The increasing sophistication of Somalia’s pirates and their relationship with the local population – forming co-operatives that invest in and protect their communities – puts me in mind of JM Coetzee’s recent Diary of a Bad Year, in which he discusses the film The Seven Samurai and what it says about formation of statehood…

The Kurosawan story of the origin of the state is still played out in our times in Africa, where gangs of armed men grab power—that is to say, annex the national treasury and the mechanisms of taxing the population—do away with their rivals, and proclaim Year One. Though these African military gangs are often no larger or more powerful than the organized criminal gangs of Asia or Eastern Europe, their activities are respectfully covered in the media—even the Western media—under the heading of politics (world affairs) rather than crime.

A Somali pirate remake of The Seven Samurai? Now that’s a movie I’d like to see.

If you’ve seen Seven Samurai, Ran, Sanjuro, Rashomon, and Yojimbo and I ask you if you’ve seen Akira Kurosawa’s greatest films and you say yes then you are definitely wrong. You missed one film and Ikiru is a gem that you need to watch and see.

Why? You may say. Well, it is an incredible journey of a dying government employee who tried to make a difference by creating a landmark in his area. The journey also entails that a dying man’s final wish is to enjoy the final moments of his life.

Philosophically, I believe this film hit the right spot. Being part of the government, there is a certain stigma that government officials are known to be slow workers and the government offices are filled with red tape; I guess that is quite true already. And a dying man would want to change his life by doing a 180 degree turn, by living the life, and by making a difference.

Though aside from the film’s portrayal of the changes made by the main protagonist, the realistic part kicks in and the pessimism of the government employees eventually shows even if there was a certain idolization in the life the main protagonist has provided to them. Again, reality kicks in; as the real change comes from within us and the people around us are just reminders on what we have to do, good or bad.

Despite the hardship of one’s being, if you find your real peace of mind, you won’t have to worry about anything else, even dying. And that’s why this film is a masterpiece.

Estoy segura que para muchos de vosotros es una magnífica noticia. Hace años que esperábamos en España la distribución de dos de las obras claves en la filmografía de Kiyoshi Kurosawa: Loft (2005) y Séance (2000), ambas consideradas continuacines de la magistral estela de terror iniciada con Cure (1997). Hace unos meses solo era un sueño, pero hoy ya puedo anunciaros a todos los incondicionales fans del prestigioso director japonés que es una realidad: desde esta misma semana ya están disponibles en DVD ambas obras y todo gracias al acuerdo al que ha sido capaz de llegar Mediatres Estudio con la productora coreana Mirovisión.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa

No confundir, por favor, con el legendario Akira Kurosawa (ambos solo coinciden en el apellido). Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Kobe, 1955) es, desde que en 1997 su película Cure (1997) circulara por el circuito de festivales, uno de los directores orientales de moda. Este director nipón ha sido protagonista en los últimos años de retrospectivas y homenajes que llevan desde su propio continente asiático (Hong Kong) al continente americano (L.A., Nueva York, Toronto), pasando por Europa (París, Sitges por partida doble), además de convertirse en otro más de los fijos en los festivales de cine grandes (Venecia, Cannes, Berlín, Toronto).

Sus películas llegan a nuestras manos como cuentagotas. Y eso lo demuestra el tiempo que hemos tenido que esperar para que fuesen distribuidas en nuestro país películas tan significativas como Loft y Séance. Ambas magníficos ejemplos del género que tanto ha hecho triunfar a Kurosawa: el TERROR.

Loft está protagonizada por Etsushi Toyokawa (Hula Girls) y Miki Nakatani (Ring), y cuenta la historia de Reiko, una escritora que se traslada a una casa en las afueras en la que espera poder acabar la novela romántica que le ha encargado su editor. En su nuevo hogar se pondrá en contacto con un profesor de arqueología, una momia milenaria y toda suerte de enigmáticos sucesos. Congelando todavía más su tempo habitual, Kurosawa vuelve a penetrar en los terrores de la existencia y la incertidumbre que crea la muerte con un thriller sobrenatural, abrupto y fragmentado, que resume buena parte de sus ambiciones artísticas y narrativas.

Por su parte, Séance está protagonizada por Koji Yakusho (Cure), actor fetiche de Kurosawa, y nos presenta a Koji y Junco, un matrimonio en apariencia normal; él es técnico de sonido, y ella… tiene poderes extrasensoriales. Un día en que Koji va al bosque a grabar unos sonidos, una niña que huye de un secuestrador se esconde en su maleta sin que él se de cuenta. La policía acude a Junco para que use sus poderes para descubrir dónde está la niña, pero Junco presiente que la niña se encuentra en el maletín, en su propia casa, así que decide ocultarlo temiendo que les acusen a ellos por el secuestro. No obstante, la ambición de Junco la llevará a idear un plan maquiavélico para distraer a la policía y atribuirse el descubrimiento del paradero de la niña sin que ellos se vean involucrados en el crimen.

Every so often I’ve updated the list of films that I have already seen with brief reviews.  Call it the complete-ist in me, but when I’m done with reviewing each of the films in the book, I’d like to have reviewed every single film in the book.

Anyhow, here’s another batch for you to read.

Enjoy!

Shichinin No Samurai AKA Seven Samurai (1954)

The Seven Samurai is the first movie that I had the pleasure of seeing from the master director Akira Kurosawa, and it is also one of his most praised works. Without a wasted frame, the story takes place over the course of almost 3 hours. Kurosawa, as he does in each of his movies, explores more than just the action and injustice featured in the plot. He is a humanist first and foremost, training his lens on the interpersonal relationships of the characters, tracking growth across this epic. As good as this film is, I would have to say that Kurosawa has numerous films that are even better, check out Stray Dog, Rashomon, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, and my personal favorite High and Low.

The Ladykillers (1955)

Existing as a special combination of dark humor, and slapstick farce, The Ladykillers is exceptionally funny and unsettling. Alec Guinness stars as the leader of a group of criminals staying at the home of a hardy, vivacious older lady under the guise of being musicians. The plan is simple, rob a bank, and utilizing the trusting nature of the kindly old lady, and the remoteness of her home to their advantage, get away with it. Easily my favorite of Alec Guinness’ films (thanks in part to the Star Wars prequels that is), The Ladykillers features a solid cast of great actors, including a very young Peter Sellers.

Bob Le Flambeur AKA Bob the Gambler (1955)

My introduction to the fantastic Jean-Pierre Melville, I was captivated immediately by the cool as ice gangster come gambler Bob. This film is filled with signature Melville-isms. Glorious post war street scenes in Paris. Trench-coats. Honor among thieves. And who could forget the caper. To talk too much about this film is to give too much away, and to do that is to ruin it for those who haven’t seen it. Other classics by Melville: Le Cercle Rouge, Le Samourai, and the recently released in the U.S. Army of Shadows. All are fantastic, and deserve to be in this book! Incidentally, Bob le Flambeur was recently re-made into The Good Thief starring Nick Nolte and directed by Neil Jordan, and while I’m not generally a fan of re-makes, I really, really liked this film. Not quite as good as the original, but it was one of my favorite films of 2002.

Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

The ultimate in hardboiled private eye crime stories, Kiss Me Deadly is a full on assault on decency. Kiss Me Deadly proudly presents itself as a grimy PI story, littered with bodies and intrigue. If you even have a passing interest in film noir, this should be your first stop. Violent, misogynist, brutish, and glorious, Kiss Me Deadly begs to be watched and dares you to look away. I myself, loved it!

The Ten Commandments (1956)

Apparently based on a book, The Ten Commandments is an epic in every sense of the word. Colored in bright explosive candy hues, and featuring huge sets, as well as a cast that number in the thousands, The Ten Commandments is more spectacle than great movie. Certainly not a waste of time, but not my first choice when choosing something light to throw in.

Det Sjunde Inseglet AKA The Seventh Seal (1957)

A classic, and well-loved film by Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman, The Seventh Seal stars an extremely young Max von Sydow as a knight who faces Death at a game of chess to decide his fate. This film is filled with themes that find their way into each of Bergman’s works, ranging from courage in the face of death, religion, and humanity. The Seventh Seal still holds up to this day, with luminous black and white photography that, thanks to Criterion’s Blu-ray edition, has never looked better.

Note: Don’t be fooled by the similarly themed, but much worse, “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey”

Kumonosu Jo AKA Throne of Blood (1957)

Kurosawa’s retelling of Macbeth set in feudal Japan. Shakespeare has never looked better as it does in the stark black and white, twisting shadows and swirling mists as seen through Kurosawa’s camera. Toshiro Mifune doesn’t disappoint in the lead role, but the real stand out is Isuzu Yamada in the as Mifune’s opportunistic, poisonous wife. The plotting and scheming starts right from the get go, all the way up till the frenzied end of the film.

Touch of Evil (1958)

One of the many trouble spots on Orson Welles’ resume due to studio interference, and financing issues, still Touch of Evil remains as possibly the best B-Movie ever made. Iconic (and sometimes hilarious) performances by Janet Leigh, Charlton Heston (as a Mexican) and Welles himself as the crooked cop willing to do almost anything to ensure justice prevails (just so long as it’s his justice). The movie is almost as famous for its long tracking shot opening as it is for any of the performances, featuring a nearly 4 minute shot done in one take which travels around cars, actors, and buildings. The film The Player, payed homage to it by mentioning it a few times during a similarly complex shot in that film.

Vertigo (1958)

Flopping on its initial release, Vertigo didn’t gain the acclaim it deserved until much later after it was released on video. Vertigo visits themes present in each of Hitchcock’s other works, including the obsession with blondes, innocence tainted with corruption, and the schlub who get in over his head. Jimmy Stewart plays the schlub, Kim Novak plays the blonde, and gloriously technicolored San Francisco plays the innocence and the corruption. Vertigo has a twisty convoluted story with elements of surrealism, an interesting watch.

Mon Oncle AKA My Uncle (1958)

My favorite of Jacques Tati’s Monsieur Hulot films, Mon Oncle was also the first of them that I had seen. Tati, playing Hulot, is a master of visual comedy, and not in the same way as the Three Stooges, or even Buster Keaton. Tati is an artist whose work is appreciated the longer you watch. The plot of the movie is not so much important to the film as it is simply a guide to get our characters into interesting situations so we can watch them get out. If you liked this film, check out other films featuring the bumbling Mr. Hulot, including Trafic, Playtime, and Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot.

Les Quatre Cents Coups AKA The 400 Blows (1959)

My personal favorite of the French new wave movement was this small-scale film, personal piece from Francois Truffaut. Featuring the director’s alter ego, Antoine Doinel, The 400 Blows is the first in a series of movies, each about a different stage of life and the challenges that go along with them. The period from childhood to young adult is covered heart-breakingly here, following Antoine through the rough waters of his home life and his interaction with the outside world. Later chapters deal with finding love, getting married, having children, and growing old, but Les Quatres Cent Coups remains the directors most personal and his best.

North by Northwest (1959)

One of Hitchcock’s best, North by Northwest features Cary Grant, suave as ever, being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies. Just like in Hitchcock’s most famous works (of which this is one), the witty one-liners, suspense, and drama are heaped on generously. I can’t help but feel sad that a similarly themed, but better film featuring Cary Grant was left off this 1001 list. Charade, also featuring Audrey Hepburn, James Coburn, and Walter Matthau, is one of my favorite movies ever! Check out both Charade AND North by Northwest as a double feature! You won’t be sorry.

Some Like it Hot (1959)

Now this is an example of a classic, well-loved film, with actors that I really love (Jack Lemmon I’m looking at you), a premise that is more than suitable, yet the finished product never really caught me. It’s sort of like Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief. I never really saw what all the hype was about. That being said, I didn’t hate it either. It never made fun of me when I had braces, or turned me down for a date, my affections and this film have just always been mutually exclusive. Perhaps it deserves another watch…then again maybe I should just watch The Last Boyscout again.

