Ikiru
dvd videos, dvd movies reviews
|
 |
Features
• PAL
In Theaters : 25 March, 1956 |
| [ + Zoom ] [ Buy Now ] |
DVD : This item is currently not available. |
|
|
Ikiru description
Blessed with timeless humanity, grace, and heartbreaking compassion, Ikiru is one of the most moving dramas in the history of film. Legendary director Akira Kurosawa is best remembered for his samurai epics, but this contemporary masterpiece ranks among his greatest achievements, matched in every respect by the finest performance of Takashi Shim ... review details
|
|
♥♥♥♥♥
|
Terrific portrait of life confronted with death
|
At Ikiru's opening, I started to have real doubts about the film. I had heard that this was Kurosawa's best, and the film was built up just enough to come crashing down.
Luckily, that didn't happen.
The narrator of the film reminded me of Criswell's narrations to Plan 9 from Outer Space. The film seemed to say too much and show too little. Then as the narrator continued during an extremely long take of our hero Mr. Watanabe at work, something clicked. The long duration of the shot and the narrator's continued breakdown of the man's less wholesome characteristics gave the impression that he was breaking down our lives, that the narration is coming from the back of our own minds, and that we are powerless to silence it.
That floored me, and for the rest of the film, I remained awe-stricken by this humble yet miserable man. Takashi Shimura gives one of the greatest performances I've seen since Raging Bull. Here is a guy whose really pissed off at the world, but he's smart enough to know he has only himself to blame for the mediocrity his life has been dealt. The horror on his face when he learns of his cancer will remain with me for a long time.
There are points at which the film seems to drag on, but never without purpose. When he dies, having finally given meaning to his existence, his coworkers and family members recount the final days with pity, confusion, and finally admiration. The scene lags, which makes us that much more insulted by their ignorance. |
|
Ikiru dvd movie.