNmdU2coCrhc_v-X3egpGc9xZzQIRPHSqQj9s-DQCyjW3BZzWrJI2pMZSkYNai-i8sMnOeIDti7yaLF86CVsFMv06FP5WHEQvMbUSpRuBG2y_1lDTPIwgGGUr5Ln9yTtbo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9027877.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSht3-7_4MXuNmdU2coCrhc_v-X3egpGc9xZzQIRPHSqQj9s-DQCyjW3BZzWrJI2pMZSkYNai-i8sMnOeIDti7yaLF86CVsFMv06FP5WHEQvMbUSpRuBG2y_1lDTPIwgGGUr5Ln9yTtbo/s320/vlcsnap-9027877.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354875543846424466" border="0" /></a><br />Even though Watanabe admits he is afraid of death, he can think of nothing to do when he is alive.<br /><br />The writer he meets says it all when he says, "human beings only realize how beautiful life is until they are about to die."<br /><br />It is only when Watanabe is nearing death that he seeks out new ways to live. Watanabe begins to reinvent himself. He buys a new hat to match his new self. He goes to clubs and dances and drinks to his hearts content. Even during this sequence it is clear the nightlife has little effect on Watanabe's emotional state.<br /><br />In the most memorable scene of the film Watanabe requests an old song called "Life is Brief" to be played in a dance hall. When the slow song begins Watanabe starts to sing along. His voice causes the others in the room to stop and stare. It is the voice of a dying man. Kurosawa enhances the scene by showing Watanabe's face in close-up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hfBNhQK9vy9KRuwuBmoZUS0CexjiZduxWds_7ztQkFGQbzGKe-7rKryHt5Jp9d_8RJ5RNx96MUy7S219vU_N8r6DA4tZGD2CWO65FHdSF55erKCRsTQR-T5WOVzhdmBb_wrBwRyAeDk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9047536.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hfBNhQK9vy9KRuwuBmoZUS0CexjiZduxWds_7ztQkFGQbzGKe-7rKryHt5Jp9d_8RJ5RNx96MUy7S219vU_N8r6DA4tZGD2CWO65FHdSF55erKCRsTQR-T5WOVzhdmBb_wrBwRyAeDk/s320/vlcsnap-9047536.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354876311786932098" border="0" /></a><br />By the next morning it is clear that he is no more alive than he was the day before.<br /><br />He then sees new life in the form of the youthful Toyo. With her he laughs and plays games. But this doesn't last forever. Toyo begins to get uncomfortable with an increasingly distraught Watanabe.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAIU5zuLKtEA9Or8tE6P0eXJ67jliD_w78l0RFNM3g_yD7KLQ65CIij-y4sSUq911NS33XiYK_L_edRMmXe05ifHmFa3uxPGvIJpMzRyiiuaX6iS8orKT9pST1qtEDYlBZteU7kyIFT0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9059358.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAIU5zuLKtEA9Or8tE6P0eXJ67jliD_w78l0RFNM3g_yD7KLQ65CIij-y4sSUq911NS33XiYK_L_edRMmXe05ifHmFa3uxPGvIJpMzRyiiuaX6iS8orKT9pST1qtEDYlBZteU7kyIFT0/s320/vlcsnap-9059358.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354876319142342514" border="0" /></a><br />Finally he commits himself to building the park. Through this one final act he will live. For him, living is simply doing something out of the ordinary with your life. By breaking from the norm, he is insuring that his life is not going to waste.<br /><br />Watanabe is not a particularly strong willed character. In several flashbacks he is shown as more of a coward than anything. One example being a flashback of a baseball game where at one moment he is prepared to boast about his son's hit and the next is sinking into his seat with shame over a botched attempt at taking second base.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GN6PNp6dR2PGwLymL2uMfIlN5g6FxFjCn5FhMCIcMvCt_Eipam_l0vl7VzBs_u4ABfbcLH0D9X4qi4ZG_JqaZg-k5UViKlWwMRcKXHKHvOFOqsVa5S3lKBKRVE4lDqr_aIG_MKa3p0s/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9032141.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GN6PNp6dR2PGwLymL2uMfIlN5g6FxFjCn5FhMCIcMvCt_Eipam_l0vl7VzBs_u4ABfbcLH0D9X4qi4ZG_JqaZg-k5UViKlWwMRcKXHKHvOFOqsVa5S3lKBKRVE4lDqr_aIG_MKa3p0s/s320/vlcsnap-9032141.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354876308762348018" border="0" /></a><br />But Kurosawa shows us that when we do live to the fullest and are determined enough, we can redeem ourselves.<br /><br />In a series of flashbacks at the wake, we see Watanabe defying adversity and standing up for his cause at every turn.<br /><br />He confronts the system by taking on the other section chiefs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8MnaHAxeiUnOn6jIK5EvhPLtd221iAiNwflsU1sTuu_NxvWeWc07yiMdDKHgBPfcM1sh4U8_bcOJ90qDmpbxt1bko8pa9EQhNbZ21c6EpNvE_9NevKCYV7_uJ6e0c-u43N4anXTsNYA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9084338.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8MnaHAxeiUnOn6jIK5EvhPLtd221iAiNwflsU1sTuu_NxvWeWc07yiMdDKHgBPfcM1sh4U8_bcOJ90qDmpbxt1bko8pa9EQhNbZ21c6EpNvE_9NevKCYV7_uJ6e0c-u43N4anXTsNYA/s320/vlcsnap-9084338.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354877364662110562" border="0" /></a>He stands face to face with angry businessmen who feel threatened by him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0EkUgPhEtVFbdPVw-Jj0uhaQAKtF6TeuSVrGjEnvyeBvdnHfOsJddgoidWNrAjEePH5XBIEDIYYfeMm9SZY4O8CKOjTCo8UNxh_6zFTeUaoxXjLrIWgysaPYiTQmYJrdUZvjBa1N2xg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9091087.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0EkUgPhEtVFbdPVw-Jj0uhaQAKtF6TeuSVrGjEnvyeBvdnHfOsJddgoidWNrAjEePH5XBIEDIYYfeMm9SZY4O8CKOjTCo8UNxh_6zFTeUaoxXjLrIWgysaPYiTQmYJrdUZvjBa1N2xg/s320/vlcsnap-9091087.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354877372096945442" border="0" /></a>He even faces the deputy mayor and openly questions his decision to reject the park proposal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppJuDciP3YAgwLiHLRVh2S8W6hzyGvz_LuG2Png5l4W5KaHZLeHxO5rilIbY0ckUcGzSWqDvrkzW0tP1Tn3nAAJqX4gH3Yvh7gjiZggJewmb9k2TRxPpcNh7U8sSWv6EtEXi6hUNRpq8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9087800.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppJuDciP3YAgwLiHLRVh2S8W6hzyGvz_LuG2Png5l4W5KaHZLeHxO5rilIbY0ckUcGzSWqDvrkzW0tP1Tn3nAAJqX4gH3Yvh7gjiZggJewmb9k2TRxPpcNh7U8sSWv6EtEXi6hUNRpq8/s320/vlcsnap-9087800.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354877376997151362" border="0" /></a><br />In the end Kurosawa seems to see people as essentially ignorant, and that unless they are either facing death or incredibly drunk, they will never admit to themselves that their lives are mundane and that they essentially dead.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtnr1aDEmZ2Hcx5AA3_yt20tlmGumUiL7wpiZG0iHh3vVsynDv1KKAXSec43qMloAXUAFydOGX2y9mJK1pmY9R7-3zTEflP1DAx7Kx5t4555WBwCXbomSg9iS141lvXXIaFvjiio3hSw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9095899.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtnr1aDEmZ2Hcx5AA3_yt20tlmGumUiL7wpiZG0iHh3vVsynDv1KKAXSec43qMloAXUAFydOGX2y9mJK1pmY9R7-3zTEflP1DAx7Kx5t4555WBwCXbomSg9iS141lvXXIaFvjiio3hSw/s320/vlcsnap-9095899.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354878312238123154" border="0" /></a><br />This is exemplified not only by Watanabe's journey from lifeless bureaucrat, but also by the guests at his wake.<br /><br />One man at the wake defies the others by insisting it was through Watanabe's efforts alone that the park was made. The others believe other factors were to blame, whether it be restaurant owners seeking new land for shops or city officials hoping to be re-elected. It is only when they become drunk that they admit the truth and swear to remember what Watanabe has done.<br /><br />But slipping into the background is the man who initially spoke up for Watanabe, not having touched a drink he kneels in front of Watanabe's portrait and swears an oath himself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKegBH-UeE3Lnce6HZpQrn9iG_ZAH3lAY1ExdubUg5BII8AbJS-IYM7BBknO9917MZx2u3_xwIVMcITnK0pSI5y3ZeaNCCFNCrcFOhIkhiXgib8kxpfHGNRtJZrwfShnEzEf5Vz-0PrtA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9101710.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKegBH-UeE3Lnce6HZpQrn9iG_ZAH3lAY1ExdubUg5BII8AbJS-IYM7BBknO9917MZx2u3_xwIVMcITnK0pSI5y3ZeaNCCFNCrcFOhIkhiXgib8kxpfHGNRtJZrwfShnEzEf5Vz-0PrtA/s320/vlcsnap-9101710.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354879130738084050" border="0" /></a><br />The audience is certainly asked to relate and sympathize with this man. He most closely resembles what the audience should be feeling and how they should be reacting. We have seen the story from start to finish and know that Watanabe is solely responsible for the park.<br /><br />The film attempts to end on a light note by showing the fruits of Watanabe's efforts when we see the children playing in the new park.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGRlp94N_0k3jUoiup2HlthEVJkCMxa4KG0HkHMYApdC6_9KupG4-Zo9auomKZCyy07etMOwYKiltDbUiI75m2PF47GOn8y7ycPMPuysCJeCVrhWJlsrL1XMJ7QALOXnGWvQchOSJkbw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9102779.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGRlp94N_0k3jUoiup2HlthEVJkCMxa4KG0HkHMYApdC6_9KupG4-Zo9auomKZCyy07etMOwYKiltDbUiI75m2PF47GOn8y7ycPMPuysCJeCVrhWJlsrL1XMJ7QALOXnGWvQchOSJkbw/s320/vlcsnap-9102779.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354877384982769330" border="0" /></a>But it is the scene before this that is more crucial to the film. One of the men at the wake has taken over Watanabe's position.<br /><br />When a new proposal comes his way he merely passes it off to another section. The sober man from the wake stands up in defiance, but realizing the whole rest of the room is not with him, slowly sits back down.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aWNa1ffT2UW5RogWaaYp83h7LVQlS4WOGtyc1cy-wv3BQS34MbpbHlg5Uz4sG9uNRMt1Lpq_YAx3ANqmftjU67SzTD3ZWsJFa2cjlyi8it65H5Ze3s_yeEjcCXtaru8s1mW0lMpDyu4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9102563.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aWNa1ffT2UW5RogWaaYp83h7LVQlS4WOGtyc1cy-wv3BQS34MbpbHlg5Uz4sG9uNRMt1Lpq_YAx3ANqmftjU67SzTD3ZWsJFa2cjlyi8it65H5Ze3s_yeEjcCXtaru8s1mW0lMpDyu4/s320/vlcsnap-9102563.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354878309005100226" border="0" /></a><br />It is not through the efforts of one man that the society will change, Kurosawa teaches us, but perhaps with enough people change can come.<br /><br />More than any other film, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru</span> implores its viewing audience to reevaluate their lives. It asks them to decide if they will continue to live day after day doing the same thing simply to keep the status quo, or if they will act as Watanabe did and make something out of their lives.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVJZ7XGRa2dGsKIgeMANY36h3c2p50HFRVynhdPfGZ96eHOwBIz_iXCTPi_HEQOJ6e7ubmK3_M1mB0aE-PE5Q059l33rSbKMqqdTs1mtA6SXcgX_a0qulZ490JRWdDaATgE-Nf_LDfEI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-9100419.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVJZ7XGRa2dGsKIgeMANY36h3c2p50HFRVynhdPfGZ96eHOwBIz_iXCTPi_HEQOJ6e7ubmK3_M1mB0aE-PE5Q059l33rSbKMqqdTs1mtA6SXcgX_a0qulZ490JRWdDaATgE-Nf_LDfEI/s320/vlcsnap-9100419.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354878318306128578" border="0" /></a><br />While many issues addressed in the film relate more to the time it was made, the universal themes of life and death resonate even today.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-72253715699192082222009-06-24T12:07:00.000-07:002009-06-26T15:35:08.829-07:00The Idiot (1951)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />If it were not for the worldwide success that <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>gained only after <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot </span>was released, the films that followed for Kurosawa might have been very different, if he even got to make any at all.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot</span>, based on the novel of the same name by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, was neither a financial nor critical success.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Mhr1Go8ZE5OWsuojjW3cKD1CZWHr2eLNuU1pP3bnUSZcfqjzuyIWZxbYprhj4HPCA5GJLyBlTkR2GWSgCGL8O5MHUWwqYFPS1N9qTUpu1C8NZk9Bpdk5MxvEd8uIlq4qiUeZeTyRcAY/s1600-h/The_Idiot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Mhr1Go8ZE5OWsuojjW3cKD1CZWHr2eLNuU1pP3bnUSZcfqjzuyIWZxbYprhj4HPCA5GJLyBlTkR2GWSgCGL8O5MHUWwqYFPS1N9qTUpu1C8NZk9Bpdk5MxvEd8uIlq4qiUeZeTyRcAY/s320/The_Idiot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350977073727598546" border="0" /></a><br />In his childhood, Kurosawa was exposed to large amounts of foreign literature and films. This is how Kurosawa became acquainted with Dostoyevsky.<br /><br />Dostoyevsky would remain Kurosawa's favorite author. It was because of his love of Dostoyevsky that Kurosawa would make <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot</span>, and it was ultimately the reason why the film failed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbJp7qULzmLWf6ZduONNsGYXntyVGHixyxF9JlpikIveu52HB6fW3aPUQjBC3L8NFkJ_n3wKtWNjAaw0nqFvxkX1s2ikXxozxySDe1nFguhemf9o3jUMrKX38CoD13VSf5d0QES9QOqg/s1600-h/6a00c225216348549d00f48d0ac20f0001-500pi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbJp7qULzmLWf6ZduONNsGYXntyVGHixyxF9JlpikIveu52HB6fW3aPUQjBC3L8NFkJ_n3wKtWNjAaw0nqFvxkX1s2ikXxozxySDe1nFguhemf9o3jUMrKX38CoD13VSf5d0QES9QOqg/s320/6a00c225216348549d00f48d0ac20f0001-500pi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350977779513232978" border="0" /></a><br />The original cut of the film that Kurosawa did was over four hours long. The studio, Shochiku, cut the film down to 166 minutes against Kurosawa's wishes.<br /><br />The original cut has been lost.<br /><br />Needless to say, Kurosawa was devastated by the failure of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot</span>, a film that he poured every ounce of effort and love in to.<br /><br />Luckily Kurosawa was saved by the success of <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon</span>. After <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot </span>Kurosawa would go on to make some of the best films of his career.<br /><br />He would never again direct a film based on material by Dostoyevsky, but he would direct two other films based on Russian source material. These films would be 1957's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lower Depths </span>and 1975's <span style="font-style: italic;">Dersu Uzala.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span><span>Kurosawa's version of <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>The Idiot </span>is </span><span>set not in Russia but in Japan shortly after the end of World War II.<br /><br />The film is broken up into two parts. The first part, entitled "Love and Agony", begins with two men traveling back to </span>Hokkaido, Japan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEc7QbIk_jY-B4_stWEOPrDiaHbWTFkYI5KT8awitpYMG52FPjjlG3eIn1AOTrmrO_ahjBoFDzS3NPAKgAf7yYLoezNkiGUoXIS6raftm1a9dhVzFd-bfWVQ_pN-ESeclRCJ-k0p_-Ck/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3069929.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEc7QbIk_jY-B4_stWEOPrDiaHbWTFkYI5KT8awitpYMG52FPjjlG3eIn1AOTrmrO_ahjBoFDzS3NPAKgAf7yYLoezNkiGUoXIS6raftm1a9dhVzFd-bfWVQ_pN-ESeclRCJ-k0p_-Ck/s320/vlcsnap-3069929.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351699642716484962" border="0" /></a><br />Kameda (Masayuki Mori) tells one of his fellow passengers that he is returning from a U.S. Military hospital where he was being held due to "idiocy". Kameda was diagnosed with epileptic dimentia, a mental illness that makes Kameda very childlike.<br /><br />Kameda tells the man, Akama (Toshiro Mifune), that he was facing a firing squad but was released at the last minute when they realised they had the wrong man.<br /><br />Akama says he is returning to claim his dead father's fortune<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span>and marry a women named Taeko Nasu.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-vPbnNJTpbMyzJcKBeYrz3BmwCXmWnKCkEc8s3ndqWW-pVTCgI6jcMmLJ9c730ZKTBk2bwWa5oarrDpD4EWpTRYvXyQYpjEF1ctq2ES3Eea_Vw9kaAaWa4NF62GZMb-ti2sONSJxorA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3072945.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-vPbnNJTpbMyzJcKBeYrz3BmwCXmWnKCkEc8s3ndqWW-pVTCgI6jcMmLJ9c730ZKTBk2bwWa5oarrDpD4EWpTRYvXyQYpjEF1ctq2ES3Eea_Vw9kaAaWa4NF62GZMb-ti2sONSJxorA/s320/vlcsnap-3072945.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351699771160449954" border="0" /></a><span><br />The two men discover that Nasu is actually engaged to a man named Kayama (Minoru Chiaki). At her own birthday party Nasu rejects Kayama after speaking with Kameda.<br /><br />Kameda tells her to come stay with him, but she rejects him as well, fearing she will tarnish his pure soul. Instead, she goes with Akama and dangles the prospect of marriage in front of him, but never actually marries him.<br /><br />After discovering Nasu still has feelings for Kameda, Akama attempts to kill him.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyyDWy080nTVhUT76WsliCa-wbSF794Hek2KV8Ux8j0By5wgUTb5E-VufaazRJ8pd_KWcNnZnDjZELcSvjnJ1ag-I-TTU4h8laSGO3gglFwJo4msTi89dKToHsesdQEHurV7tPaBq4EI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3125834.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyyDWy080nTVhUT76WsliCa-wbSF794Hek2KV8Ux8j0By5wgUTb5E-VufaazRJ8pd_KWcNnZnDjZELcSvjnJ1ag-I-TTU4h8laSGO3gglFwJo4msTi89dKToHsesdQEHurV7tPaBq4EI/s320/vlcsnap-3125834.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351699942770200834" border="0" /></a><span><br />In part two, entitled "Love and Loathing", Kameda begins a relationship with another young girl named Ayako.<br /><br />Before they marry, however, Ayako wants to confront Nasu. The meeting does not go well. Ayako runs away with Kameda in pursuit, and Nasu falls to the floor where she is eventually killed by Akama.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJbHuKlVzJ603vI3FSr_ETprZoaN4RQdoAU4wJEEwj3oQIwEHHRjMhzVzzj75XrgjvvQlwFhlrrPsbgEYVhLw6ZEdsePUkP7FqOHpEe64QwKM31JE0hXX6wsnwnGpP7qZjqnQ-ksRkjY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3157924.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJbHuKlVzJ603vI3FSr_ETprZoaN4RQdoAU4wJEEwj3oQIwEHHRjMhzVzzj75XrgjvvQlwFhlrrPsbgEYVhLw6ZEdsePUkP7FqOHpEe64QwKM31JE0hXX6wsnwnGpP7qZjqnQ-ksRkjY/s320/vlcsnap-3157924.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351700090418878754" border="0" /></a><span><br />Kameda returns to Akama who is now seemingly suffered the same fate as himself.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09eLYpHjXE5Uf8H6FYSAjWVlgKtMmH4PTNKeaW6HmHaLcCq00or6lpPP6uutM2iY7JL-_yiKqezAxMm1JGe5OWC5-UJa1wHDbilPQ8dcy2dRXePtk4KsonqYupYiKD5p1TXg3gOl9ByU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3168746.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09eLYpHjXE5Uf8H6FYSAjWVlgKtMmH4PTNKeaW6HmHaLcCq00or6lpPP6uutM2iY7JL-_yiKqezAxMm1JGe5OWC5-UJa1wHDbilPQ8dcy2dRXePtk4KsonqYupYiKD5p1TXg3gOl9ByU/s320/vlcsnap-3168746.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351700215561800930" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />The winter landscape in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot </span>looks as much like Dostoevsky's Russia as it does Kurosawa's Japan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbLr2AzCTvHPFLqT39YHyYvoWoPW9ENgTwQ1PD2B4TfDBDLtOlDTmg_N9UYZrNhexKHboS8yNZzd4yUgbwzsyF5gpg-S3VAdp5yTU0mvbqtimwYJIY_PbqklQHKxkndfvIt4pbs8UyJw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3076457.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbLr2AzCTvHPFLqT39YHyYvoWoPW9ENgTwQ1PD2B4TfDBDLtOlDTmg_N9UYZrNhexKHboS8yNZzd4yUgbwzsyF5gpg-S3VAdp5yTU0mvbqtimwYJIY_PbqklQHKxkndfvIt4pbs8UyJw/s320/vlcsnap-3076457.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351765346572333858" border="0" /></a><br />Examples of both Russian and other foreign influences can be found throughout the film.