A Bout De Souffle AKA Breathless (1959)

Jean-Luc Godard is nothing if not a sacred cow of French cinema, and while I have loved some of his other films (Le Mepris, Bande A Part, and Masculin Femenine), Breathless or A Bout De Souffle never really did it for me. I can still rationalize why it was so revolutionary (use of jump cuts, editing, non-actors, and subscription to the aesthetic of the French new wave style), and see it’s importance, but I prefer other examples of New Wave cinema. If you are interested in seeing a Godard film, try Masculin Feminine, it is just as revolutionary and a bit more accessible.

Psycho (1960)

A prime example of Hitchcock in his prime. Psycho was so good, and so affecting that some of its actors were type cast just on the strength of this one film (Anthony Perkins, and Janet Leigh), so much so that without a little research it’s hard to think of what other films either of them has been in. Psycho may not be as visually shocking and gory as horror films of today, but it still manages to hold up over time and be just as unsettling as it was back in its day. Hitchcock has always excelled at making the comfortable un-comfortable (motels, birds, tea, dreams, the list goes on…), and the subtle touches in this film work perfectly. Consider for a moment that Perkin’s Bates is an amateur taxidermist of birds, and then that Janet Leigh’s name is Marion Crane a type of bird, or the fact before the crime Marion is wearing a white bra and a white purse, while after it she is wearing a black bra and purse. His attention to detail, and knack for foreshadowing is demonstrated in full force in Psycho and remains one of his best films. Despite all the uproar over the Gus Van Sant remake, I thought it actually did some justice to the original film and if nothing else brought it a little more deserved attention.

Note: This film also has the distinction of being the first American film to ever show a toilet flushing on-screen.

Peeping Tom (1960)

Released the same year as Psycho, and dealing with similar subject matter, Peeping Tom wasn’t received with the same acclaim and attention that the former was. On the contrary, Peeping Tom was seen as subversive, perverted, and generally too shocking. The story revolves more around the killer than the victim in this one, whereas Psycho is presented more from the victim’s point of view. Either way, Peeping Tom is a fine film, one worth watching, however it is so similar to Psycho that I’m not sure it needs to be on the list of 1001 films.

The Apartment (1960)

As far as light-hearted, touching movies about someone recovering from a bout of depression, this one is my favorite. Billy Wilder directs Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon in a sweet touching comedy without losing any of his trademark cynicism or the pointedness of his dialogue. The Apartment is another chance for me to champion the somewhat maligned talents of Mr. Fred MacMurray as Lemmon’s boss. MacMurray plays a fantastic creep who really defines the term “heel”.

Spartacus (1960)

Containing almost none of the trademark elements that make up a Stanley Kubrick movie as we know it (Kubrick apparently dis-owned the film before it’s release), Spartacus remains an interesting movie that isn’t great. It is, however, another example of a film that enabled an up and coming filmmaker to gain his voice, and define himself later on in his career. If only for that reason, Spartacus is a great film, but luckily for the studio, it has some other things going for it. Kirk Douglas plays the title role of Spartacus, and despite all the lavish set production, and concentration on spectacle, brings some heart to the slave who defied Rome.

Jules Et Jim AKA Jules and Jim (1962)

One of director, Francois Truffaut’s most well thought of films, Jules and Jim may be the Lost In Translation, or Juno of its time. Viewed from a certain angle, the plot is a completely moving and emotional story that you believe, so much so, that you can see yourself and those around you in the roles that these characters embody. Viewed from another perspective, it can seem a little precious or purposefully manipulative. Depending on what is happening in your life (I’m mostly thinking about whether or not you are in a relationship, and if you are happy), this movie can preach the glory of love and the pain of rejection. On the flipside, if you have shaken free the angsty, teenager-esque feelings everyone has had in their youth, you may feel like you’re being talked down to.

Cleo De 5 A 7 AKA Cleo from 5 to 7

Taking place, as the title suggests, from 5 to 7, we get a slice of the life of Cleo played out before us. Sometimes we, along with Cleo herself, are a voyeurs into the lives of people around her, and other times we are focused on her as she roams around Paris. By and large Cleo lives a carefree, spoiled life, yet we still sympathize with her when times are hard, and cheer for her when they are good. This is a small film in a lot of ways, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t impacting and beautiful.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

I have to admit.  I didn’t like Lawrence of Arabia that much.  Perhaps I was too young to appreciate the aesthetic beauty of Lean’s desert panorama camerawork, or just maybe it was the epic length that decided it for me.  One way or another, I didn’t appreciate it as much as everyone else seems to think I should. 

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Overly reliant on gimmicks and quick editing techniques, The Manchurian Candidate doesn’t flesh out the story nearly…wait, no that was the terrible re-make that came out in 2004.  The original 1962 version, is just as taught, and well executed today as it was at its release.  While the story between the two versions remained virtually the same, the consistent building of tension and anxiety, combined with the pitch perfect acting of Lawrence Harvey, Frank Sinatra (yes…Frank Sinatra), and the devilish turn of Angela Lansbury as the Queen of Hearts, makes for a fantastic film.

Lolita (1962)

It took me forever to finally see Lolita.  I have known the basic story (older man, younger girl) but had just never gotten around to seeing it.  And while I’ve been told that the book is much better, I thought the film was pretty good.  Not great, mind you, but definitely solid.  The shocking and controversial nature of the relationship was toned down a bit for the screen, and maybe as a result doesn’t seem all that shocking in today’s day and age.  Memorable turns by Peter Sellers, and Shelley Winters, not to mention it’s an early film of Stanley Kubrick.

The Birds (1963)

Despite being one of Hitchcock’s most popular, I actually think that The Birds is one of his most over-rated.  I think I owe it to myself to give this one another look someday, but right now I feel that it was too heavily based on the gimmick that had to rely on special effects.  Though it is not necessarily the fault of the movie, but the special effects seemed particularly dated and old fashioned.  Worth a watch, but not my favorite by a long shot.

8 1/2 (1963)

Federico Fellini is, by most accounts, a master of cinema.  One, that I have always had a little trouble getting fired up over.  It’s not that I don’t like his films once I’ve seen them, the problem comes in when it comes to motivating myself to see them.  I couldn’t tell you why, but his films consistently get pushed off when they come up on my Netflix Queue or when I see the one or two I have on my shelf.  I shouldn’t feel this way, considering I really loved the moving poetry, and soul baring passion in 8 1/2, yet it still happens.  One very definite reason to watch this film is the man-crushable Marcello Mastroianni, swaggering through as the alter-ego of Fellini himself.  Dealing with all the reservations with women, making movies, childhood, and the future that the director very famously dealt with himself, Mastroianni embodies a certain cool, yet believable character that begs to be watched.  Combined with imagery that leaves the audience wanting more, 8 1/2 is a fantastic film.

Well, that’s it for this time.  Thanks for reading!

English title:  Throne of Blood

I’m not a Shakespeare scholar, but I know what I likes, and of his plays, I like MacBeth best. and of the film versions of MacBeth, I like Kumonosu-Jou best.  it is a fantastic movie that rates among Kurosawa’s best

Throne of blood poster 3

Throne_of_Blood_poster

Throne_of_blood_2

set in medieval Japan, filmed in b&w, and with fog everywhere, Kumonosu-Jou begins with the two feudal lords, Taketori Washizu (Toshirô Mifune) and Yoshiaki Miki (Minoru Chiaki) encounter a ghostly witch in the foggy forest. she makes future predictions for both.  upon arriving at Spider Castle, Washizu tells his wife, the Lady Asaji Washizu ( Isuzu Yamada), of what the witch predicted, and she encourages him to make it happen.

the best of the movie is the Lady Washizu.  it takes a lot to outact Toshirô Mifune, but Yamada does it. and how. her figure is overwhelming and her presence is everywhere. she drives the action in a way that Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth could only hint at.

from a serene, calculating, planning

Lady washizu

to a desperate wreck

Out damned spot!

his fate is not any better

Arrows

clips

original trailer:

Throne Of Blood – Original Trailer 1957

short trailer with voiceover:

Throne Of Blood trailer

the entire movie is available at video.google.  no subtitles.

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Voto: 7 (su 10)

“La mia luce è la verità”. Lo dice Tetro, impersonato da Vincent Gallo, il protagonista del nuovo film di Francis Ford Coppola, Segreti di famiglia (Tetro in originale), mentre sta curando le luci di uno spettacolo teatrale. Ma potrebbero essere le parole di Coppola stesso. Tetro ama giocare con la luce, perché così crea un mondo, perché la cosa gli dà potere. Tutto questo è in fondo il desiderio di ogni regista. In particolare del nuovo Francis Ford Coppola, che da Un’altra giovinezza in poi ha imboccato la via di un cinema indipendente e personale. Che ha a che fare, eccome, con la luce: con un gioco di parole, Tetro potrebbe diventare “retro”, nel senso che è girato in un bianco e nero scintillante e ricco di contrasti che si rifà a film d’altri tempi come Fronte del porto di Elia Kazan, e anche al suo Rusty il selvaggio, l’unico altro film che Coppola girò in bianco e nero. E di cui Segreti di famiglia potrebbe essere il figlio: anche questa è una storia di fratelli. Bennie, 17 anni, arriva a Buenos Aires alla ricerca del fratello maggiore Tetro, che non vede da dieci anni. Tetro è scontroso, ha lasciato di New York per fuggire da un padre autoritario. Ed è di questo che parla il romanzo che ha scritto, in codice, che l’ha portato quasi alla pazzia e che custodisce gelosamente. Bennie prova a leggerlo, e a farne un’opera teatrale.

“Quello che si dice non è importante: il linguaggio è morto”. Sono più importanti le immagini o le parole? Se lo chiedono spesso i personaggi del film di Coppola. Che sembra propendere nettamente per le immagini, sin dagli affascinanti titoli di testa. Ma più che l’immagine in sé, Coppola sembra volere difendere un modo di fare cinema libero, in cui l’immagine abbia la precedenza, e il racconto non debba per forza essere quello lineare e più scontato del cinema mainstream. Il romanzo di Tetro è scritto al contrario e in codice. Toccherà a Bennie decifrarlo. E attraverso le sue parole proverà a decifrare l’anima del fratello. Così è il nuovo cinema di Coppola, più criptico e meno immediato di quello di un tempo. Anche l’opera di Coppola in un certo senso va decriptata, decifrata, decodificata. C’è, nella storia, la sua anima: non si tratta di un’opera autobiografica, ma di un film che porta in sé tanti temi della sua vita. E c’è nella forma visiva, fatta quasi sempre di inquadrature fisse (magistrale quella in cui Tetro/Vincent Gallo è fuori campo e la sua voce “parla” attraverso la sua ombra riflessa sul muro) o in cui la macchina da presa si muove pochissimo, l’amore per il cinema di maestri come Antonioni, Kurosawa e Kazan.

È meno potente, il Coppola di oggi, rispetto a opere come Il padrino e Apocalypse Now. E forse le sue opere necessiterebbero di una maggior coesione. Ma il suo cinema sembra quello di un giovane. Segreti di famiglia mescola dramma, farsa, romanzo di formazione e anche un tocco di noir, con scene lineari e pulite e altre movimentate e teatrali che potrebbero essere uscite dal primo Almodovar come da La dolce vita di Fellini. Quella di Coppola è davvero, per citare il titolo del film che ha segnato il suo ritorno, Un’altra giovinezza: Coppola ha la voglia di sperimentare e la passionalità di un autore ventenne. Youth Without Youth, recitava il titolo originale di quel film: è proprio giovane senza esserlo Coppola, perché la sua vitalità prescinde dall’età anagrafica. “Brama di vagare”, si chiama l’opera di Tetro che viene messa in scena. Anche queste parole sono un altro segnale del senso del cinema di questo autore: Coppola e il suo cinema bramano di vagare tra le loro storie, tra i generi cinematografici, tra i paesi del mondo cinematograficamente più giovani per trovare linfa vitale. Dopo la Romania di Un’altra giovinezza, ora c’è l’Argentina di Segreti di famiglia. In ogni caso siamo lontani, lontanissimi, da Hollywood.  

Da vedere perchè: Coppola e il suo cinema bramano di vagare tra le loro storie, tra i generi e tra i paesi del mondo. Lontano da Hollywood.

