Ikiru is a rare winner as a character study, but kurosawas method to getting watanabe to find his way is roundabout to the point of being inexplicable at times. The film examines the struggles of a minor tokyo bureaucrat and his final quest for meaning. Ikiru, meaning to live or living, was directed by akira kurosawa in 1952 under toho productions. The film also became central to the anitkurosawa backlash led by certain auteur critics bent on attacking the notion that the importance of a film had any connection with the importance of its subject. Anderson, lindsay, 2 inches off the ground, in sight and sound. Don, editor, the complete works of akira kurosawa, tokyo, 1971. An intimate film that follows an old man dying of stomach cancer as he attempts to find a reason to live. This contemporary drama from akira kurosawa, better known for such sweeping samurai epics as the seven samurai 1954, is arguably his best film and the most articulate vision of his existential philosophy. It is by no means comprehensive none of kurosawas works from the 1940s are represented but the tracks selected are a strong overview of the directors career. Takashi shimura in ikiru 1952 ikiru 1952 miki odagiri and takashi shimura in ikiru 1952. Ikiru 1952, 143 min, pg directed by akira kurosawa. Movies i need to see to complete the imdb top 250 2011 and get the badge.
Akira kurosawa considers japanese postwar reconstruction an opportunity to build a more equal society. Released in 1952, kurosawas film remains one of the most powerful and moving films ever made. Kanji watanabe has served in a monotonous bureaucratic position in city hall for 30 years, providing for a son who only seems to care about his money. This section of ikiru becomes compelling and ironic thanks to kurosawas deft depiction of watanabes inner state in the first half. Cinematography and miseenscene akira kurosawas ikiru to live, 1952 is a film about a man, kanji watanabe, who learns he only has about six months to live due to stomach cancer.
Shinobu hashimoto, a screenwriter whose creative partnership with director akira kurosawa helped launch japanese cinema to international prominence. Leave ikiru and films like it to the true lovers of cinema. The other masterstroke kurosawa employed for ikiru was his idea for the films final 40 or so minutes an extended wake for watanabe, after his passing, at which a gathering of family and work associates including the deputy mayor reflect on the deceaseds achievements during the. The films protagonist seems to spring directly from the writings of jeanpaul sartre or leo tolstoys the death of ivan ilych. The film, widely recognized as one of kurosawas masterpieces, must be understood within its historical and cultural contexts. The film music of akira kurosawa contains tracks from a selection of the film directors bestknown films, with the exception of the groundbreaking rashomon.
Kurosawas story telling skills are sublime, and he has surpassed himself with this movie. The film examines the struggles of a terminally ill tokyo bureaucrat and his final quest for meaning. One of the greatest achievements by akira kurosawa, ikiru shows the director at his most compassionateaffirming life through an exploration of death. Ikirus kanji watanabe demonstrates the individuals ability to fight corruption and poverty. Upon learning he has terminal stomach cancer, a lowlevel government bureaucrat takashi shimura leaves his job of thirty years without a word to find meaning in the year he has left to live. Ikiru, to live is a 1952 japanese drama film directed and cowritten by akira kurosawa and starring takashi shimura.
The slow pace and ditto camera movements except in the night with mephistofeles where all is logically much more frantic enhances the. Ikiru to live is a 1952 film by akira kurosawa about the death of a petty bureaucrat. After a brief screening in california in 1956, where it was renamed doomed, ikiru was finally given a proper official release in america in early 1960. Ikiru trailer 1956 akira kurosawas ikiru details the existential struggle of one ordinary man in his desperate search for purpose.
Be sure to give the other analysis videos a look and share thoughts. The social commentary, especially in the third act, is spot on. The creator of such timeless masterpieces as rashomon, ikiru, seven samurai, yojimbo, and high and low, akira kurosawa is one of the most influential and beloved filmmakers who ever livedand for many the greatest artist the medium has known. The best extra on this disc, which is also found on the second disc in the set, is from tohos own region 2 release of ikiru from the masterworks series. Ikiru is a bit of a mixed bag, though, thought a masterpiece by some and deemed confusing and meandering by others. The only way to make a film like this leave you with a particularly effective message is to have a filmmaker like kurosawa. Or, to put it another way, we have seen what is realwatanabe and his reactions to his approaching death. The criterion collection on dvd 7155151612 from criterion. Ikiru is an amazing movie, and probably my new favorite of its respective decade. His writing is tender and affectionate towards his pathetic elderly protagonist that you cannot help but feel sorry for this lonely old man. There is currently one video available for the film, of which one and only one is a trailer, as listed below. You may not agree that some of these movies are not philosophical movies. Ikiru 1952 akira kurosawa synopsis, characteristics.
You have posted almost all of the most popular works of kurosawa lately. Dec 22, 2016 released in 1952, kurosawas film remains one of the most powerful and moving films ever made. The ten commandments 1956 full movie english disk 1. The following is an overview of 1956 in film, including significant events, a list of films released and notable births and deaths.
Ikiru means to live and thats the exhilarating and heartwarming feeling you get after watching this loving masterpiece from kurosawa. Jenny jones heroism in ikiru akira kurosawas films often feature a protagonist who defies social conventions and seeks to redress a wrongdoing. Now, on the occasion of the centenary of his birth, the criterion collection is proud to present this deluxe box set celebrating his astonishing career. The film was also screened in the 1954 berlin international film festival. In the united states, the film was shown for a short time in california in 1956, under the title doomed. How about some of his works which popular audience may not be that familiar with, yet they provide a great detail about the japanese society. The black and white photography is simply beautiful, and takashi shimuras lead performance as watanabe is something to marvel over. Ikiru opens with an xray of watanabea literal manifestation of his interior world. It opened as ikiru in new york city on 29 january 1960. In japanese w english subtitles kanji watanabe is a bureaucrat who has pretty much wasted thirty years of his mundane life. Nonton movie ikiru 1952 subtitle indonesia indomovie. Kurosawa, with the help of hashimoto and oguni, wrote the screenplay for the black and white film at age 42. There is currently one video available for the film, of which one and.