<br /><br />The Russian song "Night on Bald Mountain" can be heard during the ice carnival scene, and the famous Norwegian song "In the Hall of the Mountain King" can be heard at another point in the film.<br /><br />Clearly Kurosawa was trying to find a balance between his own country and the country in which the source material was set.<br /><br />It is far more apparent in part one of the film that it was edited by the studio. The plot moves frantically and the editing often seems jumpy and erratic.<br /><br />Part one of the film also contains title cards that essentially tell the story without showing anything. These cards also give some information about the background of the story, specifically about what Dostoevsky wanted to show in the story.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRSMn4003xKHWwXeLMWHIA8Kmrcp4yP0OJrLYj6Hx63RHesBjKIW9mJq5zaD0RlvH73QfenrXfHBTXy7THTwF_XAQpF7dlWAvKfgmMxk4D_y7KYYOjss1MYVqbucKNnpyz0NT1uyzaTI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3071750.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRSMn4003xKHWwXeLMWHIA8Kmrcp4yP0OJrLYj6Hx63RHesBjKIW9mJq5zaD0RlvH73QfenrXfHBTXy7THTwF_XAQpF7dlWAvKfgmMxk4D_y7KYYOjss1MYVqbucKNnpyz0NT1uyzaTI/s320/vlcsnap-3071750.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351765033190736994" border="0" /></a><br />These cards might have been placed simply to give confused audiences a bit of an explanation of the story, or they simply may have served as easy ways to advance the plot and cut time from the finished film.<br /><br />These titles disappear later into the first part and are not present at all during the second part.<br /><br />One of the titles during the first part describes Dostoevsky's intentions for the "idiot" character Kameda.<br /><br />The title card says that Dostoevsky wanted the Kameda character to be a pure soul, so he made him an "idiot".<br /><br />Although Kameda can be quite socially awkward at times, he is hardly incapable of functioning in modern society.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhe9xuvluF9fiWNAoEkstFpf9U1PBhiEu_W3Fei22GPdVO6xEtiRWNvqbBne2sACbfecH-TmCTHEurkKBodAjQioxC38KYRssYk2LBErH5reJI9pWdBwUxv1fXYB229kfnn9exCcBdn8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3077807.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhe9xuvluF9fiWNAoEkstFpf9U1PBhiEu_W3Fei22GPdVO6xEtiRWNvqbBne2sACbfecH-TmCTHEurkKBodAjQioxC38KYRssYk2LBErH5reJI9pWdBwUxv1fXYB229kfnn9exCcBdn8/s320/vlcsnap-3077807.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351765511231384482" border="0" /></a><br />Kameda might be likened to someone from the past coming into the present. While they might be unaware of contemporary society norms and intricacies, they would no doubt still be able function.<br /><br />Throughout the film Kameda is both ridiculed and almost sanctified because of his illness.<br /><br />People often call him an idiot or similar names. They often talk to him as if he were not in the same room. They make fun of him or scold him when he innocently breaks a rule they believe is common knowledge, like when he buys red carnations that, unbeknowst to him, symbolize love.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJw5r-NJ-2yIo4ibQPu3YIK1lbyCo9WoyCp3Xiixs870ceDb1YP6yp4v99ySkJKODG-aLBHtcrUa3S24pS3XZj0jfpG0tf08v69jyxumWAQhELTUH1aZjKZNNAwmgDmcNDhNFab-Tr-c/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3146325.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJw5r-NJ-2yIo4ibQPu3YIK1lbyCo9WoyCp3Xiixs870ceDb1YP6yp4v99ySkJKODG-aLBHtcrUa3S24pS3XZj0jfpG0tf08v69jyxumWAQhELTUH1aZjKZNNAwmgDmcNDhNFab-Tr-c/s320/vlcsnap-3146325.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351765790365987746" border="0" /></a><br />On the other hand he is often praised as well. Akama on several occasions calls him a lamb, and Nasu refuses to marry him because she does not want to tarnish his innocence.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9tjU137nm9rQCtrMo0jonvX2dSmESP_kiZ5-_pEPOfTHumyZUfPVAVwecX5iEHsXDyxGqCf7sBCt-42DVggcFVglCEDPGoIkxLymrLlOv5k1-tc30fU_MayUMTWqDKv4RuMRrRasHAY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3090322.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9tjU137nm9rQCtrMo0jonvX2dSmESP_kiZ5-_pEPOfTHumyZUfPVAVwecX5iEHsXDyxGqCf7sBCt-42DVggcFVglCEDPGoIkxLymrLlOv5k1-tc30fU_MayUMTWqDKv4RuMRrRasHAY/s320/vlcsnap-3090322.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351765991631028594" border="0" /></a><br />Visually <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot </span>contains only a few memorable shots. The first comes when Kameda and Akama first get to Hokkaido. Shot in almost newsreel like fashion and most likely with a long lens, Kurosawa shows us a montage of the snow-covered Japanese city.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj875Okw3AzK9zlQsnLjJ6Se4On-6NvU31tMNzrKDcAvkuVDEEQ3wpEJk-tTKBirhZXzF-7kV6wbJ8BM6BbCUHSAQGIRremctlX4S3WxjAPRXobLFB1R3MnrRuiMqP59lZdGjZVnfaRTwI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3072490.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj875Okw3AzK9zlQsnLjJ6Se4On-6NvU31tMNzrKDcAvkuVDEEQ3wpEJk-tTKBirhZXzF-7kV6wbJ8BM6BbCUHSAQGIRremctlX4S3WxjAPRXobLFB1R3MnrRuiMqP59lZdGjZVnfaRTwI/s320/vlcsnap-3072490.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351764957932961874" border="0" /></a><br />The shots work perfectly to establish the setting and to place the audience in the world of the film.<br /><br />The two other sequences are quite similar. Kurosawa uses several close-up shots to capture the extremely emotional confrontations during two separate parts of the film.<br /><br />The first occurs when Nasu arrives at Kayama's house and meets his family.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCqxcQZICxPSKOKsU0sPFPxyRFCLUnhVA4LEH-gVWLCQ7SUovp6AVhREUnkczdCebPRykYucVofnxd-zaYP6cJXywHmzf9zUaXqJAZC79t1vTTVC8Hwe8nHttwM82vgidw3OwSLUkhFY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3086183.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCqxcQZICxPSKOKsU0sPFPxyRFCLUnhVA4LEH-gVWLCQ7SUovp6AVhREUnkczdCebPRykYucVofnxd-zaYP6cJXywHmzf9zUaXqJAZC79t1vTTVC8Hwe8nHttwM82vgidw3OwSLUkhFY/s320/vlcsnap-3086183.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351766233771623090" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DZkSuQYx2Fi5nuQzfjzYdQeNJsbpDUwIRu7Gv9b8u64nUci12Z6Q0J5uxZK6l7ZDtFwKK9TZTHSLacWditChrDiQb8mns_qPyInM0Dtq3detZdZGKwbNgK1eEHHuAsIs2LmEE7YcZpE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3086071.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DZkSuQYx2Fi5nuQzfjzYdQeNJsbpDUwIRu7Gv9b8u64nUci12Z6Q0J5uxZK6l7ZDtFwKK9TZTHSLacWditChrDiQb8mns_qPyInM0Dtq3detZdZGKwbNgK1eEHHuAsIs2LmEE7YcZpE/s320/vlcsnap-3086071.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351766175226557202" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrPgZg85NrruC2vGcap1Xls3EWD9SG3yiGM4Qw2zbiGEVeHiiHMw4dY3Zy4dZnadyeHe_VmrlZk3GYofCSpDwSOStH6W1GiMfIEOVYYr1wJ30_9PrAwhNl5Fb1z2J3fn9mDBYpW91Oug/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3086063.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrPgZg85NrruC2vGcap1Xls3EWD9SG3yiGM4Qw2zbiGEVeHiiHMw4dY3Zy4dZnadyeHe_VmrlZk3GYofCSpDwSOStH6W1GiMfIEOVYYr1wJ30_9PrAwhNl5Fb1z2J3fn9mDBYpW91Oug/s320/vlcsnap-3086063.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351766123424430498" border="0" /></a><br />The second is when Ayako confronts Nasu. Nasu tells Kameda to choose between them and a standoff begins. The sequence is made that much more powerful by the frighteningly intense expression on Nasu's (Setsuko Hara) face.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnzEi5u3xqxFIXbiRdVFXw5yxa77F9a57t1gdM2CTn10P0xI2CLRPX1e6-MlvQBJPgFuKDH-Iwza1QLOi1XcPQfELP3Mx52VrIeoGkxIQiFYyGfkizm1IriDwV9TiAZerLaHjYHjLVUU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3158294.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnzEi5u3xqxFIXbiRdVFXw5yxa77F9a57t1gdM2CTn10P0xI2CLRPX1e6-MlvQBJPgFuKDH-Iwza1QLOi1XcPQfELP3Mx52VrIeoGkxIQiFYyGfkizm1IriDwV9TiAZerLaHjYHjLVUU/s320/vlcsnap-3158294.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351766523395629378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPjZoF44ihdMR-7YBg_bqBAmzxgjUliKJzYfLdwBGm3rPTpybYEhDeuSP1hI8LvUnb8RRHHn2-LoNIgxQsi285KdcylA2kds2e15cr5ihZPaiC3FGhd4xsJXGOYen0GYRKXur06xTZVw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3158270.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPjZoF44ihdMR-7YBg_bqBAmzxgjUliKJzYfLdwBGm3rPTpybYEhDeuSP1hI8LvUnb8RRHHn2-LoNIgxQsi285KdcylA2kds2e15cr5ihZPaiC3FGhd4xsJXGOYen0GYRKXur06xTZVw/s320/vlcsnap-3158270.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351766467528970258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp7DpBxdXFD5XASyTaRu36u7_o635gXBGdVf9zQDyh5itgm260R17THiMCQkXX4oKis4QAUJLec4L26Z77DSUms07YGule3RGoWKyHYoaMI1O_PVHBg5bjHol5dMao16B3pPCrTlDNu0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3158255.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp7DpBxdXFD5XASyTaRu36u7_o635gXBGdVf9zQDyh5itgm260R17THiMCQkXX4oKis4QAUJLec4L26Z77DSUms07YGule3RGoWKyHYoaMI1O_PVHBg5bjHol5dMao16B3pPCrTlDNu0/s320/vlcsnap-3158255.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351766406208240706" border="0" /></a><br />The film is, in the end, far more character driven than plot driven. Despite the petty romantic quarrels that surround the film, at its core is the story of how one innocent man is corrupted by society.<br /><br />In the end everyone by Kameda seems like the crazy ones. Ayako says it perfectly in her final speech, almost pleading with the audience when she says, "If only we could all love as he did." She then calls herself the idiot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkVhrGqR6CJ-_ANMFazTuIooiUsNtEJNLvDTbbNVDtMTbIN6vayn9v-HAsjRy6NXBxG_Wl6ck9VazfV7zyOWsSgrN7qoa8lp1772U0Awz-AzCqai7Y8wBvv0aMr6ACKhTsbezoR-TK-c/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3173322.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkVhrGqR6CJ-_ANMFazTuIooiUsNtEJNLvDTbbNVDtMTbIN6vayn9v-HAsjRy6NXBxG_Wl6ck9VazfV7zyOWsSgrN7qoa8lp1772U0Awz-AzCqai7Y8wBvv0aMr6ACKhTsbezoR-TK-c/s320/vlcsnap-3173322.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351766816208175218" border="0" /></a><br />The film is one of the darkest for Kurosawa, not only because of its subject matter but also in terms of its photography.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8QTHfN0RIaMy-NingF1x5bm9jtHw3ZDWgiIRDnPShOtqhDhZnlr17QL2PR_wXSVeBMBZnOf0Y9czTaWU4i5tmzhBNm2PmrzqpYG9cOKM15ByvF2TvIupjjqHGqLzsto4UA4S5hqnMwo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3114604.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8QTHfN0RIaMy-NingF1x5bm9jtHw3ZDWgiIRDnPShOtqhDhZnlr17QL2PR_wXSVeBMBZnOf0Y9czTaWU4i5tmzhBNm2PmrzqpYG9cOKM15ByvF2TvIupjjqHGqLzsto4UA4S5hqnMwo/s320/vlcsnap-3114604.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351766939725542690" border="0" /></a><br />Akama's house is incredibly dark, reflecting his personality. Kameda even tells him this when he comes to visit. Kameda frequently calls people out and speaks frankly about them.<br /><br />In Akama he sees darkness; in Nasu he sees a great deal of pain. What he sees in Nasu contributes greatly to Kameda's love for her.<br /><br />Kameda tells Ayako that he often wants to take the place of a person in pain.<br /><br />But by the end it seems that even Nasu is beyond recovery. She drapes herself in black, looking almost like Death himself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYNpuC6VzMMNyoJjGYMeIQiXRcpDbWgsd9ggwCr8WqsYo4gxpEErsxnKsXKXwb8kwmH2-e1v5Cz_t7ZZtQO-53SdFT7OSyhJawpsmv0Rz92EODOuLixwGtceej4wyLYJ0sjlydlG36OA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3153195.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYNpuC6VzMMNyoJjGYMeIQiXRcpDbWgsd9ggwCr8WqsYo4gxpEErsxnKsXKXwb8kwmH2-e1v5Cz_t7ZZtQO-53SdFT7OSyhJawpsmv0Rz92EODOuLixwGtceej4wyLYJ0sjlydlG36OA/s320/vlcsnap-3153195.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351767018950938306" border="0" /></a><br />The subject matter was perfect for a director with the sensibilities of Kurosawa. His humanist attitudes most certainly influenced this film.<br /><br />Throughout his films there seems to be an overwhelming love for those who are rejected or looked down upon in society. As a child Kurosawa himself was thought to be a bit slow.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot </span>these feelings not only manifest themselves in the form of Kameda, but also of Akama's elderly mother. His mother prays quietly and serves the men tea. Not surprisingly, she takes a liking to Kameda. She smiles sweetly, never saying a word, and watches as the men eat the cake offering she has prepared.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuv1isGm92HU1w0fRWxU_pes4uPH-HGRRtK5bxohOXDWqd7iaQso5cvLRZT3DvpIMTxxxWRx_x8ALfL5HK0S5mzjBF4SOCnxEzZ5jPxGsByka7ilYpIn9m-e16rLQjVRndnsKIvOenbGY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3122507.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuv1isGm92HU1w0fRWxU_pes4uPH-HGRRtK5bxohOXDWqd7iaQso5cvLRZT3DvpIMTxxxWRx_x8ALfL5HK0S5mzjBF4SOCnxEzZ5jPxGsByka7ilYpIn9m-e16rLQjVRndnsKIvOenbGY/s320/vlcsnap-3122507.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351768038762021602" border="0" /></a><br />They say Dostoevsky does not translate well to the screen, but if one person could do it, it would and should have been Kurosawa.<br /><br />It is an incredibly powerful film that, like many of Kurosawa's, is very reflective of the present despite its age.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgh35jU5KBaPo05oKf7xmAyEbI02wtmVrcXO6yKlGue3gj6AygYjTWhcdbJyIEoRDkkTffzzrRKhhtAwhotOrEbbyuyLh3Fl_ipNn5OEPJOV9dirRuSBASlLyIEDhyS1GxfYLRcdc93Q/s1600-h/vlcsnap-3147860.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgh35jU5KBaPo05oKf7xmAyEbI02wtmVrcXO6yKlGue3gj6AygYjTWhcdbJyIEoRDkkTffzzrRKhhtAwhotOrEbbyuyLh3Fl_ipNn5OEPJOV9dirRuSBASlLyIEDhyS1GxfYLRcdc93Q/s320/vlcsnap-3147860.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351768335090681810" border="0" /></a><br />It is a shame the original cut of the film is not lost, otherwise what is now considered a lesser masterpiece in the Kurosawa repertoire might have ended up a first-rate masterpiece.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-24092317678594115022009-06-15T20:55:00.000-07:002009-06-20T23:40:36.264-07:00Rashomon (1950)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />After <span style="font-style: italic;">Scandal, </span>Kurosawa was asked by the Japanese studio Daiei to direct a film for them.<br /><br />For this project Kurosawa chose to direct a film based on a short story called "In a Grove" by Ryunosuke Akutogawa.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-Oe3HNSa48GhG_3QFm7meZidIhktDWt0uaHEZFvSvHfeKvZ6QokEfWK9RT5favF2WJRQ7x3tqDFF0lBUrRHHm5EpRauoFz0RC0wILRIt93LDOd7ZQQ5aEzQvj7npHWnr-uLh5jssdfg/s1600-h/rashomon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-Oe3HNSa48GhG_3QFm7meZidIhktDWt0uaHEZFvSvHfeKvZ6QokEfWK9RT5favF2WJRQ7x3tqDFF0lBUrRHHm5EpRauoFz0RC0wILRIt93LDOd7ZQQ5aEzQvj7npHWnr-uLh5jssdfg/s320/rashomon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347780485792174306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br />Kurosawa would write the script for <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>with Hashimoto Shinobu, who had already written a script based on the story. Kurosawa and Shinobu would later collaborate on some of Kurosawa's greatest films including <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Samurai </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Ikiru</span>.<br /><br />Because "In a Grove" was too short to make a feature film out of, Kurosawa turned to another Akutogawa story called "Rashomon".<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>would be the first of two films that Kurosawa would work with one of Japan's most famous and talented cinematographers, Kazuo Miyagawa.<br /><br />It would be another 10 years before they worked on another film together.<br /><br />With Miyagawa at the camera, Kurosawa set out to make a film in the tradition of the silent films of the 20s.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fUyOLbeztrUk1eN4a3mUC4mssYVJUNWdZJZkO0lnhcUTLHGpHm6JWvekGOemakapVHViHQCDaz7gtZsieyg7-gH87XgG-uyhTXwt4O5n3RqKtiQR_4XGzaLJFS8H5Crss9FEymUGkBg/s1600-h/rashomonforwebsite.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fUyOLbeztrUk1eN4a3mUC4mssYVJUNWdZJZkO0lnhcUTLHGpHm6JWvekGOemakapVHViHQCDaz7gtZsieyg7-gH87XgG-uyhTXwt4O5n3RqKtiQR_4XGzaLJFS8H5Crss9FEymUGkBg/s320/rashomonforwebsite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347780710360218514" border="0" /></a><br />Daiei, the company producing the film, was hesitant to allow Kurosawa to film the project, and even more angry when they discovered the cost of the Rashomon gate set.<br /><br />The film, Daiei said, was too confusing.<br /><br />It was not until after the failure of Kurosawa's next film, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Idiot, </span>that <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>received any recognition.<br /><br />Unbeknownst to Kurosawa, a Japanese representative from an Italian film company had submitted <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>to the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.<br /><br />This was the film the put Japanese film on the map. Its impact on both Japanese cinema and cinema as a whole cannot be overstated.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>is set in 11th century Japan during what is known as the Heian period. This era was marked by the rise of the samurai class in Japan as well as the feudal system.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Lqhvpn0NFbG9aDwTcmdf46K3QfbHU7ujJqEF8HQaadenXqclimp-ldxxWuIGqSb2aZQF-oHMtKbubeZdWbI6ZB1ca12AZQ8WsrQxJQKNWsRFc7P-JARqQlvLG3jtQBH6qMaNHtDSOXA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1246773.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Lqhvpn0NFbG9aDwTcmdf46K3QfbHU7ujJqEF8HQaadenXqclimp-ldxxWuIGqSb2aZQF-oHMtKbubeZdWbI6ZB1ca12AZQ8WsrQxJQKNWsRFc7P-JARqQlvLG3jtQBH6qMaNHtDSOXA/s320/vlcsnap-1246773.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348761713143596386" border="0" /></a><br />The story begins at the Rashomon gate. During this period, outside the capital city of Kyoto, four gates surrounded the respective sides of the city. The Rashomon gate was one of these.<br /><br />In order to escape the rain, a man takes refuge under the half-ruined gate where he finds two other men. A priest, played by Minoru Chiaki, and a woodcutter, played by Takashi Shimura.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu916-GZOadJxuZQXGPYv2bAp9sfhEppPx19SOqgUTRlXF_81pkocpVhzhL6DPfY34_YUpkIKCxVHCcj5pbjj9E3DGlehGfRl6MBc4DfTFfPoIm_-0Wt2LnkUPgcwsyWx2ahRg2w-AKDo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1249370.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu916-GZOadJxuZQXGPYv2bAp9sfhEppPx19SOqgUTRlXF_81pkocpVhzhL6DPfY34_YUpkIKCxVHCcj5pbjj9E3DGlehGfRl6MBc4DfTFfPoIm_-0Wt2LnkUPgcwsyWx2ahRg2w-AKDo/s320/vlcsnap-1249370.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348761482804453858" border="0" /></a><br />The two men were returning from testifying at a trial surrounding the death of a samurai.<br /><br />They begin to recount their tale to the third man. The sort of side story of these men is what is known as a frame story. Another well-known example of this would be Forrest Gump recalling his life story at a bus stop.<br /><br />The main story of <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>has to do with the rape of a samurai's wife, and the murder of the samurai that follows.<br /><br />This story is told at the trial by the priest, the bandit Tajomaru, the wife of the samurai, the samurai himself speaking through a medium, and finally the woodcutter.