(Pubblicato su Movie Sushi)

Jim Selvidge author of Bergman, Fellini, Kurosawa The Foreign Film in America $59.95 cloth will introduce two showings of Roshomon  on Dec. 5, 2009 at 6pm and 8pm at the SIIF theatre at the Seattle Center in Seattle. Selvidge ran the Ridgemont Theatre for many years and introduced Seattle to foreign films. Come join him and watch a great new 35mm restoration of the Kurosawa classic.

“Sotto cieli ora incisi nell’abbagliamento degli zaffiri o delle turchesi, ora intrisi di non so quali zolfi infernali, caldi, deleteri e accecanti; sotto cieli simili a delle colate di metalli e di cristalli in fusione; ove a volte si mostrano risplendenti degli infuocati dischi solari, sotto l’incessante fantastico avvicendarsi di tutte le possibili luci; in atmosfere afose, fiammeggianti, cocenti, che sembrano esalare da fantastiche fucine dove si dissolvono ori, diamanti e meravigliose gemme. E’ lo sfoggio inquietante, perturbatore, di una stravagante natura, nell’insieme veramemte vera e quasi soprannaturale, di una natura spinta agli eccessi ove tutto si impone, si drizza, esseri e cose, ombre e luci, forme e colori, in una volontà ostinata di urlare il suo canto essenziale, col timbro più forte e più selvaggiamente acuto…”.

Così scriveva il critico Albert Aurier di Vincent van Gogh, sul Mercure de France, nel gennaio 1890. Pochi mesi dopo, il 27 luglio 1890, l’artista si sparò un colpo in petto nei pressi di Auvers-sur-Oise. Ritrovato in un campo, morì due giorni dopo. Nel 1990, a un secolo dalla morte di van Gogh, il regista Akira Kurosawa diresse un film, “Konne yume wo mita- Questi sogni che ho visto (Sogni nell’edizione italiana)”, composto di otto episodi tutti collegati da un personaggio-io. Il quinto, intitolato “Corvi”, era interpretato da Akira Tarao e Martin Scorsese. Alcuni dipinti di van Gogh si trasformavano in scenari all’interno dei quali si aggirava, come in un sogno, l’attore giapponese. A Scorsese fu affidato il non facile compito di impersonare van Gogh. Può il mezzo filmico trasformare in visioni la natura stravagante e spinta agli eccessi di un grande artista come van Gogh? E’ in grado di competere con la prosa debordante, immaginifica ed empatica di un Aurier? Forse si.

“All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” – Leo Tolstoy

Saying Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s film Tokyo Sonata is about a dysfunctional family is like saying King Lear is about a dysfunctional family – an accurate description of sorts, but wholly inadequate. While watching the film I had two visions of the type of film this was, and it declared simple my first vision and upended my second. My first vision was that Tokyo Sonata offered a critique of patriarchy, the resonant feminist refrain that patriarchy devours all, men and women alike. Patriarchy traps both sexes in roles that are ultimately destructive to individuality. It’s as though Tokyo Sonata replied, this is an excavation and you’ve only gotten a few centimeters into a major dig.

My second vision was that Tokyo Sonata was a tragedy, resembling Requiem for a Dream in dismantling every member of the family: these are flawed people and we’re going to show in grim, excruciating detail the consequences of these flaws. I’m really glad that the film did not wholly satisfy either of my visions, the feminist analysis or the object lesson in human frailty. I’m glad because then it would be like car chases and exploding things, which no doubt have their time and place in movie-making, but are easily encapsulated. Tokyo Sonata left things altogether more murky, no tidy boxes with bows. I’ll have to see it again. And of course, I’d highly recommend it.

from here.

“There are two types of people in the world, good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more.”

-Woody Allen.

Hace una semana vi Julie & Julia, la nueva película de Nora Ephron y que además es la primera “major motion picture” que gira en torno a un blog.

Lo primero que hice, naturalmente, fue recomendársela a quienes habitan y dan forma al espacio murciano y que por esta condición (que puede pasar por gratuita o inofensiva y que en realidad es todo lo contrario) nos hemos hecho muchas de las preguntas que el personaje de Amy Adams se hace con respecto a la labor de dar vida y alimentar un blog: la necesidad, la realidad, el compromiso. Estas preguntas, hay que decirlo, no tienen respuesta. Pero esta falta de salidas (o de salidas fáciles) no afecta a la película que, contra todos los pronósticos, se logra sostener y cerrar después de haberse abierto como cola de globo. Lo que quiero decir es que la película ni sale volando ni se escurre. Más bien como que se congela. Y creo que ésa es su mayor virtud: evitar el hervidero. El entusiasmo que me provocó esa muestra de contención o profesionalidad narrativa me llevó a calificar la dirección de Ephron como “precisa” y al guión como “intimidante”. Ahora, es evidente que exagero.

Lo que es cierto es que la película de Ephron revela una forma muy particular, que además me gusta mucho, de hacer cine y coloca definitivamente a Ephron en el equipo de Spielberg. Es una forma que recuerda más a un campo de refugiados o a un campamento de sobrevivientes o a un grupo de soldados rasos que se juntaba en la noche a contar historias mientras esperaban el amanecer y que, al final, terminaron hablando en un código que fue producto del aislamiento. Un día estos sobrevivientes regresaron a sus países y fueron recibidos como héroes y la reintegración fue feliz. Entre ellos están o Giuseppe Tornatore o Billy Wilder o Guy Ritchie, y es ahí en donde Spielberg es la gran ballena blanca y en donde Scorsese se mueve como un submarino y en donde David Fincher es un buzo a la deriva y en donde Christopher Nolan o Jean-Pierre Jeunet amenazan con convertirse en huracán. También aquí está Alfonso Cuarón. No hay tiburones.

Por otra parte, están los directores que siguen en el campo de batalla. Ellos, salvo algunas excepciones, nunca saldrán de ahí. Tampoco tienen un código sino que aprendieron a vivir en soledad. Unos viven huyendo constantemente. Otros, como Fellini, se revuelven y saltan en el lodo frente al enemigo porque saben que son inmortales. Lars von Trier, en cambio, está herido y sus últimas fuerzas están destinadas a acribillar a quien se acerque, ya sea por traidor o por cobarde o porque sí. Hitchcock entendió el secreto de esta guerra eterna y Kubrick lo reformó. Kurosawa fue un suicida nato. Lo que más hay son fantasmas, pero con una particularidad: estos fantasmas primero fueron fantasmas y después, a fuerza del horror, se convirtieron en personas (o en algo que simulaba personas; nunca lograron perder su calidad espectral). Entre ellos están Bergman, Welles o Jean Renoir.

Todo esto, claro, es a grandes rasgos y no es verdad.

Dom Mingo

Basada en un guión original del maestro Akira Kurosawa y dirigida con buen pulso por el moscovita Andrei Konchalovsky (más americano que ninguno en este film), ‘El tren del infierno’ es una gran película de acción. Entretenida, emocionante, enérgica y con mucha actividad, destaca por la magnífica interpretación de Jon Voight y Eric Roberts, ambos nominados a un Oscar por su interpretación. Lo peor de este film es su traducción al castellano, porque todo el desarrollo de la película se produce en las frías Alaska y Montana. ‘Runaway train’ (1985), como así se denominó la cinta en el mercado anglosajón, es un film de aventuras, aunque también se podría adscribir al género del thriller.

Jon Voight, a través de una sólida interpretación cercana al histrionismo, da vida a Oscar Manny, un violento asesino confinado en una prisión de alta seguridad en Alaska. Tras pasar tres años encerrado en una oscura celda, decide escapar en cuanto tenga la más mínima oportunidad. Su fuga pretende mantener el pulso con el alcaide del centro penitenciario, un tipo duro y perverso que la tiene tomada con él. Manny, junto con otro joven recluso, Buck, consigue huir de noche del recinto carcelario, utilizando como transporte un viejo tren de mercancías detenido en una estación cercana a la prisión. Lo que ambos reclusos ignoran es que, tras lograr poner el tren en marcha, un infarto provoca la muerte del maquinista. El convoy circula, a toda velocidad, desbocado sin que ninguno de los dos pueda llegar hasta la cabina de conducción para impedir que la máquina siga sin control. Un tercer pasajero viaja en el tren; una hermosa empleada del ferrocarril que, tan desesperada como ellos, trata de hacer lo imposible para sobrevivir a esta accidentada pesadilla.

‘El tren del infierno’ es un atípico y trepidante producto del realizador de ‘Siberiada’ y ‘Los Amantes de María’ que cuenta con muy pocos elementos, pero que los combina a la perfección. Un primer escenario con dos reclusos, un tren sin control que amenaza con estrellarse en cualquier punto del violento viaje y una joven guapa, aunque asustada, que está resuelta a solucionar el problema. Y un segundo frente narrativo que muestra el centro de control de la operadora ferroviaria, donde el nerviosismo y el descontrol introducen en la cinta altas cotas de tensión.

El rodaje de las escenas de la prisión de ‘Runaway Train’ tuvo lugar en la antigua prisión de Montana territorial, aunque también se utilizaron ambientaciones cercanas al Glaciar Portage, Whittier y Grandview (Alaska)., Las escenas exteriores fueron filmadas en Alaska sobre la línea de ferrocarril Seward-Anchorage. El uso de un verdadero tren y paisajes dan realismo a la película, a pesar de los frecuentes cambios de tiempo. Se da la circunstancia de que la Corporación de Ferrocarriles de Alaska (ARRC), que prestó algunas de las locomotoras que se utilizaron en el rodaje, decidió que su nombre y el logotipo no se mostraran en la cinta. Esta exhibe todo el esplendor de las cumbres y picos nevados de estos territorios donde abundan aún los paisajes espectaculares e inhóspitos, dado que la mayor parte de Alaska es inaccesible. Este quizá sea el destino más popular entre cazadores, pescadores, fotógrafos y exploradores de la naturaleza de todo el territorio estadounidense. El Glaciar Portage pertenece a la península de Kenai y se incluye dentro del bosque nacional de Chugach. Se encuentra al sur del lago de Portage y 6 kilómetros al oeste de Whittier.

El Ferrocarril de Alaska (Alaska Railroad, ARR) es un ferrocarril de clase II, que se extiende desde Seward y Whittier, en el sur del estado de Alaska (Estados Unidos) hasta Fairbanks, y más allá de la base de la fuerza Aérea Eielson y Fort Wainwright, en el interior del estado. Es el único que lleva tanto pasajeros como mercancías (la mayoría de interurbanos ferroviarios de pasajeros en los EE.UU. llevan el sistema de Amtrak Federal). El ferrocarril tiene una línea principal más de 760 kilómetros y en total más de 800 incluyendo ramales y aparcaderos. En la actualidad es propiedad del Estado de Alaska.

Son varias las locomotoras que aparecen en esta trepidante película, la mayor parte de ellas propiedad del Ferrocarril de Alaska. La máquina en la que huyen los dos reclusos es la ‘ARR GP40 # 3010’, que aún sigue activa en el Ferrocarril de Alaska, pintada de nuevo con los colores corporativos de la empresa. Construida por EMD (antigua General Motors) la GP40 es una máquina diesel de cuatro árboles construida entre noviembre 1965 y diciembre de 1971. De la factoría americana, han salido 1.187 unidades de este modelo locomotor, cuyos clientes han sido mayoritariamente los ferrocarriles de EE UU. También los candieses (16) y los mexicanos (18) adquirieron este prototipo, utilizado en su mayor parte para el transporte de mercancías, sin descartar las versiones para pasajeros.

La locomotora ‘ARR GP7u # 1801’ fue vendida a un arrendador en Kansas City, MO, y luego revendida a la de Missouri Ferrocarril Central y funciona como MOC 1800. MC se convirtió en la Central de Ferrocarril Midland en 2002 y la unidad pasó entonces al Respondek Corp Tren de Granite City, IL y se utiliza como conmutador de una planta para el Centro Ethenol en Saguet, IL como CRR 1800.

