"Madadayo"-Kurosawa's Last Film

Akahige · Post by **Akahige** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 13:17 -0700

Recently rented it and really enjoyed it. It's a charming film, about an elderly professor who retires and his continuing relationship with his former students. A nice, simple movie about people and the importance of kindness. I strongly recommend it. It was originally released in Japan in 1993, I think, but finally came out in the U.S. on video in '98. Rented it from Blockbuster, so there's a good place to start looking for it, I guess. Anyone seen the two films that came out after Kurosawa's death? "After the Rain" and "The Ocean was Watching" were completed scripts that other directors filmed. Don't think either is out on video yet, though.

takematsu · Post by **takematsu** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 6:18 -0700

Rented it from Blockbuster, so there's a good place to start looking for it

Err-- an evil place to start, surely

For the sake of your local economy, try whatever mom'n'pop-style stores there might still be extant in the area. Not only will your money not be largely shipped off to Blockbuster HQ (and thus not greatly benefit your municipality), you'll get the warm feeling of supporting a tiny business-- picture the woodcutter couple from so many issues of UY, settling down and opening a video store

Blockbuster should the the last ditch, only-if-nowhere-else, choice.

Tounian · Post by **Tounian** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 12:19 -0700

I'm glad you enjoyed Madadayo. Most fans of Kurosawa's work only like the older films before Mifune and Kurosawa went their seperate ways. Which is a shame, because I think his work after Red Beard is an equally amazing story. I don't know if you guys know this, if you do, forgive me, but Kurosawa attempted suicide after Red Beard. In Japanese culture, artists who felt they had reached their pinnacle, went into the mountains and committed seppukku. Kurosawa was saved before he could die, and after going through this, changed his view on life dramatically. And it shows in his later pictures. I believe I've said it before, but if you guys have never seen Ikiru, I can't stress enough the fact that you need to see it. I think it is one of the most socially important films ever to come out of Japan. That, and there are 2 amazing documentaries on the second disc. A message from Kurosawa: For Beautiful Movies is an 80 minute documentary that shows how Kurosawa made his films, from scripting, to painting storyboards. The second one, It is Wonderful To Create, is a 40 minute piece that has interviews with Kurosawa, Takashi Shimura, and just about everyone else who worked on the picture. It is well worth the $40 bucks. Thats my rant for the day.