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMUPmLwjWxs4zkOmgyG1DhzaPPib43r4Db2D3vi4Q1qalakV6rW3AK8quTdMUEIpwKUVuc45EHxgVXd9s0tXNF5wEKevzHw8iKRPm12NlxPmrEczq6JjWan1umHU-5vk1xnZrySPgYrI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1254072.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMUPmLwjWxs4zkOmgyG1DhzaPPib43r4Db2D3vi4Q1qalakV6rW3AK8quTdMUEIpwKUVuc45EHxgVXd9s0tXNF5wEKevzHw8iKRPm12NlxPmrEczq6JjWan1umHU-5vk1xnZrySPgYrI/s320/vlcsnap-1254072.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348761942876526978" border="0" /></a><br />Each story has its own unique differences, and in the end we never do find out whose story is true, but that isn't the point.<br /><br />The main point of the story is that human beings have a universal weakness. Everyone lies to make themselves look better. But some, as the film shows, are able to redeem themselves.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />The mood of <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>is set up from the very first frame of the film. It is not established through the use of any dialogue or characters, but by the weather.<br /><br />Kurosawa was a big fan of rain. In fact, when Kurosawa met one of his idols, John Ford, the first thing he said to him was, "You really like rain."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlkZZdyJJuSpdV8D-9-k1iSn3EfDHAB1YohVuwvUL0s1R9g_iro98fsOqsB866-WWP6JysKxgbTGWmVV1V-ziy7fbZqFtkDDxFi1jwkeT8gh5RBfuzPeFtOgak-bZLFf0QuWa2GDNuRQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1248354.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlkZZdyJJuSpdV8D-9-k1iSn3EfDHAB1YohVuwvUL0s1R9g_iro98fsOqsB866-WWP6JysKxgbTGWmVV1V-ziy7fbZqFtkDDxFi1jwkeT8gh5RBfuzPeFtOgak-bZLFf0QuWa2GDNuRQ/s320/vlcsnap-1248354.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348761429428937842" border="0" /></a><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon</span>, the bleak mood of the majority of the film is established right away. At the end of the film, when the priest's faith in humanity is restored, the rain stops, the somber tone gives way to uplifting hope.<br /><br />Throughout the film, Kurosawa invites the audience to make their own assertions as to what is true and what is not about the story. In all his films, Kurosawa has said, he wants the audience to create their own idea about the meaning of a film. Not one interpretation is correct, he felt.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqITWx37RLZH5vcR4a85CeUc0GzlY2vMkOKWQkb1alr9BDKZ2VuSNSJyR-8SgKXFNkMhCD1Tm44lmjJIIRLSg2rwH-1tjTdDQMLQSXt_bkPQgo6aQqF3R8Ir0I_GSZDxSwnmblTJJO10/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1253544.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqITWx37RLZH5vcR4a85CeUc0GzlY2vMkOKWQkb1alr9BDKZ2VuSNSJyR-8SgKXFNkMhCD1Tm44lmjJIIRLSg2rwH-1tjTdDQMLQSXt_bkPQgo6aQqF3R8Ir0I_GSZDxSwnmblTJJO10/s320/vlcsnap-1253544.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348762222397757954" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa places the audience in this position using a relatively simple technique. During the scenes at the trial, where the witnesses describe their versions of the events through flashbacks, Kurosawa places the camera directly in front of them, right where the magistrate would be sitting.<br /><br />He is, in effect, placing the audience in the role of the judge.<br /><br />Although Kurosawa pointed the camera at the sun once before in <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>cinematographer Kazou Miyagawa is credited with the "first" use of the technique that was considered taboo at the time. It's effect in <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>is far more important as well.<br /><br />During the infamous scene, the woodcutter is walking through the woods. The sun is barely visible through the dense trees.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gjDu7xQHohC4SWZNTngQG2xM29m1d5boQErc5U9Bv0Rp4rvRf-gGJRmNp24rGEXK9P5TpHGjKNcCeRWjxg-ubWW3xi5SxJ498r6N_LGydvznsMPSig_EaxXva_ObNmjLYAxQr9EBmXw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1251245.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gjDu7xQHohC4SWZNTngQG2xM29m1d5boQErc5U9Bv0Rp4rvRf-gGJRmNp24rGEXK9P5TpHGjKNcCeRWjxg-ubWW3xi5SxJ498r6N_LGydvznsMPSig_EaxXva_ObNmjLYAxQr9EBmXw/s320/vlcsnap-1251245.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348762331563081170" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa wanted this entrance into the woods to be a metaphor for the human soul, where nothing is for certain. People can easily lose themselves in a forest, and just as easily within their own souls.<br /><br />Kurosawa's play of light and shadow throughout the film supports this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUx13NpxlHIdZlj_Cxl7F35OMNkOgJFBScngIPm86EqqlhAEiET28XoqhPrRQ2npuRMTDugHaN0MDfKmcTdaYPyxSNNDt8a7Rvd2VE6D4KbPvll0JKgtVeE2ENgoJn8GfWypvyyaLO5g/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1257933.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKUx13NpxlHIdZlj_Cxl7F35OMNkOgJFBScngIPm86EqqlhAEiET28XoqhPrRQ2npuRMTDugHaN0MDfKmcTdaYPyxSNNDt8a7Rvd2VE6D4KbPvll0JKgtVeE2ENgoJn8GfWypvyyaLO5g/s320/vlcsnap-1257933.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348762507484876066" border="0" /></a><br />Director Robert Altman describes it well in an interview he did about <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon</span> when he says that as moviegoers, we take what we see on screen to be truth, but because the story of <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>is told over and over again in different ways, we never know what to take as truth.<br /><br />Because the main theme of the film is that every human being will embellish to make themselves look better, each character that recounts their story tells a slightly different version of the event, beginning with the notorious bandit Tajomaru (played brilliantly by Toshiro Mifune).<br /><br />Tajomaru at times seems more like a wild animal than a human being. He hunches down like an animal, scratches like dog, hisses like an snake, and laughs like a hyena. This portrayal was thanks to Kurosawa who, after seeing a film with a lion, told Mifune he wanted him to act like the lion.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VleXhDbXS76S7O0A-ly8wMev0RjNV3w-zkleFCUCFIfKaDTx1k4LRYQQ6N2n_gMnNZmL2rEwEbtxfzHDU6SEconOtK-ihfGXoqKhZX6LmcxmGBpiJpRC_8cN9MB-nA2YBYOBTM7ATiY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1256630.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VleXhDbXS76S7O0A-ly8wMev0RjNV3w-zkleFCUCFIfKaDTx1k4LRYQQ6N2n_gMnNZmL2rEwEbtxfzHDU6SEconOtK-ihfGXoqKhZX6LmcxmGBpiJpRC_8cN9MB-nA2YBYOBTM7ATiY/s320/vlcsnap-1256630.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348762645005780514" border="0" /></a><br />In Tajomaru's story, he portrays himself as a fearless warrior, a cunning trickster, and a lover that can make a married woman melt into his arms even though he is raping her.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7EpHFidywShTXlXamQQaHCEX4jGCkMdg_xpjD2rsy37OPfvMQS1sQgLzda2raQh3L7eDg_6b6btiAFeAD6RBZ3nKMGC79LhG1RXXyvSFCVJEtxHWMW8EJv8RsZnC6Csqcbbdez_kOHw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1265214.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7EpHFidywShTXlXamQQaHCEX4jGCkMdg_xpjD2rsy37OPfvMQS1sQgLzda2raQh3L7eDg_6b6btiAFeAD6RBZ3nKMGC79LhG1RXXyvSFCVJEtxHWMW8EJv8RsZnC6Csqcbbdez_kOHw/s320/vlcsnap-1265214.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348762766121454162" border="0" /></a><br />The fight that ensues between Tajomaru and the samurai is told in favor of Tajomaru as well. Tajomaru constantly taunts the samurai, who appears weaker and less skilled than he.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_Qix3RtGcWqQvrmGtSEm-lR6uD6A9AJDixG2H7pSP5VnHek3zQJm-mTPaC7kODcL0khE2VVB3dYDBaJv15SJUaouIC18brPgeyJUxgCVO8pb_FrIo_Xrx9Aed__3REkgNlVr_xbVcP4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1267173.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_Qix3RtGcWqQvrmGtSEm-lR6uD6A9AJDixG2H7pSP5VnHek3zQJm-mTPaC7kODcL0khE2VVB3dYDBaJv15SJUaouIC18brPgeyJUxgCVO8pb_FrIo_Xrx9Aed__3REkgNlVr_xbVcP4/s320/vlcsnap-1267173.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348762880139557698" border="0" /></a><br />At the trial, Tajomaru again talks himself up, claiming that no man had ever crossed blades with him so many times.<br /><br />In a shot that echoes the westerns of John Ford, Tajomaru is seen in silhouette from a distance, fleeing victorious from the crime he has committed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSbdXNf1elpIEzi9a2AhPw3OtkGSTLhtXNDh73EGdNtc_Nu8aSsW0g94-lE-sPJvXznU95V2LkqliyfHpWYTThqBwkGfnk9OrunlKIyUDv-jKjCH0HC1lqmuv4NWN7rtlF5eWzZ8TlpA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1256119.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSbdXNf1elpIEzi9a2AhPw3OtkGSTLhtXNDh73EGdNtc_Nu8aSsW0g94-lE-sPJvXznU95V2LkqliyfHpWYTThqBwkGfnk9OrunlKIyUDv-jKjCH0HC1lqmuv4NWN7rtlF5eWzZ8TlpA/s320/vlcsnap-1256119.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348762991427526914" border="0" /></a><br />At the trial he claims that he was captured not because he was overpowered by another individual, but because he drank some bad water and became sick.<br /><br />The next story is told by the samurai's wife. In her version, her guilt about what had happened shows. She begs her husband not to look at her the way he does, and to kill her for what she's done.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHYP2M2wwXa1vvlNm7XKCP7KimvGTSk_TdawQZYxNXZOO7X5ri8q1LV2FqRbwCNZMsVg_7atGx50j9pT-Sff0FXxJ2aOX3ouTtefgzWoXJZC-kjHqAui15aC4MsGk6bHHWPIwFqUAv5Q/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1271963.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHYP2M2wwXa1vvlNm7XKCP7KimvGTSk_TdawQZYxNXZOO7X5ri8q1LV2FqRbwCNZMsVg_7atGx50j9pT-Sff0FXxJ2aOX3ouTtefgzWoXJZC-kjHqAui15aC4MsGk6bHHWPIwFqUAv5Q/s320/vlcsnap-1271963.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348763409463529938" border="0" /></a><br />In the end she says she fainted, and when she came to her husband was dead.<br /><br />Next is the story told by the medium in an incredibly intense scene at the courtyard trial. With the wind howling, the medium recounts the samurai's tragic tale, as told by him from beyond the grave.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OZiQ76tDer3f-kw8ZGqMB-nz2CFeqhKx3rjN7iaZkiPUHPKv8-4MrENSIFsN7NBAUuTHAz7dERZGcpwU-jdYOtPI70eB9Uh3DdXgrmJg64-8wT80u4JL2Rx2fiIq-lxm-ump6KallFE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1277293.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OZiQ76tDer3f-kw8ZGqMB-nz2CFeqhKx3rjN7iaZkiPUHPKv8-4MrENSIFsN7NBAUuTHAz7dERZGcpwU-jdYOtPI70eB9Uh3DdXgrmJg64-8wT80u4JL2Rx2fiIq-lxm-ump6KallFE/s320/vlcsnap-1277293.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348763541214755874" border="0" /></a><br />The samurai, it seems, is incredibly ashamed of his wife for what happened. He claims that his wife pleaded with Tajomaru to kill him, but Tajomaru turns on her and asks the samurai what he should do with her.<br /><br />After his wife escapes, Tajomaru returns empty handed and cuts the samurai loose. Because of what has just happened, he does what any honorable samurai would do, he kills himself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4Ru2Q01rfCFZvaWfFpc5RUfoUxS7YSNcr3YfDLxmlG3E-RR9Jq5cKQzSa7bA1akGmzXpOFIBofJrY3FOkZpuDVyl7kd9VuVvvQEMumXrqNTM3X_3KbauoZiSFTC9xtyDIn5KZwsPz-A/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1282250.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4Ru2Q01rfCFZvaWfFpc5RUfoUxS7YSNcr3YfDLxmlG3E-RR9Jq5cKQzSa7bA1akGmzXpOFIBofJrY3FOkZpuDVyl7kd9VuVvvQEMumXrqNTM3X_3KbauoZiSFTC9xtyDIn5KZwsPz-A/s320/vlcsnap-1282250.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348763689412671650" border="0" /></a><br />The final story is told by the woodcutter, who previously said he merely happened to come across the samurai's dead body. It turns out he was there all along.<br /><br />In his story, the two men fight each other, but both are portrayed as weak and cowardly. They constantly trip and fall and flail about as they attempt to kill one another.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKZwm4W_xhmkBRBMoR0y9jytigM8fqyoG8gJwQDLdCVQc6wGY68dWPKbr4zRyTeKW-wTQbNmU0G-1UHX1eVMjPGhRwj1fsMtvDBQRFU31RfPatsrLJJvJLYABvIMatwy1RUoQAHHxxZM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1290173.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKZwm4W_xhmkBRBMoR0y9jytigM8fqyoG8gJwQDLdCVQc6wGY68dWPKbr4zRyTeKW-wTQbNmU0G-1UHX1eVMjPGhRwj1fsMtvDBQRFU31RfPatsrLJJvJLYABvIMatwy1RUoQAHHxxZM/s320/vlcsnap-1290173.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348763944820036786" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, when it seems that all faith in the human soul is lost, an abandoned baby is found in the back of the gate.<br /><br />After the man who came to the gate at the beginning of the film leaves after rightly accusing the woodcutter of stealing a valuable dagger from the scene of the crime, the priest and the woodcutter are left in silence.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6AQeBWfn_S-s4Y4h9lRcs5GuIOWKySzB_ZNif-0lC7IZIrbs8PRJyKblko39QCaod30gp0_UjR-pdM8uy3co2Zp0BoZoM4pA7i9kPJYEAVjGku8dyrHP0wHuaePlCa5EjKJocquBr5I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1295212.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6AQeBWfn_S-s4Y4h9lRcs5GuIOWKySzB_ZNif-0lC7IZIrbs8PRJyKblko39QCaod30gp0_UjR-pdM8uy3co2Zp0BoZoM4pA7i9kPJYEAVjGku8dyrHP0wHuaePlCa5EjKJocquBr5I/s320/vlcsnap-1295212.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348765051413645154" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa uses several fades that signify the passage of time. After the final fade it is clear the men have spent a considerably amount of time in silence.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmi-4mNMc_bnxZ98KF5YByX48s0YII6V-zlVfhKZJksbsaUEZD3A2YQglVGG_z1aYZBo20YjroPKdj751uXhtJTJBJA2jMSXaSB84G-uB-6oj8k-YYHyyATDjOfqooYQ0vIv3UNtyxFQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1297096.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmi-4mNMc_bnxZ98KF5YByX48s0YII6V-zlVfhKZJksbsaUEZD3A2YQglVGG_z1aYZBo20YjroPKdj751uXhtJTJBJA2jMSXaSB84G-uB-6oj8k-YYHyyATDjOfqooYQ0vIv3UNtyxFQ/s320/vlcsnap-1297096.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348764688304847250" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, the woodcutter, seeking to redeem himself, decides to take the baby, restoring the priests faith in the human soul.<br /><br />Kurosawa ends the picture with a glimmer of optimism. Man can redeem himself after all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJ-6rHhyphenhyphenkMNiybx1C3gXcWOE0TwOYz4YCMnqFPa8Ys-atdRYw9L07Db26RKZWdNvGXwvWBnSky17A64joe5Wd58KsPYFXKE3V4DQbKmqgomBx1-7gOW33nEIH07NkVGN6NLxxLI5GzZU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1299093.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJ-6rHhyphenhyphenkMNiybx1C3gXcWOE0TwOYz4YCMnqFPa8Ys-atdRYw9L07Db26RKZWdNvGXwvWBnSky17A64joe5Wd58KsPYFXKE3V4DQbKmqgomBx1-7gOW33nEIH07NkVGN6NLxxLI5GzZU/s320/vlcsnap-1299093.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348765171198973090" border="0" /></a><br />Even though it is a period picture, the theme of <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>is universal. Many of Kurosawa's period films take on this same quality.<br /><br />This would be the film that would start Kurosawa's increasing interest in the individual, and the intricacies of the human soul.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-60662031248396997352009-06-09T21:25:00.001-07:002009-06-12T00:26:26.589-07:00Scandal (1950)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />Kurosawa was one film away from his breakthrough, <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon. </span>Before he would tackle his first period (<span style="font-style: italic;">jidai geki</span>) picture since 1945's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Men Who Tread on Tiger's Tail</span>, Kurosawa had one more bone to pick with post-war Japanese society.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKadc6fX-qIy-xo1Bof41JSX0FYVPfxkKYeDbtyR7xkvUQaMJo5K0jzugoJETa8aSznNlqnJPILgn8suiCPEB_wiCPHL2FlrLaS5rU-WX-O1x0Ke69h83ln74hA1HxuuDcW_fUaJ6UMh4/s1600-h/2000703_box_348x490.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKadc6fX-qIy-xo1Bof41JSX0FYVPfxkKYeDbtyR7xkvUQaMJo5K0jzugoJETa8aSznNlqnJPILgn8suiCPEB_wiCPHL2FlrLaS5rU-WX-O1x0Ke69h83ln74hA1HxuuDcW_fUaJ6UMh4/s320/2000703_box_348x490.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344796106042152770" border="0" /></a><br />Frustrated with what he saw as the abuse of the expanded freedom of the press in Japan after World War II, Kurosawa sought to make a film that would expose the new tabloid culture for the evil that it was.<br /><br />That film was <span style="font-style: italic;">Scandal.</span><br /><br />In his autobiography, Kurosawa admits that the film was a failure and that it did not achieve the affect that he wanted. He went on to say that he would like to make another picture on the topic.<br />Kurosawa would pass away before being able to fulfill that wish.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Scandal </span>begins with artist Ichiro Aoe, played by Toshiro Mifune, riding his motorcycle through the hills of rural Japan. As he begins to paint in front of an audience of elderly rural Japanese men, a woman comes walking down the road.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOyN7V2kDdlgdOqk-p5ah67qOo2BppnkP7mdWwUSWqKQ07NW-Ht4zmaS30ajSDf2j1IY_6ZW74s8IW4H_V0lt8Bi5XPfvr5DuOBuCnAjnm94ZhG5jhD2Z4WG4MTkZO3Wm6B7R1NRSkK0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1664346.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOyN7V2kDdlgdOqk-p5ah67qOo2BppnkP7mdWwUSWqKQ07NW-Ht4zmaS30ajSDf2j1IY_6ZW74s8IW4H_V0lt8Bi5XPfvr5DuOBuCnAjnm94ZhG5jhD2Z4WG4MTkZO3Wm6B7R1NRSkK0/s320/vlcsnap-1664346.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345812869846704162" border="0" /></a><br />Aoe offers the woman a ride to the town where they both are staying. When they arrive he learns that the woman is actually a well-known singer named Miyako Saigo, played by Yoshiko Yamaguchi.<br /><br />After an innocent picture is taken of them by a gossip magazine photographer, they are thrust into the spotlight while the magazine begins to make outrageous claims.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpR8zZ9mTkQog3Ze8yJ02KvT-5a51zK_Ku1-Y_GYkAidVJpIbnyAI6N3WFPy8iaEbIZr9QvWm4OcUexgHFUTcoGN_njruIrVsGRF_A7rQl0rdKjBJRWG6_7qfFPYU4CMo0ohQGF5iBwFM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1668864.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpR8zZ9mTkQog3Ze8yJ02KvT-5a51zK_Ku1-Y_GYkAidVJpIbnyAI6N3WFPy8iaEbIZr9QvWm4OcUexgHFUTcoGN_njruIrVsGRF_A7rQl0rdKjBJRWG6_7qfFPYU4CMo0ohQGF5iBwFM/s320/vlcsnap-1668864.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345812943487245010" border="0" /></a><br />While Saigo is content to let things blow over, Aoe believes fighting is the right thing to do.<br /><br />After a lawyer named Hiruta comes to Aoe's house to offer his assistance, Aoe hires him as his lawyer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEklV37QvLYxLKMP9CSBSGBxdnwzY1ySQi1M2PzuvcNT-7PWP8HVLwRbUpNA4TKasgvWlPFGPnMrTVypocXW9AKQBiboUEqi7ykL1F3AfUwdAX5sMT-WwLX_we3f2KVSaSFJP72hLg8t4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1678858.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEklV37QvLYxLKMP9CSBSGBxdnwzY1ySQi1M2PzuvcNT-7PWP8HVLwRbUpNA4TKasgvWlPFGPnMrTVypocXW9AKQBiboUEqi7ykL1F3AfUwdAX5sMT-WwLX_we3f2KVSaSFJP72hLg8t4/s320/vlcsnap-1678858.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345813295923194994" border="0" /></a><br />Hiruta, seeking to provide for his bedridden daughter, sells out Aoe and begins to play both sides.