También se puede ver en el film la ‘ARR F7A # 1500’ que se encuentra ahora en el Museo del Transporte de Alaska en Anchorage. Fabricada en EMD las F7 tienen 1.500 caballos de fuerza B-B y se fabricaron entre febrero de 1949 y diciembre de 1953. Aunque originalmente fue concebida para transportar carga, la F7 también fue utilizada en el servicio de pasajeros que tiraba de trenes tales como el ‘FE de Papá Noel’s EL Capitan’. Un total de 2.366 unidades se fabricaron inicialmente y, con la transformación de la presión, salieron de la factoría otras 1.483. Un cuarto modelo, antes de la introducción del EMD SD40-2 concebida para mercancías, ocupo a los operarios de la factoría americana. Es uno de los productos de mayor éxito de la EMD.

Muchas F7s han permanecido en servicio durante décadas, pues tanto el mantenimiento como la operatividad han resultado muy rentables para las compañías ferroviarias. Sin embargo, la locomotora no era muy popular entre los maquinistas porque eran difíciles de montar y de desmontar y porque se hacía casi imposible ver las señales del equipo de tierra sin sacar el cuerpo por la ventana. La F7 puede considerarse el cénit de las máquinas de carga de las unidades taxi-diesel, y su primacía casi única en los ferrocarriles norteamericanos hasta los años 70 (Canadá aguantó aún más tiempo con el servicio de estas locomotoras). El diseño de la F7 ha traspasado la imaginación popular ya que ha tirado de los trenes más famosos de la historia norteamericana del ferrocarril.

Otra de las máquinas que se prestaron para esta cinta fue la ‘ARR GP7u # 1810’que se vendió al ferrocarril Oregón Pacífico y que en la actualidad funciona como OP 1810. Fabricadas por EMD entre octubre de 1949 y mayo de 1954, las GP7 disponían de 16 cilindros y 1.500 caballos de fuerza . La producción total fue de 2.729 unidades B-B (y 5 de B). También se utilizó otra máquina de esta serie, la ‘GP7 # 1810’ que apareció posteriormente en otra película, ‘Under Siege 2’, junto con la co-estrella Steven Seagal.

El tren alcanzado por el convoy donde huyen los fugitivos y que sufre los efectos del choque es la ‘ALCO / GE MRS1 # 1605’. Esta unidad se había retirado en 1984, pero dos años antes de la filmación comenzó a rodar de nuevo. Poco después fue troceada y cortada en pedazos para chatarra. La MRS-1 de ALCO-1 es un tipo de locomotora diesel-eléctrica construida por la empresa American Locomotive (ALCO) de los Estados Unidos de Transporte del Cuerpo de Ejército (USATC). Fueron construidas con ejes multigalga y un gálibo estrecho para el servicio en cualquier parte del mundo en caso de guerra. General Motors y General Electric compitieron en un concurso en 1952 para construir un prototipo de locomotora que pudiera utilizarse en cualquier territorio. Tras las pruebas, GE produjo junto a Alco un nuevo lote de 70 locomotoras de esta serie.

Algunas de las escenas se rodaron a base de maquetas, como por ejemplo la secuencia del choque contra el tren de mercancías. Puede verse con meridiana claridad que esa escena está hecha con maquetas, puesto que al salir volando los restos del vagón siniestrado, se observa cómo los ejes aparecen por encima del convoy y desaparecen (retirados quizá a través de unos hilos), sin que caigan en ninguna parte. Todo ello con un movimiento muy extraño que nada tiene que ver con la física real y la relación peso-fuerza que llevaría inevitablemente al suelo en un choque real, ya que es bastante pesada.

Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. (antes División Electromotora de la Corporación General Motors ) es actualmente el segundo constructor de locomotoras de tren más grande del mundo en términos de ventas totales. General Motors (desde los ochenta EMD) ha construido la abrumadora mayoría de las locomotoras que se encuentran en servicio en Norteamérica y una gran proporción en el resto del mundo también. EMD es el único fabricante hoy de motores diesel-eléctrico tras haber producido más de 70.000 unidades y tiene la factoría más grande de locomotoras diesel-eléctricas en Norteamérica.

As an oldschool fan who has been into this crap longer than some fans have been alive, let me tell you how fucking difficult it is to be nice to the kiddies.

I got into anime when I was about halfway through with high school. That was 1994, give or take a year. I’ve been into anime since the days when it was considered fashionable to wear flannel and not bathe for weeks on end. I’m hardly as old school as some fans who have been hip to anime since the days of Battle of the Planets, Starblazers, or Robotech, but I’m old enough to have first hand experience with the days where buying a new anime VHS cost you close to $40 after tax, and said cash got you a measly two episodes.

To say that I find it hard to identify with the new crop of fans is an understatement. Hell, I’ve been disillusioned since around the turn of the millenium, when I started to frequent anime conventions and when I dove into the internet’s anime community. I was too old to have seen DBZ during my “formative” years, so I had no attachment to that series. I enjoyed Pokemon, but only because it reminded me of a post-Communism take on the Rocky and Bullwinkle formula (Team Rocket owes a LOT to Boris and Natasha). When shows like Love Hina and RahXephon were popular, I couldn’t stand either one. I jumped into Hina thinking it’d be the next Maison Ikkoku and I got obnoxious girls fawning over a pathetic loser. I jumped into RahXephon thinking it’d be another cool post-Evangelion mecha show (I really dug Gasaraki, another show in that vein) only to find a poorly paced, deliberately obtuse, nonsensical mess.

Anime fandom had all but left me behind almost immediately after I tried to find my place within that society. These experiences are hardly unique. There’s plenty of other bitter, cynical, disillusioned fans out there whose experiences mirror mine to some extent, so this is hardly some sort of “oh woe is me and my old man ways, why should I suffer so” bitchfest. This is more of a “yeah, this is how it is” rant. I’m railing against the existential fate before me. My interests have never been relevant to the general otaku public, and the only logical reaction is to accept one’s fate as best as one can.

That doesn’t mean I don’t lash out. But that also means that I know where the above video is coming from. When we old fogies, by anime fandom’s standards, go on our tirades and snap at the whippersnappers trashing up our fanboy lawns, all we’re doing is giving said delinquents more fuel to preserve their adolescent ways. If you give a kid a big lever and continually rant and rave about how said kid should never pull said lever, what’s that kid going to do? Yeah, it wouldn’t matter if that lever launched all of the world’s nukes and brought about the end of the world. That kid is going to pull that lever. Hell, he’s going to pull it again and again and again, just to spite your obnoxious ass.

We think we’re being mature examples to live up to when all we’re doing is playing Dr. Moreau and creating monstrosities.

At the same time, that punk ass kid is a punk ass. He likes the sort of crap that makes you want to gouge out your eyes. He has a wall scroll of Kyon’s Sister next to his poster of Megan Fox and ”uses” each of them equally. He thinks Light Yagami is a genius and finds Death Note to be a brilliant morality play akin to Shakespeare. He looks at your favorite anime from the 70s, 80s, or 90s and thinks it’s “badly animated” because it wasn’t rendered in Flash and doesn’t use cg in the background. He has no fucking idea what he’s talking about. He’s no more “mature” than the kid next to him in his English II class that still thinks the WWE is real and that Slipknot is hardcore. He’s no not “smarter” than the girl in his class that stood in line to see the midnight showings of the latest Hannah Montana and Harry Potter flicks. He’s thinks he’s some rebel without a cause rebelling against tween/teen popular culture when he embodies everything that is modern kiddie pop culture. You want to reach through your computer screen and punch his goddamn face in.

But you settle with metaphorical blows. You mock him, you troll him, you tell him his mother never loved him. And it feels good. I know, brothers and sisters. I’ve been there. And every now and then there’s some snot-nosed bitch that really deserves such a verbal beatdown. But far too often people are willing to pull that trigger and let loose their righteous indignation upon someone who doesn’t quite deserve it. That bastard on the other side of the net isn’t always the Moe Antichrist of the Shounen Satan. Sometimes he’s just a little lost black sheep, and he needs some serious shepherding.

When that punk says “OMG GokU is soo bad@$$,” don’t be so eager to tell him that Goku’s just a Superman ripoff. Tell him “well, if you think Goku’s hardcore, why don’t you watch Fist of the North Star. Kenshiro’s just as much of a badass as Goku.” Or maybe some American NEET is going off about how adorable and moe the K-On! girls are and how he wants to date Mio or whatever he name is. Don’t launch into some tirade about how Mio’s just a desperate Japanese male fantasy, tell him “If you think Mio’s hot, check out Kyoko from Maison Ikkoku. She can do everything Mio can and she’s an independent woman!” At least try to lead them down the path of quality. Maybe they won’t be such annoying little jerks once they get some good stuff flowing though their otaku veins.

Also, if you’re nice to them and they still give you shit, then you’re totally justified when you bring about the virtual beatdown. It’s a win-win situation. Either way, it won’t be you creating the monster that tosses little girls into the lake to drown.

Most people reading this crap probably already know all of this. Consider this a sermon from the Unitarian Church of Anime or something. Gotta preach to the choir sometimes. That said, Mifune was totally a god amongst men, am I right brothers and sisters?

Akira Kurosawa

the dividing of lands scene in Akira Kurosawa's final masterpiece: Ran (1985)

• Born:  1910
• Died:  1998
• Rank:  1
• Score:  941.80
• Awards:  BAFTA / 2 NBR
• Nominations:  Oscar / DGA / BAFTA
• Feature Films:  30
• Best:  Rashomon
• Worst:  Sanshiro Sugata Part II

Top 10 Feature Films:

1. Rashomon – 1950
2. Ran – 1985
3. The Seven Samurai – 1954
4. Ikiru – 1952
5. Throne of Blood - 1957
6. Stray Dog – 1949
7. High and Low – 1963
8. The Hidden Fortress – 1958
9. Kagemusha – 1980
10. The Bad Sleep Well – 1960

Top 10 Best Director Finishes  (Nighthawk Awards):

• 1952 – 1st – Rashomon
• 1956 – 1st – The Seven Samurai
• 1959 – 9th – Drunken Angel
• 1960 – 5th – Ikiru
• 1960 – 7th – The Hidden Fortress
• 1961 – 2nd – Throne of Blood
• 1961 – 3rd – Yojimbo
• 1962 – 6th – The Bad Sleep Well
• 1963 – 1st – Stray Dog
• 1963 – 3rd – High and Low
• 1966 – 6th – Red Beard
• 1977 – 6th – Dersu Uzala
• 1980 – 3rd – Kagemusha
• 1985 – 1st – Ran
• 1990 – 7th – Dreams

When people look at his career, they think of the great Samurai films.  They remember films like The Seven Samurai and Yojimbo and they think of the influence they had on other filmmakers.  They think of the American versions (The Magnificent Seven) or the Italian versions (A Fistful of Dollars) and it’s nice to look at the improvements to American Westerns, once the influence of Kurosawa began to travel over the ocean.  They look at Toshiro Mifune as that charismatic forceful presence, they think of him as this all invulnerable Samurai.  And they forget about all the magnificent things that encompass the career of Akira Kurosawa.  Don’t forget.  Look at the entire career.  Next year, Criterion will be releasing a new box set called AK 100.  In it, you get 25 of Kurosawa’s feature films (the missing ones are A Quiet Duel, Dersu Uzala, Ran, Dreams and Rhapsody in August).  It gives you the entire breadth of Kurosawa’s career, one that wasn’t simply defined by Samurai films starring Toshiro Mifune.  While their careers massively overlapped and while they are the best actor / director collaboration of all-time, it is unfair to either to think of their careers as simply those Samurai films.  They made many other great films together, there are other great Kurosawa films (and other actors) and Mifune starred in many other Samurai films (including many available in the Criterion Collection).

