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IKURU (1952) - Akira Kurosawa
Ikuru is not a masterpiece. There is no such thing as masterpieces in cinema, only flawed masterpieces. Though if there is a type of film deserving of the high water mark, five star rating, then this is it.
The film begins on the image of an X Ray, of a stomach, inflicted with cancer. The narrator kicks in with the simple, yet effective words...
"This stomach belongs to the protagonist of our story. At this point, our protagonist has no idea he has this cancer".
Following that, is a great opening with a beautiful montage, and voice- over introduction, reminiscent of such films as Truffaut's "Jules et Jim" (1962), and Scorsese's "Goodfellas" (1990). Two of my favourite openings in the history of film.
The story details government desk worker, Kenji Watanabe, and his realization of what a waste of a life he had, after finding out that he has stomach cancer. With one day left to hit the 30 year record of no days off work, he decides to skip his job, and use his savings to truly experience life in his final months.
He goes out on a all night booze binge with a young bohemian writer (complete with white scarf), and he spends the rest of his time, with a young female co worker, with a zest for life. He showers her with presents, and he even decides to buy a new hat for himself, something everyone around him notices, and grows a paranoid concern for. The hat, ultimately, becomes a sort of symbol for life, a sort of "rosebud".
After his various escapades, he decides to spend his final weeks, pushing to get a public park made. Something he will feel, was his purpose in life.
Shot between Kurosawa's other two flawed masterpieces (Rashomon. and the Seven Samurai), and shot with glorious black and white photography, that bears a scary resemblance to the God among cinematographers, Gregg Toland (Citizen Kane, The Grapes of Wrath), this film is a must for cineastes.
The one flaw Kurosawa seems to have in most of his films, is the need to make them all "long movies". His films usually have around a half an hour of unnecessary footage, always in second half of the film. Ikuru would have worked, a lot better, as a 95 minute film. But that's only my opinion.
Either way, it is a wonderful film, with a beautiful Criterion Edition DVD available for everyone to rent or buy. Kurosawa was truly, a giant in cinema.
Ikuru is not a masterpiece. There is no such thing as masterpieces in cinema, only flawed masterpieces. Though if there is a type of film deserving of the high water mark, five star rating, then this is it.
The film begins on the image of an X Ray, of a stomach, inflicted with cancer. The narrator kicks in with the simple, yet effective words...
"This stomach belongs to the protagonist of our story. At this point, our protagonist has no idea he has this cancer".
Following that, is a great opening with a beautiful montage, and voice- over introduction, reminiscent of such films as Truffaut's "Jules et Jim" (1962), and Scorsese's "Goodfellas" (1990). Two of my favourite openings in the history of film.
The story details government desk worker, Kenji Watanabe, and his realization of what a waste of a life he had, after finding out that he has stomach cancer. With one day left to hit the 30 year record of no days off work, he decides to skip his job, and use his savings to truly experience life in his final months.
He goes out on a all night booze binge with a young bohemian writer (complete with white scarf), and he spends the rest of his time, with a young female co worker, with a zest for life. He showers her with presents, and he even decides to buy a new hat for himself, something everyone around him notices, and grows a paranoid concern for. The hat, ultimately, becomes a sort of symbol for life, a sort of "rosebud".
After his various escapades, he decides to spend his final weeks, pushing to get a public park made. Something he will feel, was his purpose in life.
Shot between Kurosawa's other two flawed masterpieces (Rashomon. and the Seven Samurai), and shot with glorious black and white photography, that bears a scary resemblance to the God among cinematographers, Gregg Toland (Citizen Kane, The Grapes of Wrath), this film is a must for cineastes.
The one flaw Kurosawa seems to have in most of his films, is the need to make them all "long movies". His films usually have around a half an hour of unnecessary footage, always in second half of the film. Ikuru would have worked, a lot better, as a 95 minute film. But that's only my opinion.
Either way, it is a wonderful film, with a beautiful Criterion Edition DVD available for everyone to rent or buy. Kurosawa was truly, a giant in cinema.
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"I know a man who was born with his heart on the outside. Every man's worst fear, he also had heavy hands. he couldn't touch his lovers face, he couldn't hold a baby." - Buck 65
"I know a man who was born with his heart on the outside. Every man's worst fear, he also had heavy hands. he couldn't touch his lovers face, he couldn't hold a baby." - Buck 65