<br /><br />In the end Hiruta must decide between what is right and what is wrong. Hiruta, as well as others in the film, must decide between complacency and action.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br />Kurosawa is definitely making a statement about Japanese society in this film. But beyond that, he makes a statement about human nature in general (a topic he would come back to more frequently in later films).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnbjT23fGqK6dF0qYaoRGOgvyv1yTHkYxxE2_N7cM7S17HMsIi_fmWWZx2_LglGOJirdu62ndev0fHlXXMiWC6iJ2BM8n7gu87QcmY1ISo7sRPo9XCcCiiw8mOIgRgsYZeBNLzESPlPE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1669002.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnbjT23fGqK6dF0qYaoRGOgvyv1yTHkYxxE2_N7cM7S17HMsIi_fmWWZx2_LglGOJirdu62ndev0fHlXXMiWC6iJ2BM8n7gu87QcmY1ISo7sRPo9XCcCiiw8mOIgRgsYZeBNLzESPlPE/s320/vlcsnap-1669002.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345813630035277778" border="0" /></a><br />The themes of this film echo even in our society today. In Kurosawa's society during the time this film was made, and ours today, the public is more concerned with what is going on in gossip magazines (whether it's true or not) than with what is really going on in the world.<br /><br />"Once it's in print everyone believes it," says the publisher of the evil magazine <span style="font-style: italic;">Amour </span>in <span style="font-style: italic;">Scandal</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19VKlYfg72zvlbwPd75NfMJPe7M0c34uFKLwX3Io410dLBU7b25iDen8CdCn-YSkZ8c2hXUISK_hKwA3tyVRlPFz9IHKIcDzYK50KLLBSDd9On1NHx_BibYND2ue7R9TAgv7-ig-y1Ng/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1670196.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19VKlYfg72zvlbwPd75NfMJPe7M0c34uFKLwX3Io410dLBU7b25iDen8CdCn-YSkZ8c2hXUISK_hKwA3tyVRlPFz9IHKIcDzYK50KLLBSDd9On1NHx_BibYND2ue7R9TAgv7-ig-y1Ng/s320/vlcsnap-1670196.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345813807541476450" border="0" /></a><br />The publisher goes on to talk about how complacent famous people are, which is why Kurosawa provides a more common man to take on the rotten magazine.<br /><br />Aoe, who acts as Kurosawa's ideal Japanese citizen, stands up for his rights in the film. Kurosawa puts Aoe on a pedestal to make him a symbol of how he believes a true citizen should act.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHd83wDzh6wShEpHDoZML7g186rrr9OoRigaqrUdgs2ydibsTzWL8-2gb7TQ58ScZQUXzW3VBuDVPearIwlkGkGhKTr0_Ig-eF3Tf6z742l-BLJGCY2CVGkMDT9Zt7WraN64NuD2zOvUg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1674911.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHd83wDzh6wShEpHDoZML7g186rrr9OoRigaqrUdgs2ydibsTzWL8-2gb7TQ58ScZQUXzW3VBuDVPearIwlkGkGhKTr0_Ig-eF3Tf6z742l-BLJGCY2CVGkMDT9Zt7WraN64NuD2zOvUg/s320/vlcsnap-1674911.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345813960820202050" border="0" /></a><br />"We live in a modern nation with modern institutions," Aoe says. Here Kurosawa shows the hypocrisy of a nation that abuses its freedoms.<br /><br />The lawyer Hiruta, played by Takashi Shimura, echoes these sentiments when he tells Aoe that, "before we could distinguish between right and wrong and now we don't have any idea."<br /><br />Hiruta is a hypocrite himself, as he begins to play both sides of the case. He shows us that even the people who think they believe in justice, and who believe they are just themselves, can be corrupted.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1LlLwxFUwMV5uSONFuPKMVocBzCrJaQw8JkF4c-iLCeE_kMDd_nHZe1RepCcKDZ4ijL71OC1Egl4KLDweJEhhyphenhyphenUrZc0-SxXQMPY1de8-7IH1dJHxK_WFxkRI3UfsAbW8sIM05wTu7BQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1698425.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1LlLwxFUwMV5uSONFuPKMVocBzCrJaQw8JkF4c-iLCeE_kMDd_nHZe1RepCcKDZ4ijL71OC1Egl4KLDweJEhhyphenhyphenUrZc0-SxXQMPY1de8-7IH1dJHxK_WFxkRI3UfsAbW8sIM05wTu7BQ/s320/vlcsnap-1698425.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345813151766386770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoLJ-w_tio34LtoLwBbDLvVgrWeDloEA29hgsxz5qsH3S3vAGAmr-HQmXfQnf6Ty2BolYpTx_3bnE2PJrhI61-rCWlZXA2ha1A6IrZgJTxuLisHzSOV0CvlfTY8UisearZ5unSsiPlHM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1698599.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoLJ-w_tio34LtoLwBbDLvVgrWeDloEA29hgsxz5qsH3S3vAGAmr-HQmXfQnf6Ty2BolYpTx_3bnE2PJrhI61-rCWlZXA2ha1A6IrZgJTxuLisHzSOV0CvlfTY8UisearZ5unSsiPlHM/s320/vlcsnap-1698599.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345814126381539954" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa adds the perfect character to personify innocence. Hiruta's daughter Masako, confined to her bed for the last five years due to tuberculosis, does not experience what it is like in modern society.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dGuUGg2Ty9C16WaWExwMcc6koKKn9cQMl77_IYV7Bs7V2eA_AlqZ4YCbdAwrDBFzodrHlM-GA7h8zvYtPcP1dLuoo_WxfIdmQ1SA6opuWaabYO6EG_WpIS82Q3tEvI81bID6k-6P0F4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1684764.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dGuUGg2Ty9C16WaWExwMcc6koKKn9cQMl77_IYV7Bs7V2eA_AlqZ4YCbdAwrDBFzodrHlM-GA7h8zvYtPcP1dLuoo_WxfIdmQ1SA6opuWaabYO6EG_WpIS82Q3tEvI81bID6k-6P0F4/s320/vlcsnap-1684764.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345814459190871138" border="0" /></a><br />Masako enjoys simple things and is "pure" according to Aoe.<br /><br />Kurosawa provides a ray of hope near the end of the film in the form of two sequences.<br /><br />The first is during a scene with Hiruta and Aoe at a bar on Christmas. Hiruta, disgusted with himself over what he's done and how he doesn't deserve such a good daughter, attempts to drink his problems away.<br /><br />Another drunk then stands up and begins to talk about the coming new year, and how everything will change for him when it comes.<br /><br />Hiruta, energized by the man's speech, stands up and tells the man that he too will be a different man come the new year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFTUtrgkPp181wOtJwNpJiLEHViFxk2b6eA5tNsXNBv7V3sF-UYNd-bjQlzcAjO1rZlDMxSzhaXKttwVRRDD8fXEHQ3mtMbndqiRJMIBkCrqcx2VQWXDkXlqRAsCnFc8MwwqqlmO8bCc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1714461.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFTUtrgkPp181wOtJwNpJiLEHViFxk2b6eA5tNsXNBv7V3sF-UYNd-bjQlzcAjO1rZlDMxSzhaXKttwVRRDD8fXEHQ3mtMbndqiRJMIBkCrqcx2VQWXDkXlqRAsCnFc8MwwqqlmO8bCc/s320/vlcsnap-1714461.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345814792454122466" border="0" /></a><br />During a rousing (and somewhat drunken) rendition of "Auld Lang Syne" sung in Japanese, Kurosawa cuts to a number of singers who represent all the Japanese who wish to start anew come the new year.<br /><br />The second scene comes immediately after this, when Aoe is bringing Hiruta home. Staring down at the reflection in the pond near Hiruta's home, Aoe tells him that stars have fallen into the pond.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwRTCcQ_r98IhvXR2SFZVds0_oBRE3fBO__Mkp66K_Xk1FHMqP43C4FPHvWgbshebfb21aDNcIjsCpzPu2OB0bfKNu29huuo2lh38PmdhmaRGa_ma34y70dHm5RNIqbn3S9USahJsNOE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1715845.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwRTCcQ_r98IhvXR2SFZVds0_oBRE3fBO__Mkp66K_Xk1FHMqP43C4FPHvWgbshebfb21aDNcIjsCpzPu2OB0bfKNu29huuo2lh38PmdhmaRGa_ma34y70dHm5RNIqbn3S9USahJsNOE/s320/vlcsnap-1715845.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345814963469526882" border="0" /></a><br />Aoe describes to Hiruta how his daughter is one of these stars. Kurosawa shows us that even in a filthy world, hope rests in those few stars that have fallen.<br /><br />Kurosawa makes other, more subtle comments on what he must have felt as problems with society.<br /><br />The courtroom during the trial is filled with cameras and lights. Japanese society at the time had made a mockery of the judicial system.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqWTOuCi3UeYSIsho8j26EufduHuvEXymXXua3nn94VkvuH1bA24asz0Wdt4i6Sv9ys28qv-CJYlnyRyHVJSLwR5GTkcSFCRN2zKjsJ9WcOZiR3gFGI61uXrG2T1jMnVoq_Vd5YB_RI4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1716798.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqWTOuCi3UeYSIsho8j26EufduHuvEXymXXua3nn94VkvuH1bA24asz0Wdt4i6Sv9ys28qv-CJYlnyRyHVJSLwR5GTkcSFCRN2zKjsJ9WcOZiR3gFGI61uXrG2T1jMnVoq_Vd5YB_RI4/s320/vlcsnap-1716798.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345815075689712002" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa clearly has no sympathy for the tabloid press. The first time we see a shot of them in their workplace, they are shot almost in complete darkness, hunched over the photo of Aoe and Miyako, plotting their plan to exploit the two.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA18syMN87k_vV3WKIahSmVlObmueP_oLcVqQEtAPnglUKYk4p8a3kc7Flf58jp8Gwv0mC3d5Oy5N6gcrL5XSRryE4vk2zCYXd5tCVUasujmCXHoiSL6fvd5mh8lJQKENvWCAEUtqdn9I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1669470.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA18syMN87k_vV3WKIahSmVlObmueP_oLcVqQEtAPnglUKYk4p8a3kc7Flf58jp8Gwv0mC3d5Oy5N6gcrL5XSRryE4vk2zCYXd5tCVUasujmCXHoiSL6fvd5mh8lJQKENvWCAEUtqdn9I/s320/vlcsnap-1669470.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345815192716334866" border="0" /></a><br />There also seems to be a soft spot in Kurosawa's heart for traditional Japanese people. The simpletons at the beginning are portrayed as almost childlike. This portrayal is cemented when they are called to trial and laughed at because they don't know what an oath is and they often speak to each other when one is called to the stand.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKwip1mdhfJJrNjGSiRucADXruKcvMawkYuLuR5DRPHVsZBKsNTjeL5pKNJ7kcoBDt1qOLCwux8pDR_w-e5bG7VEcK8ItWAKSDt6cb70v_v8h5xQDiZW8wrkWc35GNIaIzW4If4zNRHU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1721084.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKwip1mdhfJJrNjGSiRucADXruKcvMawkYuLuR5DRPHVsZBKsNTjeL5pKNJ7kcoBDt1qOLCwux8pDR_w-e5bG7VEcK8ItWAKSDt6cb70v_v8h5xQDiZW8wrkWc35GNIaIzW4If4zNRHU/s320/vlcsnap-1721084.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345815327447444178" border="0" /></a><br />The countryside in the film is also portrayed in a far better light than the city, which has wall to wall posters and signs with gossip on them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW3OmDLID4hOMjzIx_w7PZRLsAKpsu5nmLzVv5Ih3BSvZqmDPRzOHQWB8E98Fzr6FIOAtgBBQ2MG-HsfoO909sDVd6KaCzfrE-PuQlKxu2990TOBswkEOChzryfybZTCRuFDBVG2Fegc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1664841.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW3OmDLID4hOMjzIx_w7PZRLsAKpsu5nmLzVv5Ih3BSvZqmDPRzOHQWB8E98Fzr6FIOAtgBBQ2MG-HsfoO909sDVd6KaCzfrE-PuQlKxu2990TOBswkEOChzryfybZTCRuFDBVG2Fegc/s320/vlcsnap-1664841.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345815440005950770" border="0" /></a><br />Like many Kurosawa films, especially those before <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>when the humanist element was not so strong, the issue presented in the first act of the film loses a lot of steam and is almost forgotten by the third act.<br /><br />Instead, because Kurosawa presents his characters so well, the film is taken over by them. <span style="font-style: italic;">Scandal </span>may have failed as a social comment by Kurosawa, but the film nonetheless is an interesting character study, but will pale in comparison to his next film, <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon</span>.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-51131342427540285882009-06-01T22:17:00.000-07:002009-06-09T21:19:58.304-07:00Stray Dog (1949)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />Akira Kurosawa became world famous for introducing Japanese film to a worldwide audience, but his domestic achievements often go unnoticed.<br /><br />Kurosawa was often called the most Western of the Japanese directors of his day (a title he frequently disagreed with).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog</span> might have been used as direct evidence of Kurosawa's Western influences, as it helped introduce Japan to themes already explored for many years in Western cinema.<br /><br />The film created the police drama film in Japan as well as the suspense film. <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog</span> might also be considered a cousin to the American noir films of the 40s and 50s.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwgRsxtnDkOPlB8KFQMXlWzWaBHcvgpR3QY-X6KCmkPMd1fJ1nf6TMPK2Fs-E7EN4Msn-z1sWE2l4qGHhWqd4t-ngoKIL5YOakJxLHGRlqrDtfqOzS3G4EFatNhEy0EgHjtdF8gMfY9g/s1600-h/straydog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwgRsxtnDkOPlB8KFQMXlWzWaBHcvgpR3QY-X6KCmkPMd1fJ1nf6TMPK2Fs-E7EN4Msn-z1sWE2l4qGHhWqd4t-ngoKIL5YOakJxLHGRlqrDtfqOzS3G4EFatNhEy0EgHjtdF8gMfY9g/s320/straydog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342598768634168658" border="0" /></a><br />Although significantly less dark than traditional film noir, the film's detective story, mixed with classic voice-over narration from the main character, show that Kurosawa was definitely influenced by noir.<br /><br />Noir would continue to influence several of Kurosawa's films in the future.<br /><br />The film's script is also unique among Kurosawa films, as it was the only one that Kurosawa would first write as a novel and then adapt to a screenplay.<br /><br />Kurosawa was very much influenced by the detective stories of Georges Simenon. He wrote the script to match the style of Simenon's novels.<br /><br />Because of a third strike at Toho, Kurosawa sought out Shin Toho to produce the film.<br /><br />Much of the film showcases real Japanese black market locations. The footage from these black markets would be provided by the second unit crew led by Kurosawa's longtime friend Ishiro Honda, a director who would go on to make the original <span style="font-style: italic;">Godzilla</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br />Prior to the film Kurosawa made immediately before <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog, The Quiet Duel,</span> in which Toshiro Mifune played a doctor, he had been type-cast as a gangster.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog, </span>Kurosawa would place Mifune on the other side of the law.<br /><br />Mifune plays Murakami, a rookie police detective who has his gun stolen on a scorching summer day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNh6Fpc6XsRP1VThBAuxnbMeAH6AK2tdHOP26seP9cFzv0Nwy24Esq8LC55-6NqhzhjPbRX7qsbhqj-p6tZaGn6A5ehBJ8i6Bz5B_dE15LJ7LBkjyIumqe8n4s0W05m1gOZ-ZtlBnaek/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2089198.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNh6Fpc6XsRP1VThBAuxnbMeAH6AK2tdHOP26seP9cFzv0Nwy24Esq8LC55-6NqhzhjPbRX7qsbhqj-p6tZaGn6A5ehBJ8i6Bz5B_dE15LJ7LBkjyIumqe8n4s0W05m1gOZ-ZtlBnaek/s320/vlcsnap-2089198.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343197890032191730" border="0" /></a><br />Murakami, with the help of another officer, the veteran Detective Sato, played by Takashi Shimura, begin to track down the weapon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIfPPsjefCw-vK2DbWePUcEOXQ62oyjbOzGpIUkErbbYII-qEuFJqckwTob85vmThnH7yFnoypF1eaebSSXP6H2eNm_9hR1C_JjhDbZyQADO8Dq0WmmM3zOzsp2QIv69HHW5h7wbea-I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2116267.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIfPPsjefCw-vK2DbWePUcEOXQ62oyjbOzGpIUkErbbYII-qEuFJqckwTob85vmThnH7yFnoypF1eaebSSXP6H2eNm_9hR1C_JjhDbZyQADO8Dq0WmmM3zOzsp2QIv69HHW5h7wbea-I/s320/vlcsnap-2116267.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343197952799143426" border="0" /></a><br />While they search, the man who stole the gun begins to use the gun to commit crimes, even going to far as murder. This increases both Murakami's eagerness to get the gun back, and his guilt over losing it.<br /><br />With the help of contacts in the black market, and a young dancer who is in a relationship with the thief, the two officers begin to zero in on their man.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZozhbh-hSsgooPnaftrG9IN1HkcdjcUAr4kiFypmBsQ4oBPbw9tPi8mX6XAhMdhehS9DrR6ElG5dkn6xKKMUubAdoXv8LHkpPnTMEhsrdA_a5i7agctsPaRrZwliWn9XvGzfoHOKMN0Q/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2099540.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZozhbh-hSsgooPnaftrG9IN1HkcdjcUAr4kiFypmBsQ4oBPbw9tPi8mX6XAhMdhehS9DrR6ElG5dkn6xKKMUubAdoXv8LHkpPnTMEhsrdA_a5i7agctsPaRrZwliWn9XvGzfoHOKMN0Q/s320/vlcsnap-2099540.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343200565026428482" border="0" /></a><br />As their search nears its end, Murakami finds he has more in common with the thief than he thought.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog, </span>more than any Kurosawa film before it, is very character driven. The film delves into the psyche of both criminal and cop, and because of this the characters seem to have much more depth than any characters in previous Kurosawa films.<br /><br />Kurosawa also provides the audience with a far greater feeling of realism throughout the film.<br /><br />The opening narration begins with the line, "It was an unbearably hot day." Even the phrasing of this line gives the audience the feeling that these events actually happened.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsLEKUJhOBm_VGW8qiM1dead7LBMCjqJ2Hwb4e9p6sEKjDv0Z660PAaanlqV7zLY7kCFWxV7K-t6Kz-iD_QNJwqJq91eNX1nmwwVkxqEhO4kz-bk2nFla1oMgfR9M3AxlbcHmUDPnKJE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2087275.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsLEKUJhOBm_VGW8qiM1dead7LBMCjqJ2Hwb4e9p6sEKjDv0Z660PAaanlqV7zLY7kCFWxV7K-t6Kz-iD_QNJwqJq91eNX1nmwwVkxqEhO4kz-bk2nFla1oMgfR9M3AxlbcHmUDPnKJE/s320/vlcsnap-2087275.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343197846250786434" border="0" /></a><br />In a later scene at a baseball game, Kurosawa employed cameramen who actually worked on newsreel footage, so the shots of the game and the players looked very similar, and contributed to the feeling of actually being there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVzldNBlvXhXbGfJAYuu1zn6Vmr5-xNxiIjTRdQD2g_ac8GUqbxdcwMdgtZHrtPfS8uFyAWzq7OlL36l4wWY1BWJjFYMaajuYt5rGR7T-jnnZHKRutJU4Hpg099T_3ThKWCrjzdt7Ayw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2115885.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVzldNBlvXhXbGfJAYuu1zn6Vmr5-xNxiIjTRdQD2g_ac8GUqbxdcwMdgtZHrtPfS8uFyAWzq7OlL36l4wWY1BWJjFYMaajuYt5rGR7T-jnnZHKRutJU4Hpg099T_3ThKWCrjzdt7Ayw/s320/vlcsnap-2115885.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343198796671157170" border="0" /></a><br />One final example is later in the film at a crime scene. In this scene Kurosawa used a technique that would become somewhat of a staple in his later films, the long lens.<br /><br />The long, or telephoto lens, is used when the camera is placed a considerable distance away from its subject. Kurosawa used this technique in order to free the actors from concentrating so much on the camera.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPJTjeFSVInPWihca_pA4lYZem4_TMIoLIOM3W4cGhp91_OWZMvrI0pe6MouG8DES8gouhZ6y1ak0a2lMTq-BjlscR8KJlN9VnkYq-HJgAZCJ-iSbwQtTwxAnjV3Pw8QYPt-2pC35b3A/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2135465.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPJTjeFSVInPWihca_pA4lYZem4_TMIoLIOM3W4cGhp91_OWZMvrI0pe6MouG8DES8gouhZ6y1ak0a2lMTq-BjlscR8KJlN9VnkYq-HJgAZCJ-iSbwQtTwxAnjV3Pw8QYPt-2pC35b3A/s320/vlcsnap-2135465.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343198931755678450" border="0" /></a><br />In this particular scene, the effect was used for that exact reason.<br /><br />The locations in the film are important to that feeling of realism as well.