For a long time it was hard to see the earlier Kurosawa films, unless you were lucky and lived in a city like Portland with a video store like Movie Madness.  But Criterion has been making it easier to see these films for a while now and the rest will finally be seeing the light of day.  Kurosawa began his career with a the kind of film which would define his career: a Samurai film, Sanshiro Sugata, based on a well known Japanese novel.  But his next film was a contemporary Drama focusing mostly on woman, The Most Beautiful.  After that he went back to Feudal Japan for The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail before being contractually obligated to direct a sequel to Sanshiro Sugata, easily his weakest film (by his own admission) and until the release of the box set, extremely hard to find (it was the last Kurosawa film that I was finally able to track down).  Next up came a series of contemporary films dealing with the problems and relationships in post-war Japan, long ignored, but given new life with the release of the Eclipse box set Post-War Kurosawa by Criterion.  There was No Regrets for Our Youth, a very good romantic drama, followed by One Wonderful Sunday, a charming comedy about a nice young couple trying to make ends meet.  But then came the first of his **** films and the film that strongly established Takashi Shimura as one of his leading actors and the film that first teamed Kurosawa up with Toshiro Mifune: Drunken Angel.  Then came the still hard to find A Quiet Duel before Shimura, Mifune and Kurosawa teamed up for their brilliant police procedural, Stray Dog.

Then there was the fifties.  It began with Scandal, one of Kurosawa’s weakest films, but with a great supporting performance from Shimura.  Then came Rashomon, the film that made him an international star among directors, the film that won the Oscar and the Golden Lion at Venice, one of the greatest films ever made.  Then there was his interesting version of Dostoevsky’s The Idiot, again with Mifune.  There was Ikiru, with Shimura giving one of the great performances in film history, a film whose international acclaim continues to grow.  Then came The Seven Samurai, hailed by many people in the film industry as the greatest film ever made, the film that influenced more Westerns than any American film, the film that made an international superstar out of Toshiro Mifune.  Next was Mifune’s brilliant performance as the man afraid of nuclear annihilation in I Live in Fear.  Then came adaptations of Shakespeare (Macbeth made as Throne of Blood) and Gorky.  Then Hidden Fortress, the movie that George Lucas does not hesitate to name as the single greatest influence on Star Wars.  It was all one decade, all of them except Ikiru starring Mifune, most of them also starring Shimura.  An incredible decade, one that found Kurosawa less hailed in Japan than he was in other countries.

With the sixties came more Shakespeare, a loose adaptation of the Hamlet plot in The Bad Sleep Well, with Mifune avenging his father.  Then there were the two Samurai comedies, Yojimbo and Sanjuro, the films that Sergio Leone would pretty much copy verbatim making Clint Eastwood into an international star piggybacking on Mifune.  There was High and Low, a great police procedural that first teamed Kurosawa up with Tatsuya Nakadai.  But funding was harder to find and after sinking a lot into Red Beard, there was little left.  And even though both Kurosawa and Mifune would both live over 30 more years and continue to work in film, the two men would never work together again.

In fact, work was hard to come by for Kurosawa.  His participation in Tora! Tora! Tora! fell apart and he attempted suicide.  His personal project, Dodes ka-Den, though very good, was thoroughly misunderstood and was a commercial failure.  He was forced to seek outside funding and his next film, Dersu Uzala, finally earned a Best Foreign Film Oscar nomination (Rashomon had earned an Honorary Award.  After that the only Kurosawa film that was even submitted to the Oscars was Dodes Ka-Den) but as the submission from the USSR.  Kurosawa had found funding in Russia and filmed most of the film there, so in spite of the Japanese director, it actually won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film as the Soviet submission.

Kurosawa again had trouble getting financing, but this time he finally had friends on his side.  Coppola and Lucas had learned to love Kurosawa film and were appalled that their hero was having such difficulty getting a film made.  They managed to secure a financing deal through 20th Century Fox (who was eager to make Lucas happy given the success of Star Wars) so that Kagemusha could get made.  It was a return to the Samurai epic that had been Kurosawa’s main calling card, except on a grand scale, with a solid budget, long length, and finally, in color.  It looked amazing on screen and with Mifune no longer part of the team, Kurosawa turned to Tatsuya Nakadai to play the double roles.  Then came Ran and it took five years, but that was because Kurosawa wanted to make certain to get it right, making use of King Lear this time, it became Kurosawa’s swan song masterpiece, a brilliant take on Feudal Japan.  When Japan refused to submit it, the official submission was denied a nomination and Kurosawa himself actually finally got an Oscar nomination for Best Director.

Three more films would follow.  Dreams was a piecemeal film made up of several differents short segments, but they all seemed to fit together, and he again got help from a hero worshipping great American director (Martin Scorsese starred in one segment) and the finished work is magnificent.  Then came Rhapsody in August, a film that actually dealt with Hiroshima, the aftermath, and how people in the area still felt after 45 years.  His final film was Madadayo, a film about an aging teacher and the students who have been a part of his life, a fitting final film for the director.

Next year we get the hundredth anniversary of his birth, and thus the box set.  It won’t quite be complete, but there are so many films in it that should be cherished, films that have never seen the light of day on DVD and have rarely seen the light of day on video.  People won’t have to hope their town has an amazing video store.  They finally get a chance to simply own them.

Ran – #1 film of 1985

I read King Lear in high school and I didn’t take to it.  I didn’t object to it like I did to Romeo and Juliet (I still think Romeo is one of the dumbest characters in all of literature), and I certainly recognized the beauty of the language, which is the real power in any Shakespeare play (most of the plots were taken from other places anyway), but for some reason, I just couldn’t take to King Lear.  Then in college I saw Ran.  Here was King Lear, minus the two characters I had really loved in the play (Edmund and Edgar), with a character that seems a bit less Regan or Goneril, and a bit more of Lady Macbeth, and I loved it.  I knew from the second I saw it that it was brilliant, probably the best Shakespeare ever put on film.

So what is it?  It’s not the story.  After all, I never really took to the original play, but I think this film is brilliant (and Grigori Kozintsev’s film version is as well, which does use the language, albiet, in subtitles translated back from Russian), but A Thousand Acres is the same story and both the novel and film were utter crap.  There is something about this film that moves beyond.  It isn’t the Samurai genre as a whole, because I love all of Kurosawa’s Samurai films, but outside of that, even though I have seen quite a bit, there are only a few Samurai films that I think are really great (Harakiri, Samurai I, Gate of Hell).

Is it the quality of the film?  It was nominated for 4 Oscars, winning Best Costume Design (it lost the other three to Out of Africa).  It was following on two other brilliant Foreign films that Best Director nominations to go with several technical noms, but failed to get a Best Picture nomination (Das Boot and Fanny and Alexander).  And certainly Ran richly deserved all of its nominations (actually, it deserved to win all of those Oscars and Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Makeup as well).  Kurosawa put everything he had into the film and it showed.  He would wait months for certain cloud formations so he could get them on film.  He had all the costumes hand woven.  He built elaborate sets and managed to get them in storms and against sunsets and then filmed them burning to the ground.

But there are also the performances.  Tatsuya Nakadai had been a star in Japan for many years and had done many great films (including Harakiri and Kagemusha), but this was easily the best performance of his entire career, first as the slighted old king, then as the madman out in the wilderness, betrayed by his own pride.  There was Peter, who seemed to embody the very concept of Lear’s Fool.  But perhaps the most amazing was Meiko Harada as a character who combined the horrible evil of Goneril and Regan and seemed to add the naked ambition of Lady Macbeth.  It was Kurosawa’s male stars that were always talked about, but from Ikiru to Throne of Blood to Hidden Fortress to Ran, he always managed to get amazing performances out of the smaller female roles and he knew how to film ambition on screen.

Which brings us to the final aspect of the film: Akira Kurosawa.  Unlike Bergman or Fellini or Truffaut, while Kurosawa has been widely hailed as one of cinema’s great directors, he isn’t nearly as talked about for his writing.  Yet, Kurosawa wrote or co-wrote all of his films.  He could create an epic story like Hidden Fortress or Seven Samurai, but he also turned to classic literature as much any director outside of John Huston.  He filmed Shakespeare straight up twice, very loosely once, and also adapted Dostoevsky and Gorky (as well as more contemporary authors like Ed McBain).  He knew how to take the script and make it into a film.  He took Shakespeare and found a way to make a film that felt like it could have come straight from Japanese history.  He was a creator.  In Ran he created characters, he created scenes, he created shots, and in the end, like he had done so many times before, he created a masterpiece.

4 of the Top 100 in one picture: Martin Scorsese receiving his Oscar from three close friends: Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg

With only one director left to go (and if you haven’t figured out who it is, you’re not paying attention), this is a good time to throw up the complete list.  I’ve gone ahead and provided links to all the directors, as well as listing what particular film I decided to focus on.  It was not always necessarily their best film, but rather the one I wanted to write about.

The first thing is, if there is a director here you were expecting to see and didn’t see them, you can go back to my Introduction, where I mention various directors who didn’t make the list and why.

Second, I will probably do a revision of this list sometime after the Oscars.  Because cumulative awards points are one of the categories I have used to make this list, I will re-calculate everyone after the awards season has concluded.  Also, in December, TSPDT re-does their list (they do it annually) and I will also be changing some point totals based on those re-calculations.

Third, almost certainly at some point, some younger directors will start to make the list.  Sofia Coppola finally has a fourth film in post-production, and unless it’s a complete disaster, she will be making a future version of the list.  Several other directors who were mentioned in the Intro still haven’t made a fourth film and at least three of them have just come out with their third films this year, but they will probably make a future version (those include Joe Wright, Stephen Daldry, Rob Marshall and Spike Jonze).  If I have someone who moves up the list, I will do an individual post for that director, with whatever rank they have acheived, and then will re-list all the ranks in the next February re-calculation.

But that’s it for now.  Here’s the complete initial list: The 100 Greatest Directors of All-Time.

100.  David Cronenberg (A History of Violence)

99.  George Stevens (The Diary of Anne Frank)

98.  Michael Mann (The Last of the Mohicans)

97.  Werner Herzog (Aguirre, the Wrath of God)

96.  Robert Redford (Quiz Show)

Uma Thurman, Robert Redford (#96), Meryl Streep (Actress #1), Mike Nichols (#45) and Amy Adams

95.  Jean Cocteau (La belle et la bette)

94.  Bernardo Bertolucci (The Last Emperor)

93.  Gus Van Sant (Milk)

92.  D.W. Griffith (The Birth of a Nation)

91.  James Whale (The Invisible Man)

90.  Wes Anderson (The Darjeeling Limited)

89.  Rob Reiner (The Princess Bride)

88.  Richard Brooks (The Professionals)

87.  Alejandro Amenabar (The Others)

86.  Mike Leigh (Topsy-Turvy)

85.  Krzysztof Kieslowski (Red)

84.  Paul Greengrass (United 93)

83.  John Schlesinger (Cold Comfort Farm)

82.  Andrei Tarkovsky (Solyaris)

81.  Joseph L. Mankiewicz (Cleopatra)

80.  Satyajit Ray (The Chess Players)

79.  Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie)

78.  Michael Powell (A Matter of Life and Death)

77.  Tom Tykwer (Perfume)

76.  Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch)

75.  Louis Malle (May Fools)

74.  Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs)

73.  Sergio Leone (Once Upon a Time in the West)

72.  James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment)

71.  Michael Curtiz (Yankee Doodle Dandy)

70.  John Sayles (Lone Star)

69.  Pedro Almodóvar (Talk to Her)

Warren Beatty being directed by Robert Altman on the set of McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)

68.  Danny Boyle (Trainspotting)

67.  Warren Beatty (Bulworth)

66.  Alan J. Pakula (All the President’s Men)

65.  Alfonso Cuarón (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban)

64.  Alan Parker (The Commitments)

63.  Tim Burton (Ed Wood)

62.  Anthony Minghella (Truly, Madly, Deeply)

61.  Jim Sheridan (In America)

Laurence Olivier being directed by William Wyler on the set of Carrie (1952)

60.  Laurence Olivier (Hamlet)

59.  George Cukor (The Philadelphia Story)

58.  Ridley Scott (Kingdom of Heaven)

57.  Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!)

