Japanese cinema for beginners Part 4

Takeshi Kitano. “Fireworks” (“Hana-bi”), 1997

The film, which the Director came to international acclaim, recounts the last journey through the heritage sites of Japan former police officer Nishi (Takeshi Kitano) and his terminally ill wife, earlier lost their four-year-old daughter, who died of leukemia. The quintessential corporate style of the leader of the contemporary cinema of Japan, combining a mixture of various genres, film language concise and terse manner of acting. The special atmosphere of the film-the farewell gives the music Jo Hlsalshi (award of the Japanese Academy). Vogue magazine called the film one of the best in the last decade of the twentieth century. “Golden lion” at the Venice film festival (1997). European film awards in the category “Best foreign film” (1997). The national film award of France “Cesar” in the category “Best foreign film” (1998). Numerous Japanese film award (“Blue ribbon”, “Cinema, Juno”, “Mainichi”, etc.) in the major categories.

Hideo Nakata. “The ring” (“Ringu”), 1998

An absolute hit Japanese rolled, shot based on the novels by Koji Suzuki “call” and “Spiral”, and spawned many spin-offs, imitations, and remakes both in Japan and abroad. The unfolding on the verge of reality and dream nonlinear plot and austere visual style hides a masterful Director, able to recreate the atmosphere of panic and his discharge without showing actually terrible. Famous Russian film critic and filmography map the movie “the importance for the development of the genre of a mystical horror film with some artistic effect on the audience and filmmakers for 20 years before that the American film “Halloween” John carpenter”. The film won prizes at festivals of a fantastic film in Brussels and Montreal.

Kindzi Fukasaku. The battle Royale (“Batoru rowaiaru”), 2000

A cult film made on the novel-dystopia of Kosuna Takami, developing ideas repeatedly filmed “Lord of the flies” by William Golding. The movie tells the story of schoolboys who find themselves at the behest of adults on a remote island, where of the 42 adolescents as a result of their three-day fight with each other for existence allowed to survive only one. The main adult role of a former teacher, performing the functions of a master of ceremonies of the bloody game takes Takeshi Kitano. One of the few films in modern Japan, who initiated a debate in Parliament that led to the establishment of the film age restrictions, usually in the Japanese film industry missing. In 2001, the film was awarded six Japanese film awards (awards of the Japanese Academy and Blue ribbon) in the major categories. The work of 70-year-old classic films about the Yakuza Kindzi Fukasaku was highly appreciated by Quentin Tarantino, who in a poll on Sky Movies top 20 movies released since 1992, has put the battle Royale in the first place your personal rating. Three years after the release of the film Fukusaku did the sequel “battle Royale — 2”, which became his last work in the movie. Currently in production is a remake of the film of 2000.

Ejiro Takita. “Gone” (“Okuribito”), 2008

In the center of the story — the story of a young cellist Daigo left without work. In his native town, where he moved from the metropolis together with his wife, he is offered a service in a certain Agency, which is the funeral: Daigo have to wash the bodies of the dead, fix them and prepare for the funeral and cremation. Exploring unusual profession, which in Japan is not among the high status, the character takes on a new meaning in life, becoming first a gifted apprentice funeral, and then the true master of ceremony. The music for the film was written by Jo Hlsalshi, famous for creating the soundtrack to the cult animation. In fact, the only Japanese film that received an Academy award “Oscar” in founded in 1956, the category “Best foreign language film” (2009). Many Japanese movie awards (award of the Japanese Academy, “Cinema, Juno” and “Mainichi”) in various categories.

 

Akira Iwasaki. “The history of Japanese cinema” (1966)

The most thoroughly set out the history of Japanese cinema from the end of the XIX century 60-ies of XX century in the Russian language. Observe the influence of the traditions of the Kabuki theater, the theater school of the SIMP and the new theater, shingeki the aesthetics of Japanese cinema; the analysis of the major genres of Japanese cinema in their development. The book analyzes not only the artistic features of works of Japanese filmmakers but also traces the history of the film industry — studios, knob jockey, rental systems. Separate chapters are devoted to the work of major Directors, Sexo Makino, Tanoka Kinugasa, Sadao Yamanaka, Mansaku Itami, Tadashi Imai, Keisuke Kinoshita, Akira Kurosawa etc. Especially for the Russian edition of Akira Iwasaki wrote the afterword in which the presentation of the history of Japanese cinema is brought to 1964. The app is published a chronological table of the history of the Japanese cinema from 1896 to 1960.