<br /><br />Many of the scenes were shot on location in Japan. Murakami travels from place to place, providing the audience with a wide variety of (mainly unflattering) pictures of post-war Japan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFw79yWoNesy1GkhF5gVg_3Id_AcCYZL7t_zNaNz-bfSXlPQSMbScQfbmSEGeh4E8rzWiOVE3nneucqUd5_lgd91n9x1BLNND0-hz72n0R4smtvC2GLm4PA1g6sYKOMaNMCXWeL_kfX8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2100991.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFw79yWoNesy1GkhF5gVg_3Id_AcCYZL7t_zNaNz-bfSXlPQSMbScQfbmSEGeh4E8rzWiOVE3nneucqUd5_lgd91n9x1BLNND0-hz72n0R4smtvC2GLm4PA1g6sYKOMaNMCXWeL_kfX8/s320/vlcsnap-2100991.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343199723474816114" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa here uses interesting camera techniques as well, to place the audience within the film.<br /><br />When Murakami is visiting a more upper-class neighborhood, the camera is much further away. The frame captures a large area around the characters and a lot can be seen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbODOCSj1SqLXOHlcePIlF3cOyljkeyeAWwrHzBd0D6TNt0-qFjmY0UHP61emBcxFnZ79qDTu0x7huGArhoQoS4D8F2wpJyGrfEABO_hWGMSxdHME3_NWtK35rEl8o5pWv0JUet2Rq9Fg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2221191.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbODOCSj1SqLXOHlcePIlF3cOyljkeyeAWwrHzBd0D6TNt0-qFjmY0UHP61emBcxFnZ79qDTu0x7huGArhoQoS4D8F2wpJyGrfEABO_hWGMSxdHME3_NWtK35rEl8o5pWv0JUet2Rq9Fg/s320/vlcsnap-2221191.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343199615692654946" border="0" /></a><br />This is contrasted with the scenes in the black market. The shots are much tighter, even claustrophobic. This reflects the crowded atmosphere of the downtown area.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwRnr_PFdp84WjeZ1pwADIbmx5U7bZ5gzMjuGvKTtvOeGkjiRWP5evcVkDhUyR9NrfqgklC0zSPVNWEozBkKLxhqogR8HPS49eGqYiDw8rzS6RrHzwtE22K0VUGwwUR1GoWF-zLHs5Z4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2099692.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwRnr_PFdp84WjeZ1pwADIbmx5U7bZ5gzMjuGvKTtvOeGkjiRWP5evcVkDhUyR9NrfqgklC0zSPVNWEozBkKLxhqogR8HPS49eGqYiDw8rzS6RrHzwtE22K0VUGwwUR1GoWF-zLHs5Z4/s320/vlcsnap-2099692.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343198435608963954" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa is also well known for his perfectionism. This contributes to his demands for realism. In one scene, Murakami and another officer are digging through criminal records. The art department for the film went through and wrote fake records on every single sheet, whether or not those cards would be shown.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZwdXuX9eSB3PLDPzjDq9g5O5iAhwZKFa3k-RHYT3rnBab06jnOH30L3IwF6fi05calKgrFpP8DV2ju4sEWmXNzgP4zPr_58T9QLsaFGH17GTefUXgD0ZE3drL70VqjOfd_l4ukqVFV8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2091496.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZwdXuX9eSB3PLDPzjDq9g5O5iAhwZKFa3k-RHYT3rnBab06jnOH30L3IwF6fi05calKgrFpP8DV2ju4sEWmXNzgP4zPr_58T9QLsaFGH17GTefUXgD0ZE3drL70VqjOfd_l4ukqVFV8/s320/vlcsnap-2091496.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343198339455585746" border="0" /></a><br />The fact that it is an unbearably hot day in the film is incredibly important. Throughout the film we are presented with shots of people fanning themselves, sweating bullets and even an almost direct shot of the sun itself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHA4YkZNBOlzZzo22Wp4vxr6yKsBiqNNxnfVDwnpO9me5IvgZJudBMbFkGyMuTToTTpHUlITk5q29BKdxjBoHya6tZPm9xV-M6ph7KEXBpZoBuuD6_M-x05xHoGd_MSeL301uvxM7-u4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2099186.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHA4YkZNBOlzZzo22Wp4vxr6yKsBiqNNxnfVDwnpO9me5IvgZJudBMbFkGyMuTToTTpHUlITk5q29BKdxjBoHya6tZPm9xV-M6ph7KEXBpZoBuuD6_M-x05xHoGd_MSeL301uvxM7-u4/s320/vlcsnap-2099186.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343198208432946002" border="0" /></a><br />The heat only makes the search for Murakami's missing weapon worse. The hot situation is coupled with the hot day.<br /><br />One aspect that seems to remain constant through Kurosawa's post-war modern films is that of change. From pre to post-war.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog</span>, Murakami is at one point attempting to track down a notorious criminal named Ogin. Murakami provides a description of her for another officer. He says she had a perm and was wearing a dress. The other officer gives Murakami a puzzled look and tells him that Ogin is known for her kimono's, a more traditional pre-war garment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzKIbGkzHJ3Q2Fg5Zp4Z4pk04ymvUmKkDV_9auYaobdl6_lxJabBWGHq4IAWhgeAeiLFHZj402a4r5kD7wlqc60D5C-12Xai0eD1UTsXzPKjrmRPKfLTdbdEOb5Kri4BzIPo3TS_XN-w/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2094073.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzKIbGkzHJ3Q2Fg5Zp4Z4pk04ymvUmKkDV_9auYaobdl6_lxJabBWGHq4IAWhgeAeiLFHZj402a4r5kD7wlqc60D5C-12Xai0eD1UTsXzPKjrmRPKfLTdbdEOb5Kri4BzIPo3TS_XN-w/s320/vlcsnap-2094073.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343200378410437730" border="0" /></a><br />The officer echoes lines from previous Kurosawa films when he says, "Times sure have changed."<br /><br />Murakami and Sato also have a discussion at Sato's home in the country. Here they discuss the differences between pre and post-war culture. Sato says he believes criminals are bad, end of story. Murakami takes a more moderate position, feeling sympathy for Yusa, the man who is now in posession of Murakami's gun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKZaD4zBqb5LMHS7jUbVzr54a10fG3jOZuzH4x6z2RmpSS8xfdc3zvnyXGhdF8MW0rbzjAJJHeCOmCdkcHPiXc2QOtyK-l5k58cFa0SggrSnIf-vD6CF8beFdQVHtH0wcv2BtG9WKl8E/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2131714.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKZaD4zBqb5LMHS7jUbVzr54a10fG3jOZuzH4x6z2RmpSS8xfdc3zvnyXGhdF8MW0rbzjAJJHeCOmCdkcHPiXc2QOtyK-l5k58cFa0SggrSnIf-vD6CF8beFdQVHtH0wcv2BtG9WKl8E/s320/vlcsnap-2131714.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343200270181462354" border="0" /></a><br />This leads into one of the most important aspects of the film. As the film progresses, Murakami comes to learn that he has shares some similarities with Yusa. They were both soldiers, they both had something stolen from them, and they both came to a crossroads in their lives.<br /><br />Murakami chose one path, the path of a cop. Yusa chose another, the path of a criminal.<br /><br />Even in the climactic struggle between Yusa and Murakami, their clothing becomes muddied, and like a scene in <span style="font-style: italic;">Drunken Angel, </span>they become almost indistinguishable from each other.<br /><br />Kurosawa is certainly making a point here. Times certainly have changed. There is no more black and white, but shades of gray. Yusa is one of the unfortunate ones who got dealt a bad hand, and Kurosawa makes sure the audience shares Murakami's empathy for him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge55q4Qil3X71rrB3nvjGfmzOphc8VGOBrZczhAiA07WAVU206Rl5zLLKeKy0nSD_KtVzpjduNMpSEW8_jECVzj5JD2mNXyHMMxAMBj8jXSyD-03Ac2qP6rqxVipcwhrJOm335s2v8Vo0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2145064.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge55q4Qil3X71rrB3nvjGfmzOphc8VGOBrZczhAiA07WAVU206Rl5zLLKeKy0nSD_KtVzpjduNMpSEW8_jECVzj5JD2mNXyHMMxAMBj8jXSyD-03Ac2qP6rqxVipcwhrJOm335s2v8Vo0/s320/vlcsnap-2145064.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343200875412723826" border="0" /></a><br />Murakami is an interesting character as well. As previously mentioned, Murakami is an ex-soldier. His sense of pride and honor often get the better of him throughout the film. This is why Sato enters to straighten him out and guide him.<br /><br />Murakami is wracked with guilt throughout the film. At the beginning, he stands at military-like attention before his "commanding officer". After a flurry of "sirs" his supervisor tells him that he isn't in the army anymore.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2AzXGWetxV-T9YSuNthFPeYPljMZQrJx7plBp029UNRecQPP7DIZTf3ArxeZBi8UkYv2tJ5Sd3auTLVoJLFD3sdAKdRU3VU7uprAS8oQvKTaKH1uipBxtDgIK9nvq0k5oCOgPbRMB1A/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2088120.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2AzXGWetxV-T9YSuNthFPeYPljMZQrJx7plBp029UNRecQPP7DIZTf3ArxeZBi8UkYv2tJ5Sd3auTLVoJLFD3sdAKdRU3VU7uprAS8oQvKTaKH1uipBxtDgIK9nvq0k5oCOgPbRMB1A/s320/vlcsnap-2088120.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343200526058495714" border="0" /></a><br />Each time Yusa commits a crime, Murakami's first questions is whether or not his gun is to blame. It is, of course, and Murakami becomes more and more degected throughout the film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEkDBd_wbSGqI0ieJsHG0T-o2ts8bp7OBcFKYrSMoV_UHeiH4fZgoMgGQqiaBQN2KgATa-9KJ04nI4GGFU6UScFfjrzwTsQ_lXGssNNeODmrL5dWMG6HYnnMK2rhV4fi3pDEQl06L9Dk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2137031.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEkDBd_wbSGqI0ieJsHG0T-o2ts8bp7OBcFKYrSMoV_UHeiH4fZgoMgGQqiaBQN2KgATa-9KJ04nI4GGFU6UScFfjrzwTsQ_lXGssNNeODmrL5dWMG6HYnnMK2rhV4fi3pDEQl06L9Dk/s320/vlcsnap-2137031.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343200723010126626" border="0" /></a><br />But he is also resilient. During his search for the weapon in the black market, the camera follows him around for what seems like an eternity. A clever bit of editing by Kurosawa again, for the scene is almost as exhaustive as Murakami's search.<br /><br />Finally, Kurosawa once again turned to the musical technique of counterpoint (having the normal musical matching of emotion reversed so sad music doesn't always play over a sad scene, etc...).<br /><br />The first, when Sato has tracked down Yusa to a hotel, an upbeat song called "La Palma" is playing while Yusa confronts Sato. The scene is incredibly tense. The audience knows what to expect visually, as Yusa has been tipped off about Sato, but the music throws this expectation off.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg182X515GQL6hQCwsnynFjSqvoIzO5qxzbDdmQDoHrIS2v4Kwcbp8XWJhlVHyOzm2oidUTEB9QCn8b9Be7oUDB49sjCltFrQXuSf326ue3wsh5S8AKrUptc5DQxelGcU1BN3-pamx297I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2151927.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg182X515GQL6hQCwsnynFjSqvoIzO5qxzbDdmQDoHrIS2v4Kwcbp8XWJhlVHyOzm2oidUTEB9QCn8b9Be7oUDB49sjCltFrQXuSf326ue3wsh5S8AKrUptc5DQxelGcU1BN3-pamx297I/s320/vlcsnap-2151927.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343201018977335874" border="0" /></a><br />The second counterpoint occurs when Murakami confronts Yusa in some woods near a house. In the house a woman is playing piano. Kurosawa shows us that even while a tense gun battle is going on outside, inside life goes on as peacefully as ever.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYY9wiUb8T2x_9ve-bH69X-dRQrsebR9XX3AbpOIqjfwonHPnOMVfVFoEpFURECdOvaVT-cwZquW8lmFRfJJzDEvDtdZgZS2u8JIr4YFvN6l5LjO3vA3i0FVzPcZ_c93Btfc2wkOD33U/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2158010.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYY9wiUb8T2x_9ve-bH69X-dRQrsebR9XX3AbpOIqjfwonHPnOMVfVFoEpFURECdOvaVT-cwZquW8lmFRfJJzDEvDtdZgZS2u8JIr4YFvN6l5LjO3vA3i0FVzPcZ_c93Btfc2wkOD33U/s320/vlcsnap-2158010.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343201076021583538" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, when Murakami brings Yusa down they lie exhausted in the grass. In the background, we see and hear children walking and singing. Yusa begins to wail. Perhaps Yusa is crying out over the loss of innocence that one has in their youth, perhaps not, but it is nonetheless a very powerful scene.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-VgIWKdbw3lV-6hnvpPG28htcy6fLYUEIGFlIwdCMjxQ3Qr-PMCsdriBay-cAkA1GKezyean9XpBJlL_TkVI03UnmCPx27VSPmlAC-2NfsHx2G5RHXNZtKp66gg2JdVtadXQ3amVtrQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2160273.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-VgIWKdbw3lV-6hnvpPG28htcy6fLYUEIGFlIwdCMjxQ3Qr-PMCsdriBay-cAkA1GKezyean9XpBJlL_TkVI03UnmCPx27VSPmlAC-2NfsHx2G5RHXNZtKp66gg2JdVtadXQ3amVtrQ/s320/vlcsnap-2160273.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343201127213921330" border="0" /></a>Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-60571543956794365632009-05-27T10:56:00.000-07:002009-05-28T14:50:18.429-07:00Drunken Angel (1948)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Drunken Angel </span>is one of the most important of Kurosawa's films for several reasons. It was the first film that Kurosawa had complete control over. From start to finish, Kurosawa, not the studio, was calling the shots.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERKY7OktJgScngAWylCSF88KQ4sYCXUc8TxCHcdzffKaZ0DO2vtyHXNBEuWKZmJIvmIQyamUFhaaHE-Rnp0UNs8oDRNVY0xXylphgAuyTIZmn_41QwcNPKuht9bLK18Dr5GeY3fbleNM/s1600-h/screens_DVD.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERKY7OktJgScngAWylCSF88KQ4sYCXUc8TxCHcdzffKaZ0DO2vtyHXNBEuWKZmJIvmIQyamUFhaaHE-Rnp0UNs8oDRNVY0xXylphgAuyTIZmn_41QwcNPKuht9bLK18Dr5GeY3fbleNM/s320/screens_DVD.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340608500676010370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>It was the first film that Kurosawa would work with film composer Fumio Hayasaka. Hayasaka would work on all of Kurosawa's next films, until his death in 1955.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Perhaps most important of all, this was the first Kurosawa film to feature Toshiro Mifune.<br /><br />Toshiro Mifune is arguably Japan's most famous actor if not of all time then certainly of the period between 1950-1980.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br /></span>It is somewhat ironic that Mifune would come to be Japan's most well known and respected actors, given he never wanted to be an actor in the first place, and he didn't set foot on Japanese soil until he was 19.<br /><br />Mifune was born in Qingdao, China in April of 1920. His Japanese parents lived in the Japanese occupied town of Dalian, making Mifune a Japanese citizen. He worked in his father's photography shop until he was drafted into the Japanese military.<br /><br />Because he had experience working with photography equipment, Mifune was given the job of an aerial photographer.<br /><br />When Mifune got out of the army, a friend who worked at Toho told him he would get Mifune a job as a cameraman.<br /><br />Somehow Mifune found ended up auditioning for a job as an actor (again, a job Toho was desperately looking to fill).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeg6FqmAqZjsU1KLOWCwxr4M1ed-i4LR9a5K5IL5ANCDC-lx5hK1L8flCLSU8etD2ZtsbuD8r6DpGrL9QFih1Au3eEnx3kPwCBwY2lYd-x4sNxHYYfTHFLirNru7mBeIh0p33oROOQ8M/s1600-h/Drunken_Angel_1948mifune.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeg6FqmAqZjsU1KLOWCwxr4M1ed-i4LR9a5K5IL5ANCDC-lx5hK1L8flCLSU8etD2ZtsbuD8r6DpGrL9QFih1Au3eEnx3kPwCBwY2lYd-x4sNxHYYfTHFLirNru7mBeIh0p33oROOQ8M/s320/Drunken_Angel_1948mifune.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340608886687288530" border="0" /></a><br />In the audition the potential actors drew cards with different emotions written on them that the actors were to act out.<br /><br />Mifune pulled anger.<br /><br />Kurosawa details in his autobiography his experience with seeing Mifune's audition. When Kurosawa entered the room where Mifune's audition was taking place, he saw Mifune reeling around the room.<br /><br />When Mifune sat down in the chair before the judges, he kept a very stern look on his face. The judges took this to be a sign of disrespect.<br /><br />Mifune was hired nonetheless. There is a bit of mystery surrounding why he was hired. Kurosawa claims that his mentor and head of the judging panel, Kajiro Yamamoto stood up and took responsibility for Mifune. Mifune himself, in an interview for a Japanese television show he did in the 1980s, said that he knew nothing about that.<br /><br />For Mifune's first few films he was type-cast as a gangster, a role Kurosawa would soon break for him, but not with <span style="font-style: italic;">Drunken Angel</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Drunken Angel </span>is the second film that Kurosawa wrote with Keinosuke Uekusa<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>.<br /><br /></span>The film revolves around a doctor and gang member who live in a run-down Japanese town.<br /><br />Kurosawa and Uekusa initially had trouble writing the film because their doctor was too perfect. When they came up with the idea for the doctor to be an alcoholic, suddently the story began to flow.<br /><br />The Yakuza gangster Matsunaga, played by Toshiro Mifune, seeks out the help of the town's cynical alcoholic physician.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxixke1DLOVe-IYJS6zmoYraIZfJVw0K4-xwL9BZ6BinInbwq4DeU_swPn8fxuHj0Lef0MHTo3q_QWrrkl-dSPNxQvzLrBXr13q-JrIsqRKQzWtbBtRVT_ECMMZviQKxA14rviwLoNcE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2576508.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxixke1DLOVe-IYJS6zmoYraIZfJVw0K4-xwL9BZ6BinInbwq4DeU_swPn8fxuHj0Lef0MHTo3q_QWrrkl-dSPNxQvzLrBXr13q-JrIsqRKQzWtbBtRVT_ECMMZviQKxA14rviwLoNcE/s320/vlcsnap-2576508.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340608178102601474" border="0" /></a><br />Doctor Sanada, played by Takashi Shimura, first removes a bullet from the hand of Matsunaga, before testing him for TB. Sanada suspects that Matsunaga is infected, but despite his unsympathetic attitude toward gangsters, he urges him to get an X-ray.<br /><br />Matsunaga, an alcoholic himself, eventually gets the X-ray and his TB is confirmed. Just when he is beginning to start his treatment, the man who once held Matsunaga's position within the Yakuza returns from prison.<br /><br />Okada begins to seize power again by stealing Matsunaga's territory and his girl. He also begins to threaten the doctor, asking him to return the doctor's nurse who was formally under Okada's control.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9L-w3nkhhn26xrPhllB_9DqFMDlI3kxaPduEgzEl5oBtXFO9eSRoemA03YwJ4yuKQvRop7cYuqrHNkcn6Th2EUxPTDPmLho9N3Y4xq-_DuLlzbF6z25XCXHdRhjykrd-697_y6HZc1I/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2589125.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9L-w3nkhhn26xrPhllB_9DqFMDlI3kxaPduEgzEl5oBtXFO9eSRoemA03YwJ4yuKQvRop7cYuqrHNkcn6Th2EUxPTDPmLho9N3Y4xq-_DuLlzbF6z25XCXHdRhjykrd-697_y6HZc1I/s320/vlcsnap-2589125.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340618800498769858" border="0" /></a><br />Matsunaga, seeking to protect the doctor and nurse who had been looking out for him, goes to Okada to confront him. A fight ensues and Matsunaga is killed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfBx4ItsaNFFgLf6_XRf5gvfFLsvnvUXLfqkU3SN5ZZc6mdkrtwLDKU_TICMGaBWsIXqWM1Y8jFxwfovYFaLtL5oFJaFL7lJX3C9xbssbUriNKS2isANNSIh6PA19mlYFO03HOLer3bA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2630173.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfBx4ItsaNFFgLf6_XRf5gvfFLsvnvUXLfqkU3SN5ZZc6mdkrtwLDKU_TICMGaBWsIXqWM1Y8jFxwfovYFaLtL5oFJaFL7lJX3C9xbssbUriNKS2isANNSIh6PA19mlYFO03HOLer3bA/s320/vlcsnap-2630173.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340618935848809826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Analysis:<br /><br /></span>A major part of the town, and an important element to the film, is the swamp at the center of the town.