56.  Jean Renoir (The Grand Illusion)

55.  Neil Jordan (The Crying Game)

54.  Erich von Stroheim (Greed)

53.  Bob Fosse (All That Jazz)

52.  Terry Gilliam (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas)

51.  George Lucas (Star Wars)

50.  Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers)

49.  Terrence Malick (Badlands)

48.  Milos Forman (Amadeus)

47.  Preston Sturges (The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek)

46.  Fred Zinnemann (From Here to Eternity)

45.  Mike Nichols (Angels in America)

44.  John Boorman (Excalibur)

43.  Stephen Frears (The Queen)

42.  Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away)

41.  F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu)

40.  Federico Fellini (Nights of Cabiria)

39.  Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight)

38.  Frank Capra (It’s a Wonderful Life)

37.  Kenneth Branagh (In the Bleak Midwinter)

36.  Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous)

35. Oliver Stone (JFK)

34.  Robert Altman (M*A*S*H)

33.  Fritz Lang (M)

32.  Howard Hawks (The Big Sleep)

Alfred Hitchcock and Francois Truffaut while working on their book

31.  Francois Truffaut (Day for Night)

30.  William Wyler (The Best Years of our Lives)

29.  Luis Bunuel (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie)

28.  Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia)

27.  David Lynch (Mulholland Drive)

26.  Sergei Eisenstein (The Battleship Potemkin)

25.  Sam Mendes (American Beauty)

24.  Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather)

23.  Charlie Chaplin (Modern Times)

22.  Christopher Nolan (The Prestige)

21.  Elia Kazan (A Streetcar Named Desire)

20.  Peter Weir (Dead Poets Society)

19.  Sidney Lumet (Running on Empty)

18.  Clint Eastwood (A Perfect World)

17.  Quentin Tarantino (Jackie Brown)

16.  Orson Welles (Touch of Evil)

15.  John Ford (The Grapes of Wrath)

14.  John Huston (The Maltese Falcon)

13.  Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)

12.  Roman Polanski (Chinatown)

Jack Nicholson and John Huston being directed by Roman Polanski on the set of Chinatown (1974)

11.  Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings)

10.  Woody Allen (Annie Hall)

9.  Billy Wilder (Sunset Blvd.)

8.  Joel and Ethan Coen (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

7.  David Lean (The Bridge on the River Kwai)

6.  Alfred Hitchcock (North by Northwest)

5.  Ingmar Bergman (Smiles of a Summer Night)

4.  Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange)

3.  Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark)

Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg on the "set" of the first Tintin film

2.  Martin Scorsese (GoodFellas)

1.  Akira Kurosawa (Ran)

One of the best detective/noir films I’ve ever seen… In fact, one of the best films I’ve ever seen generally, and probably my favourite Kurosawa so far:

This is the best trailer I found on Youtube, because it doesn’t give too much away (unless you read Japanese, in which case it might well give the whole plot away), unlike most of the other ones. But you should go and watch the whole film; it’s pretty long, but brilliantly suspenseful and doesn’t seem long at all.

RAN

ΙΑΠΩΝΙΑ,ΓΑΛΛΙΑ-1985-160′

Σκηνοθεσία: Akira Kurosawa

Ηθοποιοί: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, Mieko Harada, Yoshiko Miyazaki

Μετά από 70 χρόνια απόλυτης ηγεμονίας ο πολέμαρχος Hidetora Ichimonji αποφασίζει να παραιτηθεί από τα αξιώματα του και να χωρίσει το βασίλειο του σε τρία μέρη για τους τρεις γιους του, με μόνη του επιθυμία να ζήσει σαν τιμώμενο πρόσωπο σε κάθε ένα από τα κάστρα τους. O μεγαλύτερος γιος θα ηγείται ενώ οι άλλοι δυο θα έχουν ίσα μερίδια από την πατρική περιουσία, οφείλοντας όμως να υπακούν και να στηρίζουν τον μεγαλύτερο αδελφό τους. Ενώ οι δυο μεγαλύτεροι γιοι κολακεύουν τον πατέρα τους με σκοπό να τον απογυμνώσουν από πλούτη και αξιώματα, ο μικρότερος προσπαθεί να τον προειδοποιήσει για την ανοησία του. Οι γιοι του δεν πρόκειται να παραμείνουν ενωμένοι. Ο πατέρας εξοργισμένος με την αυθάδεια του, τον αποκληρώνει και τον διώχνει. Ο μικρότερος γιος, όμως, βγαίνει αληθινός. Τα δυο αδέλφια ξεκινούν πόλεμο μεταξύ τους και εκείνος βρίσκεται μπλεγμένος στη δίνη μιας μάχης για εξουσία, δύναμη και πλούτο μεταξύ των δυο γιων του.

ΤΟ TRAILER ΤΗΣ ΤΑΙΝΙΑΣ

ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ

3 Υποψηφιότητες Oscar, Oscar Καλύτερων Κοστουμιών,
BAFTA Καλύτερης Ξενόγλωσσης Ταινίας & Μακιγιάζ,
Yποψήφιο για ΒΑFTA Καλύτερης Φωτογραφίας, Κοστουμιών,
Παραγωγής & Προσαρμοσμένου Σεναρίου,
Βραβείο British Society Of Film Critics Awards Καλύτερης Ταινίας & Φωτογραφίας,
Japanese Academy Award Καλύτερου Art Direction & Music Score

ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΤΑΙΝΙΑ

RAN: Χάος, επανάσταση. Ο Kurosawa ξεκίνησε να σκέπτεται την πραγματoποίηση του “RAN” στα μέσα της δεκαετίας του ΄70, αφού είχε διαβάσει την παραβολή του Ιάπωνα φεουδάρχη και πολέμαρχου Μοri Motonari. Ο Mori Motonari είχε τρεις γιους, απίστευτα πιστούς και αφοσιωμένους στο πρόσωπο του. Ο Kurosawa αναρωτήθηκε τι θα μπορούσε να είχε γίνει αν οι γιοι του, τον πρόδιδαν. Ο ίδιος δεν είχε καταλάβει την ομοιότητα της παραβολής με τον «Βασιλιά Ληρ» του Σαίξπηρ, παρά μόνο όταν ξεκίνησε τον αρχικό προγραμματισμό της ταινίας. Έλεγε ακόμα πως ο Motonari και ο Lear εμπλέκονταν με κάποιο τρόπο που ούτε κι εκείνος μπορούσε να εξηγήσει. Έγραψε το σενάριο μετά την ολοκλήρωση του “Dersu Uzala” και το άφησε στην άκρη για επτά ολόκληρα χρόνια. Στο ενδιάμεσο ζωγράφιζε κάθε πλάνο της ταινίας, χωρίς να σταματήσει να ψάχνει για χρηματοδότηση. Το 1980 και μετά την επιτυχία του “Kagemusha”, που, όπως έλεγε πως ήταν η γενική πρόβα του Ran, o Kurosawa κατάφερε να εξασφαλίσει σίγουρη χρηματοδότηση από τον Γάλλο παραγωγό Serge Silberman. Το “Ran” ήταν η τελευταία ταινία της “τρίτης περιόδου του Κουροσάβα”(1965-1985), μια εποχή όπου είχε δυσκολίες στο να εξασφαλίζει υποστήριξη για τις ταινίες του, και αναγκαζόταν συχνά να αναζητήσει ξένη οικονομική υποστήριξη. Ενώ είχε σκηνοθετήσει πάνω από είκοσι ταινίες στις δύο πρώτες δεκαετίες της σταδιοδρομίας του, σκηνοθέτησε τέσσερις μόνο σε αυτές τις δύο δεκαετίες.

ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΑΓΩΓΗ

Ο Kurosawa θέλοντας να παραμείνει πιστός στον επικό χαρακτήρα της ταινίας, χρησιμοποιεί 1400 κομπάρσους, με 1400 αυθεντικά κουστούμια και 200 άλογα, που είχαν εισαχθεί από τις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες. Τα κοστούμια και οι πανοπλίες, σχεδιασμένα από την Emi Wada(Ran, Prospero’s Books, Hero, House of the Flying Daggers), ήταν χειροποίητα και πηρέ δυο χρόνια για να ολοκληρωθούν. Ο Κurosawa αγαπούσε την μαγνητοσκόπηση σε ανοιχτές και πλούσιες τοποθεσίες. Έτσι ,λοιπόν, το Ran γυρίστηκε σε ένα μεγάλο μέρος του, στο βουνό Άσο, ένα από τα μεγαλύτερα ενεργά ηφαίστεια της Ιαπωνίας. Το τρίτο κάστρο του Hidetora ,που κάηκε ολοσχερώς στην ταινία, χτίσθηκε αυτούσιο στους πρόποδες του βουνού Fuji. Συχνά χρησιμοποιούσε τρεις κάμερες για το ίδιο πλάνο, η καθεμία με διαφορετικούς φακούς και γωνίες λήψης.
Οι λήψεις του είναι συνήθως μακρινές και πολύ σπάνια χρησιμοποιεί κοντινό πλάνο. Σε πολλές περιπτώσεις χρησιμοποιούσε στατικές κάμερες και έκανε γρήγορα κοντινά πλάνα, φέρνοντας την βασική σκηνή που ήθελε σε κάδρο, αντί να ακολουθεί την πορεία της μάχης. Επίσης συνήθιζε να κάνει συχνά jump-cut, έτσι ώστε να αλλάζει το ρυθμό της δράσης. Όσον αφορά τους χαρακτήρες, ο Kurosawa, χρησιμοποίησε συμβατικές τεχνικές. Με εξαίρεση, τον Ηidetora και τη Λαίδη Kaede , για τους οποίους ακολούθησε τεχνικές μακιγιάζ και κίνησης που παραπέμπουν στο Ιαπωνικό θέατρο Noh. Στατικές, σιωπηλές σκηνές, ακολουθούμενες από απότομες, ενίοτε βίαιες αλλαγές στην στάση των ηθοποιών και πολύ βαρύ θεατρικό μακιγιάζ. Το Ran θεωρείται η ακριβότερη Ιαπωνική παραγωγή που έγινε ποτέ, κοστίζοντας 12 εκατομμύρια δολάρια.

Ο KUROSAWA ΓΙΑ ΤΟ RAN

“Αυτό που προσπαθώ να δώσω μέσα από το Ran, από την αρχή που το γράφαμε, είναι ότι οι Θεοί ή ο Θεός ή ο οποιοσδήποτε παρακολουθεί τον κόσμο, νιώθει στενοχώρια για τους ανθρώπους που καταστρέφουν ο ένας τον άλλο και αδύναμος που δεν μπορεί να επηρεάσει την ανθρώπινη φύση.”
“Όταν διάβασα ότι τρία βέλη μαζί είναι ανίκητα, είπα αυτό δεν είναι αλήθεια. Άρχισα να αμφιβάλλω και μετά σκέφτηκα. Το σπίτι άκμαζε και οι γιοι ήταν θαρραλέοι. Τι θα γινόταν όμως αν, αυτός ο εκπληκτικός άντρας, είχε κακούς γιους;”
“Αυτό που με προβλημάτιζε στον Βασιλιά Ληρ, ήταν ότι δεν είχε παρελθόν. Προσπάθησα μέσα από το Ran να δώσω στο Βασιλιά Ληρ παρελθόν”
“Όλη η τεχνολογική εξέλιξη των τελευταίων χρόνων έχει μάθει στον άνθρωπο πώς να σκοτώνει γρηγορότερα. Μου είναι δύσκολο να αντιμετωπίσω με καθαρή ματιά τη ζωή κάτω από αυτές τις συνθήκες.”
“O Hidetora είμαι εγώ.”
Κατά τη διάρκεια των γυρισμάτων η 39χρονη γυναίκα του Κurosawa, πέθανε. Σταμάτησε τα γυρίσματα για να θρηνήσει, μια μέρα.