And what a tourdeforce, the experience still holds up as well as i remembered. His collaboration with whit stillman barcelona, the last days of disco which began in 1993, brought him international acclaim. I went to the movie because it was playing in a campus film series and only cost a quarter. Movies i need to see to complete the imdb top 250 1999 and get the badge. Around the world in 80 days won the academy award for best picture. Interviews with b science fiction and horror movie makers. Kenny, don, editor, the complete works of akira kurosawa, tokyo, 1971. The affirmation is found in the moral message of the film, which, in turn, is contained in the title. Jenny jones class differences in ikiru twentiethcentury japan maintained a hierarchical, classoriented society. Akira kurosawas ikiru details the existential struggle of one ordinary man in his desperate search for purpose. The most devastating part is that he has led a truly meaningless and monotonous life. Akira kurosawa considers japanese postwar reconstruction an. Ikiru is a wellacted and deeply moving humanist tale about a man facing his own mortality, one of legendary director akira kurosawas most intimate films.
Ikiru to live is regarded by many critics as one of the finest works in the history of the cinema. The film was released in japan in 1951, but in the united states only in 1963. Scifi movies 1956 every scifi movie coming out in 1956. In ikiru 1952, the central character kanji watanabe takashi shimura spends the remaining months of his life fighting the bureaucratic system. Upon learning he has terminal stomach cancer, a lowlevel government bureaucrat leaves his job of thirty years without a word to find meaning in. Within each city, different sections represented varying classes, incomes, and social standings. Released in the united states in 1956, the film was cowritten, directed, and edited by kurosawa and has consistently been referenced in other films along with ranking high on all the biggest top lists. How does a man revitalize his life after learning his impending death is not an original premise, but kurosawa and his writing team ingeniously split the narrative. Jan 05, 2004 in ikiru it is important that the second half becomes posthumous, because much of the irony of the film results from a wrong assessment of watanabes actions made by others after his death. Ikiru, to live is a 1952 japanese film cowritten and directed by akira kurosawa. Rating is available when the video has been rented. Unfortunately, the distributor chose a highly tacky method in which to advertise and promote the film. He is completely alone in the world his wife is dead, his son is practically estranged.
True story of a british attempt to trick the enemy into weakening sicilys defenses before the 1943 attack, using a dead man with faked papers. Upon learning he has terminal stomach cancer, a lowlevel government bureaucrat leaves his job of thirty years without a word to find meaning in the year he has left to live. Theres no need to worry about them, theyll always have pirates of the carribbean, theyll always have the matrix. These movies have a tendency to expand our thinking. Jul 22, 2018 shinobu hashimoto, a screenwriter whose creative partnership with director akira kurosawa helped launch japanese cinema to international prominence in the 1950s, died july 19 at his home in tokyo. At the beginning of ikiru, a middleaged japanese civil servant discovers that he is dying. The film was not released internationally until 1960, maybe because it was thought too japanese, but in fact it is universal. Video archive for the film ikiru, which has a domestic theatrical release in the year of 1956. Ikiru, to live is a 1952 japanese drama film directed and cowritten by akira. In the united states, the film was shown for a short time in california in 1956, under the. Ikiru which means to live or living, a film that from scene one follows a middleaged mans crucial and inescapable confrontation with death, is an unsettled debt that the protagonist is bound to after decades of a weary and muted existence.
Takashi shimura beautifully portrays kanji watanabe, an aging bureaucrat with stomach cancer who is impelled to find meaning in his final days. While many of his works are masterpieces, not all of them maintain that excellence. Ikiru is the most humane film of this grand humanist. Our social interaction with one another, power of the mind, life and death, the dreaming world, time and space. The rest of the section, through a tourdeforce of impressionistic and expressionistic cinematic devices, shows watanabes slow. With clifton webb, gloria grahame, robert flemyng, josephine griffin. Many people today, especially young kids, would find it boring. The film poster featured the stripper seen briefly in the film, rather than watanabe. Ikiru films also coproduced alejandro gonzalez inarritus biutiful 2010 with menage atroz and mod producciones, for which javier bardem won the best actor award at cannes, as well as sonke wortmanns pope joan 2009 with constantin film and medusa film. May 15, 2017 you have posted almost all of the most popular works of kurosawa lately.
The rest of the film tells the tale of what he does with the final bit of life left to him, having wasted as he sees it the previous decades. Ikiru 1952 shows the activities and desires of a crosssection of citizens, from a young workingclass woman to a mayor. I begin my year1952 filmwatching marathon with a rewatch of akira kurosawas masterpiece ikiru. Told in two parts, akira kurosawas ikiru offers watanabes quest in the present, and then through a series. Jul 19, 2008 ikiru 1952, 143 min, pg directed by akira kurosawa. Oct 31, 2009 ikiru trailer 1956 akira kurosawas ikiru details the existential struggle of one ordinary man in his desperate search for purpose. S ometimes i think of my death, kurosawa has written.
1029 699 676 96 1130 395 1065 912 1289 187 195 885 1501 1447 1015 885 69 1357 1538 872 1281 892 274 1376 1114 1217 583 794 215 916