<br /><br />The characters in the film are frequently shown walking around it, staring into it, or throwing something into it. This swamp becomes both a literal and metophorical reflection of both the characters and the town itself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5_dqJqarf4VweWubKYRlCRSbMcgHsInvl3NUarDz4dy-y2wYB0ZPakXBF_KNzIp19AxeqcFz_H7kSKFISXeWiDHuW1IA3mRhnZ4LBQfJIyAX1qdjbQeFRSQuPVEvdrfrZHD5NfIzcMY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2576018.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5_dqJqarf4VweWubKYRlCRSbMcgHsInvl3NUarDz4dy-y2wYB0ZPakXBF_KNzIp19AxeqcFz_H7kSKFISXeWiDHuW1IA3mRhnZ4LBQfJIyAX1qdjbQeFRSQuPVEvdrfrZHD5NfIzcMY/s320/vlcsnap-2576018.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340608045575630530" border="0" /></a><br />Matsunaga twice goes to the swamp, first after he initially gives up drinking in order to rid himself of his TB. He carries with him a flower, a sign of life, that he then casts into the putrid water when Okada finds him and tells him to have a drink with him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRP1zJ_KVL7f7hQnoUO_FzetSbTPz229pjmSKrlXRPu1IvcWkslXuUCt1ydIUyXsKTXNdt6pew13aNdpV8o7sdg-qo569vfV8VR6kKllS3XdMgBnER1GHI_fPnOy00MLrI2l3b1qHmFw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2604865.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRP1zJ_KVL7f7hQnoUO_FzetSbTPz229pjmSKrlXRPu1IvcWkslXuUCt1ydIUyXsKTXNdt6pew13aNdpV8o7sdg-qo569vfV8VR6kKllS3XdMgBnER1GHI_fPnOy00MLrI2l3b1qHmFw/s320/vlcsnap-2604865.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340619072713159826" border="0" /></a><br />The second time he returns he is staring into the water, looking at a child's doll lying face down in the water. Matsunaga himself has almost been completely destroyed by his disease. The imagery here is not so subtle. Matsunaga sees himself in the doll.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQFRjAf0ZVPGMRJnqr9_J9DdCLjvTdiQGMYliHA65lLcWBRkH6tpHarOvThyphenhyphen9GpadoUughuHgFPQ6u9IljQASp2ERpsEAOHC06R1hwiU_T4lvXb53QZLYYfh7MKhoYNwnJnB-suipj7o/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2617815.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQFRjAf0ZVPGMRJnqr9_J9DdCLjvTdiQGMYliHA65lLcWBRkH6tpHarOvThyphenhyphen9GpadoUughuHgFPQ6u9IljQASp2ERpsEAOHC06R1hwiU_T4lvXb53QZLYYfh7MKhoYNwnJnB-suipj7o/s320/vlcsnap-2617815.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340619249003116338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is where a particularly rare and interesting sequence begins. Matsunaga has a dream. In a sequence similar to that of Kurosawa's 1980 film <span style="font-style: italic;">Kagemusha<span style="font-style: italic;">, </span></span>Matsunaga runs to a beached coffin and begins to cut it open with an axe. When he opens it he finds himself. The Matsunaga in the coffin begins to chase him down the beach.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPoQLqmjouloe44BknrUviE5yetCZYBkpIgMGA-oLkkxBSGjswnQpfhU6T6Y3WmfhAIdz8sKzVXzjplgl18YZWQKpgk_qn3EJ_6hKqhpHvgOVLLEwdnSOtZXimQ_0LaOPcnWAKMOuCLM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2618107.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPoQLqmjouloe44BknrUviE5yetCZYBkpIgMGA-oLkkxBSGjswnQpfhU6T6Y3WmfhAIdz8sKzVXzjplgl18YZWQKpgk_qn3EJ_6hKqhpHvgOVLLEwdnSOtZXimQ_0LaOPcnWAKMOuCLM/s320/vlcsnap-2618107.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340619483329647714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Death is coming for him, not only in his dreams, but in real life as well, as Matsunaga is quickly succumbing to his disease.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMQ2s-DzTVZWO938SthanmrJMfSmn4PJJ_AyLH1F0hh5ah2Tes6ToHaSRBDAmmTiJPvJuygJg3axWlybBkdoo93hOKr-eujc3BIFdPoZdxER_OxUEJyCTCA9VKn3RBR9a_KXa-H2E1WI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2618635.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMQ2s-DzTVZWO938SthanmrJMfSmn4PJJ_AyLH1F0hh5ah2Tes6ToHaSRBDAmmTiJPvJuygJg3axWlybBkdoo93hOKr-eujc3BIFdPoZdxER_OxUEJyCTCA9VKn3RBR9a_KXa-H2E1WI/s320/vlcsnap-2618635.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340619352380846082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Like <span style="font-style: italic;">One Wonderful Sunday, Drunken Angel <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span>contains elements both critical of the West, and favoring it (possibly only to appease the occupation censors).<br /><br />This town is an example of what has become of the poor in Japan after the war. The town is run by gangsters. These gangters wear Western clothing, listen to Western music in their Western cabaret's, and they even talk like Westerners.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VmW167oJN9LM0gOHGM9jqG0cSSwJSKUsid_ogbGcqZTYTXZIwaPEjNYq9a0bADdQeArTy2mfZfRSwNKOHbMkBAkSVbAHI01mWtelDqAslM8oX571jnV4ziMiyQfzcEFfn08DeZ1zylo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2608182.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VmW167oJN9LM0gOHGM9jqG0cSSwJSKUsid_ogbGcqZTYTXZIwaPEjNYq9a0bADdQeArTy2mfZfRSwNKOHbMkBAkSVbAHI01mWtelDqAslM8oX571jnV4ziMiyQfzcEFfn08DeZ1zylo/s320/vlcsnap-2608182.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340619651640764898" border="0" /></a><br />The newly freed Okada perfectly reflects the changes in society from pre-war to post-war Japan. When we first see him, he is wearing traditional Japanese clothing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tFupszUyM_A5NaY8WxKrdToYUDb6IbXca3fJN5cR0v3UW9lbAZecyLkSSEDt69uj6we55HL28UAYMl_uR5eR6ICabyEmRtyCH5fk8SOyADfbHtrfPRRBMKEHeD1LGzM0NWoiBsLE6Ak/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2601681.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tFupszUyM_A5NaY8WxKrdToYUDb6IbXca3fJN5cR0v3UW9lbAZecyLkSSEDt69uj6we55HL28UAYMl_uR5eR6ICabyEmRtyCH5fk8SOyADfbHtrfPRRBMKEHeD1LGzM0NWoiBsLE6Ak/s320/vlcsnap-2601681.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340619864099552258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />"Things have certainly changed around here," he says to a guitar player who frequently plays near the swamp.<br /><br />When we next see him he is dressed in Western clothing, and almost instantaniously transforms himself into a modern Japanese gangster.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHvd86eKIz4HMekF3FbTchJDDw1VD9zHQmtEaROYOJwAQSndX8zwprcMj0QZH2fbZfG6PxNzZP-p8NKWwBilH-_Q3rDE9d7sy273GIiAnMhoVX9GhdZMa3CL_HpIZTxHkKaTdSNRTCfE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2606124.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHvd86eKIz4HMekF3FbTchJDDw1VD9zHQmtEaROYOJwAQSndX8zwprcMj0QZH2fbZfG6PxNzZP-p8NKWwBilH-_Q3rDE9d7sy273GIiAnMhoVX9GhdZMa3CL_HpIZTxHkKaTdSNRTCfE/s320/vlcsnap-2606124.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340620005180127298" border="0" /></a><br />Despite this negative attitude about what a Western influence has done to Japan, Kurosawa includes pro-American sentiments sparatically throughout the film.<br /><br />The most obvious of these moments is when Doctor Sanada is confronted by Okada. Sanada tells him his feudalistic ways won't fly anymore, and asks if he has ever heard of something called equality.<br /><br />Like <span style="font-style: italic;">One Wonderful Sunday, <span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>Kurosawa attempts an experiment in this film. Far from the risky experiment he tried in his previous film, this one Kurosawa would use in films for years to come, most notably in his next film, <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>The experiment was a musical one called counterpoint. Normally in film music, the soundtrack will match whatever mood the scene is conjuring up visually. If it is a sad scene, there is sad music, if it is a happy one, there is happy music, and so on.<br /><br />With counterpoint, Kurosawa and his composer Fumio Hayasaka went the opposite way. In a scene when Matsunaga is completely downtrodden, with no money or power, he walks along the busy streets of the "Happy Market" towards the city swamp.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQ0ZCFlyUGJXQLTE6z5ysrWoRtQwMBBjGQMEHxdNSPYCmmLWktVG9qxRMQ_VXl7t_twJw79HT5T0VE-yaBHekjhSgshuhpTmgiNVJAMz0Ze8lKXneyc5pXhnVqtrolOV_gVZn5GftDWc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2582403.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQ0ZCFlyUGJXQLTE6z5ysrWoRtQwMBBjGQMEHxdNSPYCmmLWktVG9qxRMQ_VXl7t_twJw79HT5T0VE-yaBHekjhSgshuhpTmgiNVJAMz0Ze8lKXneyc5pXhnVqtrolOV_gVZn5GftDWc/s320/vlcsnap-2582403.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340620118347573202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />All along the loudspeaker in the marketplace is playing "The Cuckoo Waltz". It is an incredibly happy song, one that only emphasizes Matsunaga's pain. The effect is incredibly successful, and is later repeated during the fight between Matsunaga and Okada.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDMjTgMmTYDIfw_6FLUfkOY_RIo8S5Y1zMtlckjie5o5o2TO5Z2lNM_IzzC9z_g3MUHwPM2-seeF-UPLzXOFU3JqBU-aXz-ZhLippmKapL405LMkFUOe4uwOwVZ5S22_VKWlXK19QNA0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2624128.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDMjTgMmTYDIfw_6FLUfkOY_RIo8S5Y1zMtlckjie5o5o2TO5Z2lNM_IzzC9z_g3MUHwPM2-seeF-UPLzXOFU3JqBU-aXz-ZhLippmKapL405LMkFUOe4uwOwVZ5S22_VKWlXK19QNA0/s320/vlcsnap-2624128.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340620312886206242" border="0" /></a><br />Matsunaga's character is an interesting one. It would be easy for an audience member not to connect with this man who has all the ability to rid himself of his disease if he only kept with it. But because of Mifune's energetic and stimulating portrayel, one can't help but root for him despite his vices.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42Gxbuenh0s1zp54Fki9-e7o62Cm7xZYamnEjj-ZsXyyHSx8_M1e4JMlfeau745Z8by8T7QtvUr6PDifjKLzIQ5my_f5qBwv2rSclMabQj1h3kzzhXrl8l2ZKzYx7llp3_aLGLmVwSqU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2628528.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42Gxbuenh0s1zp54Fki9-e7o62Cm7xZYamnEjj-ZsXyyHSx8_M1e4JMlfeau745Z8by8T7QtvUr6PDifjKLzIQ5my_f5qBwv2rSclMabQj1h3kzzhXrl8l2ZKzYx7llp3_aLGLmVwSqU/s320/vlcsnap-2628528.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340620524422961298" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The same could be said of Doctor Sanada. Although he is, deep down, a good man, he is also very hypocritical. He often finds himself lecturing people about their health, when he himself is constantly drinking. He even goes so far as to dilute the alcohol that he uses on his patients.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje23W1CFRZZXNfmFIFUyUiqNcIjuFPJZ9kDdIE1CeAf8l7BYJR3zASRwxDBN-VtYb2Lb-0YJUQjHG2jF7IZiFfSLNbq3L0XLkhrcwc5BQlQl0bX0FuANP14sNNEIWqwpD1N1rr_Ja0dL8/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2592847.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje23W1CFRZZXNfmFIFUyUiqNcIjuFPJZ9kDdIE1CeAf8l7BYJR3zASRwxDBN-VtYb2Lb-0YJUQjHG2jF7IZiFfSLNbq3L0XLkhrcwc5BQlQl0bX0FuANP14sNNEIWqwpD1N1rr_Ja0dL8/s320/vlcsnap-2592847.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340620667088146594" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, Kurosawa ends the film as he does with many, with that bit of humanist optimism. A TB infected teenage girl who was seen by the doctor at the beginning of the film<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>has returned to report that she has been cured.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjQ8FaCji8xJdKU2xCvHNGvHYtMUIG-KBxqbhlUSs8PjWL4qSJcJWjybMHnbym88phyphenhyphenME0sWenYhHLcdRlv0XNMCKOcuCz79IE6MdoPCkIx__zh3oLf8fSJOXGoC2e0Q8VJAYvjtXWQI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2591403.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjQ8FaCji8xJdKU2xCvHNGvHYtMUIG-KBxqbhlUSs8PjWL4qSJcJWjybMHnbym88phyphenhyphenME0sWenYhHLcdRlv0XNMCKOcuCz79IE6MdoPCkIx__zh3oLf8fSJOXGoC2e0Q8VJAYvjtXWQI/s320/vlcsnap-2591403.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340620799663379586" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Kurosawa shows us that there is hope, and not everyone turns out like Matsunaga. The doctor sums this up perfectly when, after the girl repeats what the doctor told her about approaching TB rationally.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJfsGQs1ELomzSShp5kILX9QrTiBPxbYadS3YHF_cNQdKvySzODsaljI44qk8wh1jbTSwv2bXnq-jUBXx4R2r9EQFfFFlmQXXcPL2Q6GMCFQGyjLc6vA9MdnJsKstuvUG060mPY4d1pM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-2634386.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJfsGQs1ELomzSShp5kILX9QrTiBPxbYadS3YHF_cNQdKvySzODsaljI44qk8wh1jbTSwv2bXnq-jUBXx4R2r9EQFfFFlmQXXcPL2Q6GMCFQGyjLc6vA9MdnJsKstuvUG060mPY4d1pM/s320/vlcsnap-2634386.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340620882474747730" border="0" /></a><br />"A rational approach is the best medicine for life," the doctor says.<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></span>Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-90791570702571469162009-05-21T08:15:00.000-07:002009-05-21T12:37:31.903-07:00One Wonderful Sunday (1947)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><br /><br />After the core group of Toho Studios actors left Toho to form their own studio Shin (New) Toho, the directors who remained behind were tasked with producing films that would combat the new star-studded production company.<br /><br />Kurosawa was sent to work on three scripts, one of which he would direct. That film was <span style="font-style: italic;">One Wonderful Sunday</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwFB4IWkZXlOVaApEso4OqdMRw-SP-C2VnHWnU9ce5geWSbFd2NM2TsC9imeXUsHoct6dcaK0Ks1NIiZW6pvitzCtJ8zM4w-Lgde8XDEK1DUwPcqjMDDETs67wK48ngd3huPscN-q9SE/s1600-h/2000702_box_348x490.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwFB4IWkZXlOVaApEso4OqdMRw-SP-C2VnHWnU9ce5geWSbFd2NM2TsC9imeXUsHoct6dcaK0Ks1NIiZW6pvitzCtJ8zM4w-Lgde8XDEK1DUwPcqjMDDETs67wK48ngd3huPscN-q9SE/s320/2000702_box_348x490.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338299943609444274" border="0" /></a><br />After completing one whole script with Senkichi Taniguchi and writing one part of a four-part film, Kurosawa began his work on <span style="font-style: italic;">One Wonderful Sunday</span>.<br /><br />This would be the first of two consecutive films he would write with his childhood friend Keinosuke Uekusa, who he happened to run into while he working as an assistant director on a film Uekusa was working on as an extra.<br /><br />Because all of Toho's former stars went off to form their new company, Toho was left with a problem. They had very few actors, and they were largely unknown.<br /><br />This problem would be remedied by a talent search. This casting call would prove to be a godsend for Kurosawa, but this will be discussed further in his next film, <span style="font-style: italic;">Drunken Angel</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span>The story of <span style="font-style: italic;">One Wonderful Sunday </span>is rather simple. Isao Numazaki and Chieko Nakakita play Yuzo and Masako, a couple who spend a Sunday traversing post-war Tokyo with only 35 yen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq0r-sgpJuBFajoSIrijbQkzQTxwLgFGxEnjbPcBofv1RhPZhi2pnx5Bja5wR1sRhMGeBvqq-a1hI-5GrELWpSJ1AYPAvpLMBkaT_pWzVohItVNNrL7FhU3oHO5GMCEUZSq0iN6sWLFE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4173018.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq0r-sgpJuBFajoSIrijbQkzQTxwLgFGxEnjbPcBofv1RhPZhi2pnx5Bja5wR1sRhMGeBvqq-a1hI-5GrELWpSJ1AYPAvpLMBkaT_pWzVohItVNNrL7FhU3oHO5GMCEUZSq0iN6sWLFE/s320/vlcsnap-4173018.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338346817628110546" border="0" /></a><br />They tour a house they could never afford, then an apartment that is almost unlivable according to a former tenant.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwY4H2fhHcrWBqNget1x_MBlhpT0gX0luZvVKoUaHc-P8mmJ-zeCVrKvn8GH9jyj748sGzsnoJXgucHiO26Xrj9MWR36DfvNMrHWzF1u3dzKMcKLpuSoJlW_JXMy_HTp7DP4U63FN1tU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4174330.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwY4H2fhHcrWBqNget1x_MBlhpT0gX0luZvVKoUaHc-P8mmJ-zeCVrKvn8GH9jyj748sGzsnoJXgucHiO26Xrj9MWR36DfvNMrHWzF1u3dzKMcKLpuSoJlW_JXMy_HTp7DP4U63FN1tU/s320/vlcsnap-4174330.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338346991564255970" border="0" /></a><br />In the beginning Yuzo is the realist while Masako is the dreamer. Masako dreams of a lavish home and a coffee shop of their own.<br /><br />"Dreams won't fill your belly," Yuzo says.<br /><br />Yuzo, a veteran of the war, plays a game of baseball with a group of children before they go to a cabaret to try to find a friend of Yuzo's.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgornVbTtRLfwdpgYLL6qBeZc7BHj723D0wJuBMN2ev5g8cIstNOoHHUEmtUdAdBMJkpbKGE5TFjVDJAo0_kY8wtnVEDuSv8L0eurCpBQzqb14HYpWqYxpMXSftxBGf0cDJr6MrH5B_kxI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4181803.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgornVbTtRLfwdpgYLL6qBeZc7BHj723D0wJuBMN2ev5g8cIstNOoHHUEmtUdAdBMJkpbKGE5TFjVDJAo0_kY8wtnVEDuSv8L0eurCpBQzqb14HYpWqYxpMXSftxBGf0cDJr6MrH5B_kxI/s320/vlcsnap-4181803.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338347137272231442" border="0" /></a><br />They visit the local zoo before trying to get into a concert of Shubert's Unfinished Symphony, only to find that the cheap tickets are sold out.<br /><br />Depressed, they return to Yuzo's where he has somewhat of a breakdown. After he calms down a bit they go out for coffee, only to learn that they have been charged 30 yen when they have only 20 remaining.<br /><br />Things finally begin to look up when they travel to a ruined part of Tokyo and begin to create an imaginary coffee shop before being jolted back to reality by a group of onlookers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUri76QLgs6PEe4Z8aFmQZ49hWmWeTN47Jmokg22mB-grvA3YZ6HapQcwvLQLqOorORVY_mqPttMAGRZ9VPII3vC7JzzmxefBDCpHygs4INsdFPB_Dv9Mehg7X2850tYJfn-1TN68hjw/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4222817.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUri76QLgs6PEe4Z8aFmQZ49hWmWeTN47Jmokg22mB-grvA3YZ6HapQcwvLQLqOorORVY_mqPttMAGRZ9VPII3vC7JzzmxefBDCpHygs4INsdFPB_Dv9Mehg7X2850tYJfn-1TN68hjw/s320/vlcsnap-4222817.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338347341022275106" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, in the films climactic scene they return to an empty amphitheater where Yuzo conducts an invisible orchestra playing Shubert's Unfinished Symphony.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVdkXxJcvATrk4soX6EarTU3GeHkAHGHsP69RJWDNKC7s2uhmSSnuyUqtrMbheLyQITkJm409r0x_B2wwpeRognuQXZr_W3rQ6JiQU2bAxFCtwaDTvte2XRFIHqo0mZUvDZK2KU5GTfE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4226811.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVdkXxJcvATrk4soX6EarTU3GeHkAHGHsP69RJWDNKC7s2uhmSSnuyUqtrMbheLyQITkJm409r0x_B2wwpeRognuQXZr_W3rQ6JiQU2bAxFCtwaDTvte2XRFIHqo0mZUvDZK2KU5GTfE/s320/vlcsnap-4226811.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338347698766712578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">One Wonderful Sunday </span>is perhaps less a film about two middle-class lovers strolling about Tokyo than it is a look at post-war Tokyo. Yuzo and Masako are merely our tour guides.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkd4kpCbRRz-7Tl5HCcYrRAm3D4uT_bH6pSK-6_TyE7nMTiNR9K7ckJwTpmNYSCbnRVq1hASQDx1OLzkI6aB0Cll6RqM8bguS4tPONzreZCXw736fhFEWGkw6Oel7zNsUt1ANaQfvbQI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4190411.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkd4kpCbRRz-7Tl5HCcYrRAm3D4uT_bH6pSK-6_TyE7nMTiNR9K7ckJwTpmNYSCbnRVq1hASQDx1OLzkI6aB0Cll6RqM8bguS4tPONzreZCXw736fhFEWGkw6Oel7zNsUt1ANaQfvbQI/s320/vlcsnap-4190411.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338357503685630114" border="0" /></a><br />Shot largely on location in Tokyo, the film resembles the neo-realist cinema of the Italians in the late 40s and 50s. Those films and this one are focused on very real life situations and people.