Ο ROGER EBERT ΓΙΑ ΤΟ RAN

Ο χαρακτήρας του Hidetora, παρουσιάζει διάφορα παράδοξα. Αλλά δεν είναι παράδοξα της νιότης. Πηγάζουν από τακτικές και συνήθειες χρόνων. Έχει βαθιά γνώση του κόσμου. Οσον αφορά όμως τα παιδιά του, έχει μια εντελώς διαφορετική εικόνα από την πραγματική. Πιστεύει πως δεν υπάρχει περίπτωση να κάνουν ούτε ένα λάθος. Στο τέλος, όταν όλες οι προσδοκίες και τα όνειρα του έχουν γκρεμιστεί, ο Hidetora αποκτά την συγκινητική ιδιότητα μιας – σχεδόν παιδικής – αθωότητας που μπορεί να διακρίνει μια υποψία χαμόγελου σε χείλη ερμητικά κλειστά, και μπορεί να ονειρεύεται την ύπαρξη πέραν της ανθρώπινης σκληρότητας. Το να παίξεις το Βασιλιά Ληρ, δεν είναι τεχνική άσκηση. Αναρωτιέμαι αν μπορεί να το κάνει κάποιος που δεν έχει ζήσει μεγάλες απογοητεύσεις και σκοτεινές περιόδους στην ζωή του.
Ο Κurosawa, έχει ζήσει τέτοιες καταστάσεις. Είναι ένας από τους μεγαλύτερους σκηνοθέτες όλων των εποχών, εκτός μόδας στην χώρα του, υποφέροντας από κατάθλιψη και σχεδόν τυφλός. Προετοίμαζε αυτή την ταινία για 10 χρόνια, φτιάχνοντας χιλιάδες σχεδία για το κάθε πλάνο ξεχωριστά, χωρίς να ξέρει αν θα καταφέρει να βρει τα λεφτά για να την πραγματοποιήσει. Τα λεφτά όμως βρεθήκαν, όταν ο Serge Silberman, μεγάλος Γάλλος παραγωγός αποφάσισε να ρισκάρει τα δικά του λεφτά και να στηρίξει το όραμα του Kurosawa, για την πιο ακριβή Ιαπωνική παραγωγή, που ,ναι, δεν θα μπορούσε να είχε πραγματοποιηθεί αν ο Kurosawa δεν είχε περάσει όλα αυτά στη ζωή του και αν δεν ήταν 75 ετών.
Ο “Βασιλιάς Ληρ” είναι ένα έργο που έχει εμμονή στις λέξεις που εκφράζουν αρνητισμό. “Τίποτα; Από το τίποτα θα βγει τίποτα”, “ποτέ, ποτέ, ποτέ”, “όχι,όχι ,όχι”. Εκφράζουν το βαθύ άγχος του Βασιλιά ότι αυτά που έκτισε και καταστράφηκαν, ποτέ δεν θα είναι όπως πριν, ότι το αγαπημένο του παιδί είναι νεκρό , ότι η περηφάνια και η αλαζονεία του έβαλαν τέλος στην ευτυχία του. Το “ Ran” εκφράζει αυτή τη βαθιά απελπισία, εντελώς διαφορετικά απ’ ότι μια ταινία γυρισμένη στη Δύση. Τα κοστούμια των Samurai, οι επιρροές από το Ιαπωνικό δράμα Noh στο μακιγιάζ και την κίνηση, δίνουν μια διαφορετική εικόνα στο πως μπορεί κανείς να βιώσει και να αποτυπώσει την απελπισία.
Το Ran είναι ένα μεγάλο, λαμπερό επίτευγμα. Ο Κurosawa μπήκε πολλές φορές στο ρολό του Hidetora καθώς προσπαθούσε να καταφέρει να γυρίσει την ταινία, αλλά στο τέλος θριάμβευσε και η εικόνα που έχω από αυτόν, στα 75 του, είναι τρία βέλη δεμένα μαζί.
Roger Ebert 1985

Ο ΒΑΣΙΛΗΣ ΡΑΦΑHΛΙΔΗΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ RAN

Ο Ακίρα Κουροσάβα στη διασκευή του Βασιλιά Λιρ, το Ραν (1985), που στα ιαπωνικά σημαίνει χάος, βλέπει τον Σαίξπηρ ως κάποιον που στέκεται παραζαλισμένος μπροστά στο χάος που προκαλεί η δίψα της εξουσίας. Είδε, μ’ άλλα λόγια, το Βασιλιά Λιρ ως την «τραγωδία της εξουσίας», όπως και τον Μακμπέθ που κι αυτόν τον μετέφερε στον κινηματογράφο το 1957, υπό τον ελληνικό κινηματογραφικό τίτλο Ο θρόνος του αίματος. Αλλά ο Σαίξπηρ είναι πολύ μεγάλος, μεταξύ άλλων, γιατί δεν ασχολείται δυο φορές με το ίδιο θέμα. Ο Κουροσάβα, ωστόσο, γιατί διαβάζει το Βασιλιά Λιρ σαν να ήταν ο Μακμπέθ; Μα, γιατί τον ενδιαφέρει πάρα πολύ το πρόβλημα της εξουσίας και η βία που αυτή συνεπάγεται.
Ωστόσο, όπως είπαμε ήδη, στο Βασιλιά Λιρ ο Σαίξπηρ δεν ασχολείται με το πρόβλημα της κυρίως ειπείν εξουσίας. Τον ενδιαφέρει μόνο το «κενό αγάπης», εντός του οποίου «φύεται» η εξουσία σε όλες της τις μορφές. Σε τελική ανάλυση, ο Βασιλιάς Λιρ είναι η «τραγωδία της Αγάπης». Πιο σωστά, η τραγωδία της αδυναμίας για την ύπαρξη της υποσχεμένης από τον χριστιανισμό Αγάπης. Ο Βασιλιάς Λιρ είναι μια θρησκευτική στην ουσία της τραγωδία. Πιο σωστά, μια τραγωδία με μεταφυσικά ερείσματα, όπως όλες οι τραγωδίες. Γιατί δεν μπορεί να νοηθεί τραγικό ξεκομμένο απ’ τη Μοίρα. Και δεν μπορεί να νοηθεί Μοίρα χωρίς τις «υπερβατικές δυνάμεις», που επικαθορίζουν τα ανθρώπινα. Η τραγική ύβρις δεν είναι ύβρις προς ανθρώπους. Και ο βασιλιάς Λιρ είναι ένας υβριστής της Αγάπης. Και όπως όλα τα τραγικά πρόσωπα, είναι πρόσωπο συμπαθές γιατί συγκρούεται με δυνάμεις που τον υπερβαίνουν. Γιατί, όπως είπαμε, η χριστιανική Αγάπη είναι υπερβατική, όπως άλλωστε εξ αντιδιαστολής το επιβεβαιώνει καθημερινά το χριστιανικότατο μίσος που, αυτό, είναι ανθρώπινο, πολύ ανθρώπινο, όπως θα έλεγε ο Νίτσε.
Βασιλής Ραφαηλίδης 1986

ΚΡΙΤΙΚΕΣ

ΝΙΝΟΣ ΦΕΝΕΚ ΜΙΚΕΛΙΔΗΣ-ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΤΥΠΙΑ

*****    Σε επανέκδοση, η αριστουργηματική διασκευή του σεξπιρικού «Βασιλιά Λιρ» από τον Ιάπωνα σκηνοθέτη, τοποθετημένη στη φεουδαρχική περίοδο. Στήσιμο των μαχών, ντεκόρ, κοστούμια, φωτογραφία, μινιμαλιστική μουσική, μοντάζ, ερμηνείες, ακόμη και το μακιγιάζ, όλα τέλεια!

Στη φεουδαρχική Ιαπωνία στρέφεται ο Ακίρα Κουροσάβα για να στήσει την ιστορία της ταινίας του «Ραν» -στα ιαπωνικά θε πει «Χάος»- με έναν επιβλητικό Ιάπωνα βασιλιά Λιρ που έρχεται σε σύγκρουση με ένα από τα τρία παιδιά του (οι κόρες του Σέξπιρ αντικαθιστούνται εδώ από τρεις γιους), με αποτέλεσμα να τον εξορίσει για ν’ ανακαλύψει, κάπως αργά, πως είναι ο μόνος πιστός σ’ αυτόν γιος του.

Μάστορης στις σκηνές μάχης, ιδιαίτερα στην αναπαράσταση της ωμότητάς τους, ο σκηνοθέτης των «Εφτά σαμουράι» στήνει μερικές από τις πιο εντυπωσιακές, κινηματογραφικά αξεπέραστες, σκηνές του. Σκηνές όπως εκείνες με τον πολεμιστή που κρατάει στο ένα του χέρι το άλλο, κομμένο χέρι του ή εκείνη όπου ένα βέλος καρφώνεται στο μάτι ενός πολεμιστή, αποκτούν στον Κουροσάβα μιαν άλλη υπόσταση, όπου οι φωτιές, το χυμένο άφθονα αίμα, οι σφαγές και ο θάνατος μετατρέπονται σε μια ελεγεία, θρήνο της σπαταλημένης ζωής.

Στα 75 του χρόνια, άρρωστος και εγκαταλειμμένος από τα στούντιο της πατρίδας του, ο Κουροσάβα, με τη βοήθεια ενός Γάλλου παραγωγού, κατάφερε ύστερα από προετομασία 10 χρόνων να φτιάξει αυτό το μοναδικό, εκπληκτικό έπος -από τις καλύτερες σεξπιρικές διασκευές που μας έδωσε ο παγκόσμιος κινηματογράφος. Ενα έπος όπου όλα, ακόμη και το εμπνευσμένο από το θέατρο «Νο» μακιγιάζ, είναι στην εντέλεια. Μια ταινία που ταυτόχρονα εκφράζει, με τον καλύτερο τρόπο, τη μοναξιά και την απόγνωση των προδομένων γηρατιών. Ο Τατσούγια Νακαντάι, στον ρόλο του Ιάπωνα βασιλιά Λιρ, έδωσε με δύναμη όλες τις πτυχές του χαρακτήρα του: από επιβλητικός, αλαζόνας μονάρχης στην αρχή, σε καταβεβλημένο, μοναχικό, μισότρελο γέροντα στο τέλος.

Ι. ΖΟΥΜΠΟΥΛΑΚΗΣ-ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ

Στη φεουδαρχική Ιαπωνία του 16ου αιώνα, ένας ηλικιωμένος άρχοντας ( Τατσούα Νακαντάι ) δίνει τη θέση του στον πρωτότοκο από τους τρεις γιους του, στέλνοντας τον νεότερο στην εξορία. Ο πρώην ισχυρός άρχοντας όμως θα πέσει θύμα προδοσίας. Ραν στα ιαπωνικά σημαίνει χάος, ταραχή, σάλος: ο κόσμος που εικονογραφείται στη μεγαλόπρεπη αυτή δημιουργία. Στο σενάριο της ταινίας βρίσκουμε κοινά σημεία με το θεατρικό έργο του Γουίλιαμ Σαίξπηρ «Βασιλιάς Λιρ», τον οποίο ο Κουροσάβα ενσωματώνει σε έναν μύθο του λαού του. Ο σπουδαίος σκηνοθέτης βρίσκει τη «χρυσή τομή» μεταξύ του κινηματογραφικού θεάματος και του κορυφαίου δράματος. Στην εκπληκτική σκηνή της μάχης, π.χ., ο μόνος ήχος που συνοδεύει τη βαρβαρότητα είναι η γλυκιά, απαλή μουσική υπόκρουση του Τόρου Τακεμίσου, που θυμίζει μοιρολόι σε κηδεία, τονίζοντας έτσι τη ματαιότητα του πολέμου.

Kakushi Toride no San-Akunin

AÑO 1958
DURACIÓN 123 min.
PAÍS [Japón]
DIRECTOR Akira Kurosawa
GUIÓN Akira Kurosawa, Ryuzo Kikushima, Hideo Oguni, Shinobu Hashimoto
MÚSICA Masaru Sato
FOTOGRAFÍA Ichio Yamazaki (B&W)
REPARTO Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Takashi Shimura, Susumu Fujita, Eiko Miyoshi
PRODUCTORA Toho

Aventuras. Acción

Japón feudal. Siglo XVI. La historia de un samurai -Toshiro Mifune- que debe escoltar a una princesa por tierras enemigas es un aclamado film del maestro Kurosawa que, además de ser reconocido por la crítica como un magistral anticipo de “Yojimbo” o “Sanjuro”, supuso, según confesión abierta del director George Lucas, una clara inspiración para su trilogía de “La Guerra de las Galaxias” (Star Wars, 1977). Arte y entretenimiento al más alto nivel (FILMAFFINITY)
—————————————-
“Espléndida historia de época” (Augusto M. Torres: Diccionario Espasa)

Duración 2:12:55
Idioma: japonés (VO) con subtítulos en español

Resolución: 608×240 (2,53:1)
Codec: DivX

Una divertida comedia de el gran Akira Kurosawa. El film combina el humor centrado en la pareja de los dos hombres con la épica. Minoru Chiaki y Kamatari Fujiwara, espléndidos actores que despliegan una brillante e hilarante interpretación, conscientemente exagerada por las indicaciones de Kurosawa, en un simpático afán de plasmar la codicia y ambición humana. Conviven en el relato dos héroes (Rokurota y la princesa) que siempre se muestran en actitudes valerosas y nobles, con dos antihéroes dominados por fines viles, pero que al final resultan ser humanos y capaces de acciones dignas.