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">One Wonderful Sunday </span>falls under the category of <span style="font-style: italic;">shomin-geki</span>, a term which means "common-man film". Yasujiro Ozu is probably Japan's most ardent supporter of this particular category of films, as they are normally associated with family dramas.<br /><br />The actors, when filmed from afar are almost indistinguishable from the rest of the public.<br /><br />Kurosawa often used hidden cameras to obtain candid shots of the actors. In his autobiography he even details an instance when a man positioned himself in front of a hidden camera. When Kurosawa attempted to nudge him out of the way, the man put up his hands and took out his wallet. He assumed Kurosawa was a pickpocket.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrv-gqYOrvExOEnBX4bJZFG8__AilqM4mqa6Gz9JCyfOU3VNwMz1NX-WDYqvzPc4VgvOjHo-4_fj5UBDxoVizQCZ18DNAirf-HpSHGuH-QCbSDZDc8rlBDIwfWdyRMESpKlPYej7DGfNY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4238421.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrv-gqYOrvExOEnBX4bJZFG8__AilqM4mqa6Gz9JCyfOU3VNwMz1NX-WDYqvzPc4VgvOjHo-4_fj5UBDxoVizQCZ18DNAirf-HpSHGuH-QCbSDZDc8rlBDIwfWdyRMESpKlPYej7DGfNY/s320/vlcsnap-4238421.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338357232489308450" border="0" /></a><br />While Kurosawa's portrayel of post-war Japan in this film is not as pessimistic as will be seen in his 1949 film <span style="font-style: italic;">Stray Dog</span>, it is nonetheless critical of the Western influence that pervaded after the war.<br /><br />Almost everyone in the film can be seen wearing Western clothing. Yuzo plays baseball, a Western sport, with "Twinkle-twinkle Little Star", a Western song, playing on the soundtrack.<br /><br />The signage for the cabaret and coffee shop, among other things, are printed in English.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tgGtQKXuIwh-qDPt_SaLtkliznewg0TCAloIz0MBlN5avMgR11VswEhotp1XRcXVJRyLrv2SPgsd5tDjyfnFeIb-hfyFupMOZg767wqC5pgIt8xuh-M163dCn4_9nU7GJplRG_332W0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4185181.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tgGtQKXuIwh-qDPt_SaLtkliznewg0TCAloIz0MBlN5avMgR11VswEhotp1XRcXVJRyLrv2SPgsd5tDjyfnFeIb-hfyFupMOZg767wqC5pgIt8xuh-M163dCn4_9nU7GJplRG_332W0/s320/vlcsnap-4185181.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338357676306549938" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Even the cabaret itself is a Western influence. The loud Western music that floods the soundtrack will be explored again in Kurosawa's next film.<br /><br />The post-war atmosphere in Japan created a larger gap between classes, as is evident in this film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJY8LVY24ygdeVSGITHkxxubPcG0il3Fy63ioBmwruQ0s8aPqzT3XnaHfxoQLPKnfHXlJufU3QARXDsivqcJjuXjtc3OoYQJvoht1MqEj7wgUoRuwwwtnskp0N-giyfKwgUQjPYwfrPyc/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4189709.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJY8LVY24ygdeVSGITHkxxubPcG0il3Fy63ioBmwruQ0s8aPqzT3XnaHfxoQLPKnfHXlJufU3QARXDsivqcJjuXjtc3OoYQJvoht1MqEj7wgUoRuwwwtnskp0N-giyfKwgUQjPYwfrPyc/s320/vlcsnap-4189709.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338358077875589138" border="0" /></a><br />Money was scarce, and many took to the black market. The film establishes an important dichotomy; those who succumb to the black market to obtain money and those who earn an honest living.<br /><br />This dichotomy is tied into the traditional upper and lower classes, as the film makes it seem like the only way out of the lower classes is through the black market. Any other method would be an exercise in futility.<br /><br />Children are always an excellent way to garner an emotional response from the audience. In this film, a homeless boy asks Masako for her rice ball. After the couple begins to question the boy, he responds by telling them to just worry about themselves.<br /><br />The audience first sees him as a train whistle blows, his figure is slowly revealed from behind the smoke of the train. His face and clothing filthy from dozens or even hundreds of passing trains.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImOXO0Unt_EvI8NJXlA9TXEaRWu49LqOzKB3zLNZzq-h4LBtSlbMrJgChde3v1cjkE9swU8dunj0i9x_MuHKjqO2UQrvkEVGjylwDYoOFGhmYHx0XGDbry-W6iWkrcxRfofvZsNAKFnU/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4191871.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImOXO0Unt_EvI8NJXlA9TXEaRWu49LqOzKB3zLNZzq-h4LBtSlbMrJgChde3v1cjkE9swU8dunj0i9x_MuHKjqO2UQrvkEVGjylwDYoOFGhmYHx0XGDbry-W6iWkrcxRfofvZsNAKFnU/s320/vlcsnap-4191871.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338360933969865250" border="0" /></a><br />The boy is clearly aware of his situation, and is a stark reminder of the stagnation that must have been felt among the lower class at the time.<br /><br />One of the most interesting examples of the class definition comes during the zoo scene. Yuzo and Masako visit several animals and along the way give the various animals human traits.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZdQbDaFYv__q0VRLodLVE-kDV7KAmqzRLqMibxoey2eC_USnyujD1QMZhm7EfNUq-2ixdP_OVQyM_nLpBy_zw-USRTsS9QgM6tS5mcPEj2XAsg7-kY8YMU-mksZj0dc6wCMU_5fg9js/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4195533.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZdQbDaFYv__q0VRLodLVE-kDV7KAmqzRLqMibxoey2eC_USnyujD1QMZhm7EfNUq-2ixdP_OVQyM_nLpBy_zw-USRTsS9QgM6tS5mcPEj2XAsg7-kY8YMU-mksZj0dc6wCMU_5fg9js/s320/vlcsnap-4195533.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338358261493285314" border="0" /></a>"The world is run by pigs," Yuzo says.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLC3hFay9rJGqQMv8IhNn4d3tOKL9Iq8GPwD1cVvNHcB3HVtVBtklAHkv5LlomOxw9HWLjo0BVenrc9cAY3mOy1iw9VtX7iCHgf-OtwV8S4sO0ewcG19iH-D1ZG0QSqAdgeusYA4v-QzM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4195631.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLC3hFay9rJGqQMv8IhNn4d3tOKL9Iq8GPwD1cVvNHcB3HVtVBtklAHkv5LlomOxw9HWLjo0BVenrc9cAY3mOy1iw9VtX7iCHgf-OtwV8S4sO0ewcG19iH-D1ZG0QSqAdgeusYA4v-QzM/s320/vlcsnap-4195631.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338358317074137586" border="0" /></a>"What a happy couple," Masako says.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"That's because they can sleep in the water," replies Yuzo.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh8C9LqaLX6pH6ABRhWiLG-1Ji04j4fJ7GHdlcexWSZimT5WZw77wg5hoQmPbNkgRAzTIJgMPBMgMwiNKJPdH0Suyeoh-xo89kT6hebkB6aF7_wmPXM2IH1WwsNaR-2Fn1lerBwQbIgE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4196350.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh8C9LqaLX6pH6ABRhWiLG-1Ji04j4fJ7GHdlcexWSZimT5WZw77wg5hoQmPbNkgRAzTIJgMPBMgMwiNKJPdH0Suyeoh-xo89kT6hebkB6aF7_wmPXM2IH1WwsNaR-2Fn1lerBwQbIgE/s320/vlcsnap-4196350.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338358951419158866" border="0" /></a>"What fine coats," Yuzo says.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvlhkkUM4_oXuzcCFKbVfQ7NRhjU277QYZuvQtxVsN0rOREfGLufUgyH7tmiFV2NTXO74XjnkAXpqEpCi9zQMQfERhYZRd_5HriHJPNZcsO1K3aDhokkXg_8f2mTcKb1nuASe8HiScig/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4196438.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvlhkkUM4_oXuzcCFKbVfQ7NRhjU277QYZuvQtxVsN0rOREfGLufUgyH7tmiFV2NTXO74XjnkAXpqEpCi9zQMQfERhYZRd_5HriHJPNZcsO1K3aDhokkXg_8f2mTcKb1nuASe8HiScig/s320/vlcsnap-4196438.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338358383263925490" border="0" /></a>"What a life, being able to survive on paper," Masako says.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAmh1ml5SZCri1mrPC9Fjuvb7l4UkgRwf-rsqr4fR5cWajrS26jE5qEZAOPZwqd8K2J_NveBCENIZJOOvWtIzEDsvgyQ11LjExElibf6dHKvM49CnGz8pXosb8uqdHTUIiVjIYEbSncE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4196851.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAmh1ml5SZCri1mrPC9Fjuvb7l4UkgRwf-rsqr4fR5cWajrS26jE5qEZAOPZwqd8K2J_NveBCENIZJOOvWtIzEDsvgyQ11LjExElibf6dHKvM49CnGz8pXosb8uqdHTUIiVjIYEbSncE/s320/vlcsnap-4196851.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338358467445814290" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Yuzo says the monkeys act like humans are the show.<br /></div><br />The final shot goes along with the monkey remark, as Kurosawa cleverly shoots the couple from behind a fence, making it look like they are the ones who are imprisoned, which indeed they are in their own way.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimahk_2mF7IcbuLDL9MsRAUuJplgVRlLsANYaou9gUzh92vsH10VPkZgjZIlUiUxB7WuyiKfbLyj94Yx9lgXztqf_RBn62NDAGy7XSsCShHieHOMHwA_oG9u6N9sxCmmw5xMvtHHVNDlg/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4197237.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimahk_2mF7IcbuLDL9MsRAUuJplgVRlLsANYaou9gUzh92vsH10VPkZgjZIlUiUxB7WuyiKfbLyj94Yx9lgXztqf_RBn62NDAGy7XSsCShHieHOMHwA_oG9u6N9sxCmmw5xMvtHHVNDlg/s320/vlcsnap-4197237.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338358555504865778" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Like many of Kurosawa's earlier films, it seems as though he is trying to make more of a social statement than a humanist statement.<br /><br />Even Kurosawa's left-leaning ideology is expounded by the characters when they talk of opening a cafe for the masses.<br /><br />But in the end the humanist side does come out. Kurosawa ends this film with a sort of bittersweet optimism. Yuzo has his faith restored in the dream they share, and they hear the music of the Unfinished Symphony.<br /><br />"See you next Sunday," Masako says to Yuzo as she boards her train back home. This represents a solemn reminder that the events of this film could happen anyday and to anyone.<br /><br />Kurosawa often deals with a sort of "life goes on, everything repeats itself" sort of theme, and this film's ending is an excellent example of it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaHVohIOL2lcwo0oHEIX5wtlbP5Ylt4E0nU6vq3Njf4wr5XIEMIpIDW0yEw6E9XhCdSY1dR-AsPVQBm2O9WCEJyLzcqwtahUsaBCCwhr5ZC_0Prc-MAc2XoECNEgasZ80dAF_S9xDbPSM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4235740.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaHVohIOL2lcwo0oHEIX5wtlbP5Ylt4E0nU6vq3Njf4wr5XIEMIpIDW0yEw6E9XhCdSY1dR-AsPVQBm2O9WCEJyLzcqwtahUsaBCCwhr5ZC_0Prc-MAc2XoECNEgasZ80dAF_S9xDbPSM/s320/vlcsnap-4235740.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338362450501511282" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, a discussion of this film would not be complete without talking about Kurosawa's daring experiment.<br /><br />In the scene at the empty amphitheater, Yuzo struggles to find it within himself to hear the music of Shubert's Unfinished Symphony.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL80ZsGzozhHBO2Mg4Xr3T4wjNDoAK2yOAzXbu9-X1dba9QZgpAG8cLTOJ6en76_7UqjRKlmQ4PWRz5ISOj8UVpyeDQJNEreda0lsGhWWdgp1iwEkm44iREkBe7tDdfM_pGlH9L9Ka6RE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4229448.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL80ZsGzozhHBO2Mg4Xr3T4wjNDoAK2yOAzXbu9-X1dba9QZgpAG8cLTOJ6en76_7UqjRKlmQ4PWRz5ISOj8UVpyeDQJNEreda0lsGhWWdgp1iwEkm44iREkBe7tDdfM_pGlH9L9Ka6RE/s320/vlcsnap-4229448.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338359401714559970" border="0" /></a><br />Desperate to raise his hopes Masako turns and addresses the camera directly.<br /><br />Breaking the "fourth wall" Masako pleads to the audience to clap their hands, believing if they do the couple will surely hear the music.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfTXdQAUYLfD0pn16B2P9BeAH58MLS3Ulj7aQLrgGDfgI1fwGNdDEYsz08MLqzX_8CoUcGo-AkAc8WkgwHdpDwKp-xpl3HfMQuY6mVdIDYHO7xhp5g9FW2ro_UHQPG1ahvbT7-DtkJJM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4230066.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfTXdQAUYLfD0pn16B2P9BeAH58MLS3Ulj7aQLrgGDfgI1fwGNdDEYsz08MLqzX_8CoUcGo-AkAc8WkgwHdpDwKp-xpl3HfMQuY6mVdIDYHO7xhp5g9FW2ro_UHQPG1ahvbT7-DtkJJM/s320/vlcsnap-4230066.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338359557952771794" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa's films already have a fair amount of audience participation in the form of simply getting lost in the story. It was his intention to enhance this participation with the audience with this experiment.<br /><br />In his book he says the experiment ultimately failed in Japan, where audiences stook stark still in the theater. Upon its subsequent release in Paris the experiment was incredibly successful and garnered exactly the response Kurosawa was hoping for.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-4933554622756879562009-05-15T20:19:00.001-07:002009-06-24T23:45:03.720-07:00No Regrets for Our Youth (1946)<span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />No Regrets for Our Youth </span>was Kurosawa's fifth film, and his first after the end of World War II. The end of the war was a bit of a godsend for Kurosawa, who during the war produced films that were subjected to the utmost scrutiny by the nationalistic Japanese censors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fHMVll5Hxw3IFbtSOb7v1p7-Jd4sbD7r1n73fykK-V9NpoXdq2x6iL4nSTU0GlMkfYfssyImSGpY_03YjNNFL0Nc69XZdDqi7kEuNRqXG4ohGClftOUQwh9IYISThxYEXC3u-2SyZZw/s1600-h/2000701_box_348x490.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fHMVll5Hxw3IFbtSOb7v1p7-Jd4sbD7r1n73fykK-V9NpoXdq2x6iL4nSTU0GlMkfYfssyImSGpY_03YjNNFL0Nc69XZdDqi7kEuNRqXG4ohGClftOUQwh9IYISThxYEXC3u-2SyZZw/s320/2000701_box_348x490.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337281882349118178" border="0" /></a><br />New censors from the American occupation force would come in to replace the strict Japanese. Although these censors would be far more lenient than the Japanese, they would be quick to deny the release of any film that showed any sort of anti-American sentiment.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">No Regrets </span>is an interesting film among Kurosawa's repertoire due to its strong female lead character. Kurosawa's films generally don't feature women in the main role unlike the films of another Japanese great Kenji Mizoguchi.<br /><br />"Women simply aren't my specialty," Kurosawa once remarked to the legendary Japanese film scholar Donald Richie.<br /><br />Kurosawa states in his autobiography that the title of the film was born out of the popular post-war phrase in newspapers, "No regrets for our ---".<br /><br />The film suffered from two setbacks during production. First, against Kurosawa's will the script was re-written because another script was submitted based on the same story. Second, there was a strike at Toho Studios where the film was being made.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">No Regrets for Our Youth </span>stars one of Japan's most famous actresses and favorite of the director Yasujiro Ozu, Setsuko Hara. Hara plays the lead role of Yukie, the daughter of a Kyoto University professor who was relieved of his job.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJpNVQ9JY1Q8P7qbBsWDMkFFHrkv-dtQNC0DK8QGBv-TYMFGrrHqX-KFq2iNiVa0nmsl0WZk6-u7t8I4TXoDobGOt53REi6BtE-s3L0PahXQyHaethx6leSlc38dGzcA1jJTpQy6xNys/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1736497.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJpNVQ9JY1Q8P7qbBsWDMkFFHrkv-dtQNC0DK8QGBv-TYMFGrrHqX-KFq2iNiVa0nmsl0WZk6-u7t8I4TXoDobGOt53REi6BtE-s3L0PahXQyHaethx6leSlc38dGzcA1jJTpQy6xNys/s320/vlcsnap-1736497.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337265277190369586" border="0" /></a><br />The film takes place over a period of 10 years, beginning in 1933. The film progresses from 1933, to 1938 and then finally to 1941 to the end of the film. These sections act as separate acts within the story, a storytelling technique Kurosawa was fond of.<br /><br />The first act deals more with the social problem aspect of the picture. The students, in their anger over the loss of academic freedom and rise of an expansionist government, take to the street and riot. The students are eventually stopped by the police and the riots stop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EPaQm_OyxLsNmx9TyCEX0jB3z_xg2HjeSXWmUmm3WEeKAl3Mcq9AO5V2c26dqGKZF1HAplBSuh_kWFaF1vYL5sGSVvM_qhjC7gZpMeZiAS4BnjM_8nSWczFgr_yo2vQiRnRdLxfC9MY/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1673594.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EPaQm_OyxLsNmx9TyCEX0jB3z_xg2HjeSXWmUmm3WEeKAl3Mcq9AO5V2c26dqGKZF1HAplBSuh_kWFaF1vYL5sGSVvM_qhjC7gZpMeZiAS4BnjM_8nSWczFgr_yo2vQiRnRdLxfC9MY/s320/vlcsnap-1673594.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337268763693646866" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is the point in the film where the story of Yukie and the two men with whom she is choosing between starts to come to the forefront.<br /><br />Itokawa, driven by his family duty, sheds his activist ways and pursues his education again while Noge, the stronger-willed of the two is arrested for his work.<br /><br />In 1938 Yukie is 25 and still living at home, but she has become restless. Yukie's father has begun to give free legal advice. When Itokawa brings a newly freed Noge back to visit Yukie, old feelings are again brought up in her.<br /><br />After they leave Yukie resolves to move to Tokyo. This is where the film jumps another few years up to 1941. Yukie has begun working in Tokyo when she happens to run into Itokawa who tells her Noge is now working and living in Tokyo as an activist against the government.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIwG1CmLO9KoN9J9bqd8GnkqDhQTEAnzjdYV8-T4WH8ldbUaRhRC1qa1rpozcgdQjLx3EPeflaflxCV6YJJgZ4We1Y1KdlYCtiAQr1NJhCkUBfRqbepqmExRnDY8mXmYW34xM4oIpIl0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1682429.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIwG1CmLO9KoN9J9bqd8GnkqDhQTEAnzjdYV8-T4WH8ldbUaRhRC1qa1rpozcgdQjLx3EPeflaflxCV6YJJgZ4We1Y1KdlYCtiAQr1NJhCkUBfRqbepqmExRnDY8mXmYW34xM4oIpIl0/s320/vlcsnap-1682429.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337269136016100386" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yukie is reluctant to see Noge but he eventually finds her sulking in front of his workplace. After a discussion of the dangers of Noge's work they decide to wed.<br /><br />Noge is eventually ambushed by police and eventually dies in his cell before his trial can take place.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV26GIcHF8ivtLZVKZmJgPCY6msotaXH34GbemzeeHUBzjrwig-qrw-yUIyWCLl3NW14Cnu3I3SRFe1t13Pt0pf1Ci46MZiNyCVkfUmhLIi-eD2uu3SuX-_w05lRjDTQlYzUsQMdRj8N0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1705211.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV26GIcHF8ivtLZVKZmJgPCY6msotaXH34GbemzeeHUBzjrwig-qrw-yUIyWCLl3NW14Cnu3I3SRFe1t13Pt0pf1Ci46MZiNyCVkfUmhLIi-eD2uu3SuX-_w05lRjDTQlYzUsQMdRj8N0/s320/vlcsnap-1705211.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337269306179464610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A distraught Yukie decides it is her duty to go to Noge's parents. His parents have been leading a life in solitude, going out in the night to do their work for fear they will be chastized over what their son has done.<br /><br />Yukie begins to work in the fields with Noge's mother where they eventually bond. After the war Yukie chooses to remain in the village with Noge's parents, seeing herself as an activist within the community.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WFMNAECDZxUitjmVVZQH08qiQipTCnLMLLo6xzOncNAOyIbzfrb7Duc-Jc8ns0aPByMVOXcgnCKSkg47_SZJFF9zKNyUaSnQAchslKfoqKjB9DBBEwnXMvIapUgWOZSIHGCqM06ZIXo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1720581.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WFMNAECDZxUitjmVVZQH08qiQipTCnLMLLo6xzOncNAOyIbzfrb7Duc-Jc8ns0aPByMVOXcgnCKSkg47_SZJFF9zKNyUaSnQAchslKfoqKjB9DBBEwnXMvIapUgWOZSIHGCqM06ZIXo/s320/vlcsnap-1720581.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337269517009889250" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yukie's father is reinstated at the university as well, and makes a call to the students to remember what Noge has done.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpg98dT66i9NTzZ_GT62TTrmf34TNY34zgjKnBu5mVJ18w04WQG_5ym8tdDRP20L6GdTGDQJl8RBVj33tuk9-mt2KF6ZVLgnWzD19Jm3SrImVSuJc5JEf20xPA69NmKoCqAZ8fhYoSo4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1733206.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpg98dT66i9NTzZ_GT62TTrmf34TNY34zgjKnBu5mVJ18w04WQG_5ym8tdDRP20L6GdTGDQJl8RBVj33tuk9-mt2KF6ZVLgnWzD19Jm3SrImVSuJc5JEf20xPA69NmKoCqAZ8fhYoSo4/s320/vlcsnap-1733206.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337269647713850866" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>Even with the problems that the picture suffered during production, the film still conveys a powerful message.<br /><br />Visually the film does not stand out among Kurosawa's work, but there are glipses of shots and style that Kurosawa would use in later pictures.<br /><br />One example is during the first act when the students are rioted. The audience is presented with a montage of students taking to the streets mixed with shots of newspaper headlines that Kurosawa would later employ in his 1960 film <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bad Sleep Well</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30pL9NIu-bLwRfYHaQW7pbmb1PkUXwbh13wxUkj6sjkTvhU1f3bLM6cdUG03E8XgZrCTMnhLXEUnZ9GxBatGWlSHYi3dS9_VRVsZUbnNU9NkvW50Hm37cW0Di1pJJACA-E0dOyW9L9bs/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1674249.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30pL9NIu-bLwRfYHaQW7pbmb1PkUXwbh13wxUkj6sjkTvhU1f3bLM6cdUG03E8XgZrCTMnhLXEUnZ9GxBatGWlSHYi3dS9_VRVsZUbnNU9NkvW50Hm37cW0Di1pJJACA-E0dOyW9L9bs/s320/vlcsnap-1674249.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337270846351886882" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa also uses some not so subtle symbolism in <span style="font-style: italic;">No Regrets </span>as well. While Yukie is learning flower arrangement in Tokyo she suddenly plugs all of the flowers from her bowl and begins to tear off three pedals representing herself, Itokawa and Noge. She proceeds to throw these pedals into the bowl, saying that the previous arrangement wasn't a true showing of her expression.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIK9bkvMPVPKYE3O8Lb4o4Z-LELMh4i0jhO4PndtUam12jHQ7BiWlNSiRUqCfKMbFMSoO_rLyNCiwhGuZBTUkv9B8RfVLQyydaYErKQhrtP22tYsX_B26gRchBqHqCFli5Derb840xwE/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1682770.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIK9bkvMPVPKYE3O8Lb4o4Z-LELMh4i0jhO4PndtUam12jHQ7BiWlNSiRUqCfKMbFMSoO_rLyNCiwhGuZBTUkv9B8RfVLQyydaYErKQhrtP22tYsX_B26gRchBqHqCFli5Derb840xwE/s320/vlcsnap-1682770.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337273111105376322" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Also, when Yukie is pleading with Noge's parents to stay with them and work, a high angle shot of Yukie's hands is superimposed with a similarly angled shot of two farming tools with finger-like claws.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINOE8ptvFv4S1w9kqDtw4DL0wNxUFQZFv4rF0vsC_2QVt2PKSkNRVZtL95X34E3I2YDa1D6zTcHbNEMO-jcb6LsyGfP29TdkW84xM5a6NELwLBqbQ6Jz0OHHvdxE3SakI3pcYqus4GAM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1718063.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINOE8ptvFv4S1w9kqDtw4DL0wNxUFQZFv4rF0vsC_2QVt2PKSkNRVZtL95X34E3I2YDa1D6zTcHbNEMO-jcb6LsyGfP29TdkW84xM5a6NELwLBqbQ6Jz0OHHvdxE3SakI3pcYqus4GAM/s320/vlcsnap-1718063.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337273244629625682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Another example of this superimposition technique that began with the French Impressionist film movement occurs when Yukie is interrogated and subsequently imprisoned. While she is sitting in her cell, a clock pendulum is superimposed sweeping accross the frame, intensyfying the time going by.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvajzUtVIx_Wlj_kIM9U7anvJcZvMRdA67DB7WmabQKYWtAoG0xAJsWlZaCsjiR5RgthoZFnrPmf8daF3cv25d9yAW0ImesCLeaF_-Zay5k6J4EeDlhcbqZkoGR6q8FBgQsCWTl97fhN0/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1707026.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvajzUtVIx_Wlj_kIM9U7anvJcZvMRdA67DB7WmabQKYWtAoG0xAJsWlZaCsjiR5RgthoZFnrPmf8daF3cv25d9yAW0ImesCLeaF_-Zay5k6J4EeDlhcbqZkoGR6q8FBgQsCWTl97fhN0/s320/vlcsnap-1707026.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337273394501821138" border="0" /></a><br />One more sequence shows Yukie's emotions represented through this technique. When she is conflicted about whather or not to see Noge when Itokawa brings him to visit she is shown either gripping a door handle or pressing herself against a door.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5CsDI709d5MpsHfKVzfQ6nZJrRxaChyECnCzgxpb-hvWkTBtfpx7g8U9kA2YsRkE_vQ8gTZHlficCk6QomceScUS3X2WHGFfUIz6lqqC5yJARwiM4IdB6ysKgmAGB5FOWOx9sVGvEUI/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1687369.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5CsDI709d5MpsHfKVzfQ6nZJrRxaChyECnCzgxpb-hvWkTBtfpx7g8U9kA2YsRkE_vQ8gTZHlficCk6QomceScUS3X2WHGFfUIz6lqqC5yJARwiM4IdB6ysKgmAGB5FOWOx9sVGvEUI/s320/vlcsnap-1687369.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337284505556263394" border="0" /></a><br />The use of this technique may have come out of Kurosawa's love of silent films. In the silents, it was almost always only the visuals that could be used to convey emotions. Kurosawa would later explore his love of silent film in <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon</span>.<br /><br />Another important technique in conveying emotion is music. Music would become much more important to Kurosawa a few films after <span style="font-style: italic;">No Regrets</span>. In <span style="font-style: italic;">No Regrets</span> the music works as film music does in most other films, merely to add an emotional note to a film or to punctuate a scene.<br /><br />This is true for the non-diegetic (soundtrack) but not always for the diegetic (music played in the film world). For example, when Yukie plays the piano, she plays what she feels. The first time she plays she is expressing her anger over the situation with the students and her father. The second time she plays a sad song that turns angry, showing her confliction. Finally, in one of the last scenes, she looks down at her hands she comments on how they are no longer fit for the piano, they are merely workers hands now.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsKtT__Fw5ASuJs9VclQbsPN5nl5YkrniCxPjTtH3pJbZW6AnLqMS2jVQ_9aGO-r8XdPWiTAU0fC4YiSdm9sEo2e2g6L7weJ40CwRFbP6FEBQ8ZpL9eQuyxpUBX_PiqhFovdhjOCKM98/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1730075.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsKtT__Fw5ASuJs9VclQbsPN5nl5YkrniCxPjTtH3pJbZW6AnLqMS2jVQ_9aGO-r8XdPWiTAU0fC4YiSdm9sEo2e2g6L7weJ40CwRFbP6FEBQ8ZpL9eQuyxpUBX_PiqhFovdhjOCKM98/s320/vlcsnap-1730075.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337274828275665378" border="0" /></a><br />Transformation is another main theme of the film. With the passage of time, Yukie and others begin to change.<br /><br />"People change a lot in five years," Itokawa says before telling Yukie she is becoming more ladylike. Yukie does go through numerous physical and emotional transformations throughout the film.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqin9jSMDyDcSObjM_nHanTcllFCoVxLMxdHotmsTYNmSFru-bJKg9RFaEhhiifDlHJrASulscm1aW7buFZ21LAo4hL-5Zbzb9fKMBvTolUttttJWsr-FzFlyLrY-UukBwvSE20WhmTA/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1668294.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqin9jSMDyDcSObjM_nHanTcllFCoVxLMxdHotmsTYNmSFru-bJKg9RFaEhhiifDlHJrASulscm1aW7buFZ21LAo4hL-5Zbzb9fKMBvTolUttttJWsr-FzFlyLrY-UukBwvSE20WhmTA/s320/vlcsnap-1668294.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337278275493976498" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCN2U7pKF6bo2xR1efguc1fJnfeENzEgT9K32IA3IEOb6Tosdwa9sL8phjkFNQkCyuQEWti0_KRJ9Ja88eCRfAU1bNGTy22kbesYNVBFjXa_Srj65M7CF6I7tUUDA6-I3mH1GZNiRRq84/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1670485.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCN2U7pKF6bo2xR1efguc1fJnfeENzEgT9K32IA3IEOb6Tosdwa9sL8phjkFNQkCyuQEWti0_KRJ9Ja88eCRfAU1bNGTy22kbesYNVBFjXa_Srj65M7CF6I7tUUDA6-I3mH1GZNiRRq84/s320/vlcsnap-1670485.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337278390729183618" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fsrQU2HcCtZOYU_7Y_4qbs59AvxyL-wy85COGZ0ec8gX5yfB0z0LiJr_lHUKCZxXxB-tsQi-9AX3u_9U8cPcyrGhnbyJyCfhqWl5rFt1QOoMQePE-Hm2u6gJchRIMpMJfdLxHfJbAYk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1719978.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fsrQU2HcCtZOYU_7Y_4qbs59AvxyL-wy85COGZ0ec8gX5yfB0z0LiJr_lHUKCZxXxB-tsQi-9AX3u_9U8cPcyrGhnbyJyCfhqWl5rFt1QOoMQePE-Hm2u6gJchRIMpMJfdLxHfJbAYk/s320/vlcsnap-1719978.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337278532607011218" border="0" /></a><br />Yukie certainly does what Noge told her she needed to do in the beginning of the film, which is to grow up.<br /><br />When they finally do marry and begin to live in a home of their own, Kurosawa shows several shots of flowers, signaling a re-birth in their lives.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpeCR8kb0ztPs9IylQ6FeHfqFJ5DANEmj6yxCDZlp1XUc9l-f4Yxmd8Sv5bInqkaMnv2O1ywBF_SFNofKXzkr56h68M9UeTYjemrr4ZbjnckGf8vJUxYi5uCGniELUKd7ehoUqu55rxo/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1700806.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpeCR8kb0ztPs9IylQ6FeHfqFJ5DANEmj6yxCDZlp1XUc9l-f4Yxmd8Sv5bInqkaMnv2O1ywBF_SFNofKXzkr56h68M9UeTYjemrr4ZbjnckGf8vJUxYi5uCGniELUKd7ehoUqu55rxo/s320/vlcsnap-1700806.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337282698839861762" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa is quick to point out that not all is well in their lives, as he presents several scenes of Yukie breaking down while sewing a kimono for Noge and watching a funny movie in a theater.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Ucmd02TYeGqutqpqLYxsWuOmBLXmU_Q-JxbwxCqgzrljk6A0qvAId3SicFdkcxq_n85w4lUHHBfhMw2TwTXm2hr_cUXgNMpvSOtXuGcU3eZzWUo7Z-0bp3QkTez5h_74EYt8QuGtjF4/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1785511.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Ucmd02TYeGqutqpqLYxsWuOmBLXmU_Q-JxbwxCqgzrljk6A0qvAId3SicFdkcxq_n85w4lUHHBfhMw2TwTXm2hr_cUXgNMpvSOtXuGcU3eZzWUo7Z-0bp3QkTez5h_74EYt8QuGtjF4/s320/vlcsnap-1785511.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337283710877204482" border="0" /></a><br />The American censors must have loved this film. Its themes of winning freedom of speech and expression must have certainly resonated with their goals for the newly occupied country.<br /><br />While many of the characters' personas are not set in stone throughout the movie, the wartime Japanese government and police force are portrayed as the lowest of the low.<br /><br />The latter is represented by Kurosawa regular Takashi Shimura as the police chief who takes pleasure in delivering what he calls "good news" about the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2OTq5_330rTBdtYA1bylvejFEZhS9gEudvF4t4MYEqONLvyc49weiRGvxsuIeAqWL22zd7qCjWoPnXsC10g0ntnb6MVN-4xSZKocNX9Ce0V7fALa9dM7xOmLGVV1sqmmW9rk3YyxUIQ/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1708793.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2OTq5_330rTBdtYA1bylvejFEZhS9gEudvF4t4MYEqONLvyc49weiRGvxsuIeAqWL22zd7qCjWoPnXsC10g0ntnb6MVN-4xSZKocNX9Ce0V7fALa9dM7xOmLGVV1sqmmW9rk3YyxUIQ/s320/vlcsnap-1708793.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337277031714136258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Although the film moves from the social to the more Kurosawa-like humanistic side by focusing on Yukie, the message of freedom from opression is still clear in the end.<br /><br />This is opitimized in the titles before the final scenes that say, "The war is lost but freedom is restored."<br /><br />There is another message that is more important for Kurosawa in this picture, however. That one is contained within the title. Several times in the movie Yukie and Noge discuss how they have no regrets. Noge even has a saying, "No regrets in my life."<br /><br />Throughout the film Yukie continues to forge on, never looking back. She too has no regrets. When Itokawa comes to visit Yukie at Noge's parents' home he tells Yukie that Noge went down the wrong path, a claim that angers Yukie who promptly defends Noge and sends Itokawa away.<br /><br />In the end Yukie takes on a tremendous sense of duty. A duty not only to her dead husband, but to his family and their community. Even though she has done her duty by staying with his family, she resigns to remain with them.<br /><br />In one of the final shots Yukie stands at the edge of the water surrounding the mountain that she visited at the beginning of the film. She stands solemly, looking out over the water, before boarding a truck back to the village.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfcNA7txUpQS-lEjDgWZF2JGY1fRzCluhg4CA1SOsBYV45Omw2w6dkOojYvkO2Y8XmowufL0VPkRVVYJR__No19iQCodkQ6qYFu_kkHMObUtYJozeIsk5Jwq6I81lb7XcWlIOqCEtQqM/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1735193.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfcNA7txUpQS-lEjDgWZF2JGY1fRzCluhg4CA1SOsBYV45Omw2w6dkOojYvkO2Y8XmowufL0VPkRVVYJR__No19iQCodkQ6qYFu_kkHMObUtYJozeIsk5Jwq6I81lb7XcWlIOqCEtQqM/s320/vlcsnap-1735193.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337281269083117762" border="0" /></a><br /><br />She sends the message that through perseverance and duty you can overcome hardships and obtain freedom. But in the end, with Yukie bonded to the village and family that she has sworn to serve, is she really free?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZh9lQOYsfNctuIWaU-mzwK-NIVxpwS5_1R4kAwI1E_gAd2Pe5bPsXU4Cu8mFzz2ec9ry7g_V1pWLzabWgwPEnVtL6d0mbeVf8PtmE2LQdYT9TIYNbjyhQ2leBaavSz4ucmPx7tgIbTk/s1600-h/vlcsnap-1736115.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZh9lQOYsfNctuIWaU-mzwK-NIVxpwS5_1R4kAwI1E_gAd2Pe5bPsXU4Cu8mFzz2ec9ry7g_V1pWLzabWgwPEnVtL6d0mbeVf8PtmE2LQdYT9TIYNbjyhQ2leBaavSz4ucmPx7tgIbTk/s320/vlcsnap-1736115.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337281407319774738" border="0" /></a><br />Kurosawa never says more than that the last 20 minutes of the film were what was re-written, but perhaps this was the contradiction he was seeking to avoid.Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-649886679185747986.post-71565051107155670682009-05-15T16:12:00.000-07:002010-04-21T21:47:20.570-07:00Introduction<span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >About the blog:<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Until his film <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon </span>won the Grand Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 1951, the films of Akira Kurosawa (and all of Japan for that matter) were almost completely unknown to the West.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" > </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Many<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>of his films were not seen in the West until decades after they were released in Japan.<br /><br />Since 1984 the Criterion Collection has been releasing films on home video; first on laser-disc, then on DVD and now just recently on Blu-ray disc.<br /><br />16 of Akira Kurosawa's films have been released by the Criterion Collection, with an additional 5 that have been released by their budget line of DVDs called the Eclipse Series.<br /><br />Thanks to the Criterion Collection, this blog is possible. I am completely indebted to them for both stimulating my interest in foreign film, and for increasing my knowledge on the rich history of the medium.<br /><br />It is my intention with this blog to publish both a detailed analysis and background of each one of Akira Kurosawa's films released by the Criterion Collection.<br /><br />Kurosawa's films have affected my career very much, and his films continue to both educate and inspire me, and I would like to share that with all who read this blog.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">About the blogger:<br /><br /></span>Kevan Smoliak was born on Sept. 3, 1987 in Eden Prairie, Minn. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with degrees in Journalism and Studies in Cinema and Media Culture.<br /><br />He works as a manager at the St. Anthony Main Theatre and part time for the non-profit group Minnesota Film Arts.<br /><br />He first heard of Kurosawa when he began to broaden his knowledge of the film world. He had heard of the film <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Samurai </span>but had no real intention of seeing it any time soon, passing off Japanese film as an inferior product to domestic films.<br /><br />In one of his films classes at the UofM he learned that he was to be watching Kurosawa's <span style="font-style: italic;">Rashomon</span>. He immediately took to the film and the director and pursued this interest by purchasing Kurosawa's film released by the Criterion Collection. This has led him to this blog.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">About the Subject:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Akira Kurosawa was born on March 23, 1910 in a suburb of Tokyo, Japan. He was the youngest of 8 children born of Isamu and Shima Kurosawa. His family had a history of great samurai.<br /><br />His father was an athletics teacher and, according to Kurosawa in his autobiography, built the very first swimming pool ever in Japan.<br /><br />Kurosawa was encouraged by his father to go to the movies, and he was not the first to enter the industry. His older brother Heigo was one of the most famous <span style="font-style: italic;">benshi</span> in Japan. It was the job of the <span style="font-style: italic;">benshi </span>at movie theaters to narrate both the action and provide the dialogue for silent films. With the coming of sound, the <span style="font-style: italic;">benshi </span>were beginning to lose their jobs. Heigo would later lead a strike by the <span style="font-style: italic;">benshi</span>. The strike did not succeed and Heigo would later take his own life.<br /><br />Kurosawa, in the meantime, attempted a career as a painter. When that failed he proceeded to respond on a whim to an ad in a newspaper for an assistant director job at the company PCL (which later became Toho studios).<br /><br />Kurosawa wrote an essay for the application and after an interview was accepted to the job. He went on to work with then famous director Kajiro Yamamoto, a man who had a profound influence on Kurosawa's work as a director.<br /><br />Many more experiences would affect Akira Kurosawa throughout his life, but to fully capture it would require me to write an entire biography of the man. This was merely a brief preface to his life prior to beginning his career as a full-fledged film director.<br /><br />From 1943 to 1993, Kurosawa directed 30 films. Perhaps this quote by admirer Francis Ford Coppola sums up Kurosawa's work best.<br /><br />"</span></span>One thing that distinguishes Akira Kurosawa is that he didn't make a masterpiece or two masterpieces, he made, you know, eight masterpieces."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></span></span>Kevan Smoliakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04127406326909429550noreply@blogger.com