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Subtítulos en español
http://mihd.net/h97go8

www.Genta.com

GETA

Genta has been extremely volatile in the last two weeks and dropped today enough to scare off less patient investors. But this is no time to panic. Today gave investors both old and new a great place to buy in as the price has once again fallen below a dollar. Genta’s pipeline is the investment. Share holders are waiting on two things at the moment: Agenda Results, and FDA approval, the results being the most important as they will likely determine the outcome of the FDA. So what to do in times like this when the price rises and falls faster than The Poltergeist at Six Flags Fiesta Texas? Trade it?… Wrong.

The Agenda results could be out ANY day now. This is going to be the most action packed quarter this stock has ever seen and you would not want to get left behind without a share in the world. So instead of refreshing  your favorite GETA  message board every second I suggest using this time to better your skills. Here are a few great links for you to check out:

Great Chart Analysis! -  This is a list of videos displaying live chart analysis. A great tool for learning because there are over 40 pages of videos.

The Penny Playa Blog – This guy posts some links to articles that are worth looking at.

Read Books:

The Way of the Turtle by Curtis M. Faith, The Only Three Questions That Count by Ken Fisher

Watch some good business related movies such as Wall Street (obviously) which has a sequel starring Shia LaBeouf on the way, or the great Kurosawa suspense thriller High and Low which was originally adapted from an Ed McBain novel of the “87th Precinct” series and is in the works to be re-made by Martin Scorsese .

Okay everyone thats my take on all this. It is my opinion only and as always I suggest everyone do their own DD. Have a great weekend!

- The Trading Grasshopper

aka. Les Bas-Fonds

It is one of the curiosities in the history of cinema that Jean Renoir who has been busy making Une Partie de Campagne left it for directing a film, theme of which was apparently against his grain. Une Partie is like a painting of his father come to life where nature takes hand in determining the life of a nubile girl in the flush of her adolescence and her first love. The lovers surrender to nature and to their emotions, and go on to live naturally miserable lives apart. If we look at his father’s paintings we see similar tableaux of lovers with certain poses, foliage, sun and shade.  But he left it for filming The Lower Depths in 1936.
Whereas The Lower Depths is a closed- in world bearing the superscription as in Dante’s Hell. (Despair is the key that is etched on the souls of its denizens.) What had the Gorky’s gutter play to wean him from the Maupassant story?
In 1936 the rise of Hitler in Germany and the Popular Front in France created within the French Left a new sense of solidarity with the Soviet Union. In that context the Russian immigrant producer Alexander Kamenka asked Jean Renoir to direct a film of Maxim Gorky’s play The Lower Depths. Renoir accepted the offer and before agreeing to take on the project, Renoir insisted that the film be set in France (not Russia), and that some drastic changes be made to the plot.  The most significant change was the ending; the tragic denouement in Gorki’s play was replaced with a happier ending, in keeping with the mood of the time.
Trivia: Renoir was obliged to write to Gorki to receive permission for these alterations to the story, which was duly given (although Gorki died a few months before the film was released).
Plot
The story revolves around two characters that represent two ends of the society. One is titled and the other a common thief. The baron (Jouvet ) has stolen 30,000 rubles from the ministry and lost it gambling. Pépel (Gabin) has come to rob the baron’s luxurious house and finds nothing worth stealing there. The baron, returning home in a suicidal mood, interrupts Pépel’s theft. Here in their first encounter, each opens the eyes of the other to the possibility of change. Each glimpses a new possibility, the baron, a life without things; Pépel a life without thefts.

Soon the baron appears at the flophouse. The baron soon finds himself in the swim of things there. If thousand- ruble game in the casino had turned his world upside down he finds life there: he can still indulge his passion in the three-kopek game in the flophouse.  If he has lost his class he has found his life. He sheds luxury and prestige without regret. When Pépel finds life in the lower depths unbearable and proposes to leave the flophouse, he asks the baron what he will do. The baron replies without hesitation, “I’ll stay here.” He has no desire to go. Unlike Gorky’s baron, his descent from aristocracy has not been degrading but liberating.

After Pépel leaves the baron’s carrying the bronze horses he steals some apples, then gives them to a child and tells him, “And if someday someone tells you Pépel is a thief, you’ll set them straight.” The film ends with homage to Chaplin’s Modern Times as the lovers walk off down the road of life.
Acting:
The film, apart from its dark theme, is carried by the acting of the two main characters.  The Gabin-Jouvet pairing is a masterstroke, with both actors providing fine performances that are charged with conviction and humanity.  Despite their different backgrounds and approaches to their art, the two actors complement each other perfectly, the down-trodden and passionate proletarian played by Gabin making a poignant contrast with Jouvet’s ruined but nonchalant aristocrat.  The scene where the two characters meet and, realising the absurdity of the barriers which separate them, become friends is one of the enduring moments of the film, and is certainly in keeping with the ethos of the Popular Front.  The large supporting cast gives the film its richness and colour, with notable performances from Suzy Prim, Robert Le Vigan.
Junie Astor as Natasha
While Gabin and Jouvet were excellent there was much to be desired in the acting of Natasha. Dramatically she plays a prominent role in the film, necessary for both the death of Kostylyov and Pépel’s escape from the lower depths. But her performance destroys almost every scene she is in. Renoir said of this, “She’s terrible, isn’t she? She was a friend of the producer. He asked me as a special favor to give her the part. I worked hard with her but it didn’t do much good.
“Some faces are beautiful, made for the camera. Some faces are not beautiful but interesting. But Junie Astor had a face that showed nothing to the camera. It is empty.”Renoir
“…the wonderful opening shot of the film: Jouvet stands upright, the only figure on screen, in the centre of the frame, silent but with an occasional superior smirk escaping him as his unseen superior rebukes him for embezzling ministry funds to pay off his gambling debts; and the camera swings round him first to the left and then further and further to the right finally to reveal his superior reflected in a mirror.

This single opening shot keys us to all the important features of the film: the priority given to star persona and performance; the degree to which the narrative differs from (adds to, opens out) Gorky’s original play; and the significance of Renoir’s camera style of this time, characterised by deep-focus depth-of-field, the moving camera, and the revelation of off-screen space, the world extending beyond the limits of the frame”(brightlights films.com- Ian Johnston)

Renoir and Kurosawa
Donald Richie calls Akira Kurosawa’s film of The Lower Depths a miracle of ensemble playing. In contrast Renoir makes of the play a vehicle for two fine actors, Louis Jouvet and Jean Gabin. The action of Kurosawa’s film occurs completely within the flophouse, as does the play, but less than half of Renoir’s Lower Depths takes place there. Still the flophouse remains, visually, the most interesting locale in the film, with its chiaroscuro lighting and dramatic shadows, its rough bricks, rude stairways, and old wooden posts that often divide the screen vertically or project diagonally across the frame and its length that lends itself so well to deep focus cinematography.

When Akira Kurosawa made his version of The Lower Depths in 1957 he had seen Renoir’s film. It was perhaps that which led him to try it himself. Unlike Renoir, Kurosawa follows Gorky almost scene for scene. In a style that resembles Renoir’s in its long takes and deep focus cinematography Kurosawa creates his flophouse as the locus of a world. But by the sheer vitality of the life in his film manages to overthrow the despair and pathos that permeate the play.

Kurosawa greatly admired Jean Renoir, thought him one of the greatest masters of cinema. The two met once in the 1970s, late in Renoir’s life when Kurosawa was in Los Angeles to receive an Academy Award and was invited to have dinner with the Renoirs. Kurosawa has written that his own decision to write an autobiography was prompted by reading Renoir’s My Life and My Films “and by the terrific impression Renoir left on me when I met him—the feeling that I would like to grow old in the same way he did.”

Kurosawa’s Lower Depths shows the power that could be achieved in cinema by staying close to the text and setting of Gorky’s work. Renoir did not see Kurosawa’s film until 1977. He watched it with great interest, then remarked, “That is a much more important film than mine.”
Although overshadowed by Renoir’s subsequent masterpieces (La Grande Illusion was made straight after this film), Les Bas-fonds is an impressive work, which, through its very evident humanity, remains a surprisingly modern film.  Its wry comic touches have an ironic edge to them, a suggestion perhaps that Renoir might have preferred this to be a much darker work, in the vein of the poetic realists.  This is also hinted at by the location filming which uses an almost neo-realist style to convey the grim reality of poverty.  Noticeable also in this film is Renoir’s admiration for his two heroes of the silent era, Eric Von Stroheim and Chaplin.
A variant of the Lower Depths was made later where some of the Russian elements of the play were introduced that seems to have prevented the film from being a popular success.  The film was well received by the critics, however, and was awarded the first Prix Louis Delluc in 1937.
Cast

* Jean Gabin – Wasska Pepel
* Louis Jouvet – The Baron
* Suzy Prim – Vassilissa
* Junie Astor – Natacha
* Jany Holt – Nastia
* Vladimir Sokoloff – Kostileff

Robert Le Vigan – L’Acteur; Camille Bert – Le Comte; René Génin – Le Vieillard; Paul Temps – Satine; Robert Ozanne – Jabot; Léon Larive – Felix, le domestique; Alex Allin; Maurice Baquet – Accordeoniste; André Gabriello – Le Commissaire; Lucien Mancini – Patron de la guinguette; Sylvain
Credit
Jacques Becker – First Assistant Director, Jean Renoir – Director, Marguerite Renoir – Editor, Jean Wiener – Composer (Music Score), Jean Bachelet – Cinematographer, F. Bourgas – Cinematographer, Arthur Mayer – Producer, Eugène Lourié – Set Designer, Jacques Companeez – Screenwriter, Jean Renoir – Screenwriter, Charles Spaak – Screenwriter, Maxim Gorky – Play Author
Similar Movies
Dodes’ka-Den; Die Freudlose Gasse; Austeria; The L-Shaped Room
(Ack: James Travers,2002, Alexander Sesonske-criterion collection-30Dec,2003)

benny

Trono Manchado De Sangue – ( Kumonosu-jo )
Fabricante: Continental

Japão, século XVI. As guerras civis sacodem o país. Dois valentes samurais, os generais Washizu e Miki, regressam aos seus domínios depois de uma batalha vitoriosa. No caminho, uma misteriosa senhora profetiza o futuro de Washizu: o guerreiro se converterá no Senhor do Castelo do Norte. A partir deste fato, Washizu se vê imerso numa trágica e sangenta luta pelo poder.Kurosawa no ápice de sua carreira e com seu ator predileto, Toshiro Mifune, translada o universo da peça ´Macbeth´ de Shakespeare ao violento Japão Medieval. A força expressiva de Kurosawa brilha nas seqüências antológicas que já fazem parte da história do cinema. Diretor: Akira Kurosawa Elenco: Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Minoru Chiaki, Akira Kubo, Takamaru Sadaki, Yoichi Tachikawa, Takashi Shimura, Chioko Naniwa Ano / País de Origem: 1957 / Japão Formato de tela: Standard Idioma de áudio: Japonês / Espanhol Idioma de legenda: Português /   Espanhol Extras: Menu Interativo, Seleção de Cenas / Bio/Filmografia – Pôsteres de Filmes Japoneses – Trailer Festivais e Prêmios: Festival de Veneza – Indicado ao Leão de Ouro – Melhor Filme Kinema Junpo Awards – Melhor Atriz Mainichi Film Concours – Melhor Ator e Direção de Arte