Ikiru (1952) - What It Means To Live
Вставка
- Опубліковано 12 бер 2020
- In Akira Kurosawa's IKIRU (1952), Kanji Watanabe is diagnosed with stomach cancer, which causes him to not only reevaluate his life, but also find new direction. As it turns out, the life he was living didn't consist of him actually living at all.
Battling cancer is not finding a cure or the strength to carry on, but rather coming to accept the reality of the situation, which may be the hardest part of it all. Watanabe cares less about extending his life and more about finding value within it. In Japanese, "ikiru" means "to live," but what exactly does it mean to live?
Written, edited, and narrated by Jane Brown
Subscribe for more!
❤️ Patreon: www.patreon.com/styleissubstance
🧡 Twitter: / substanceis
💛 Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/Jay96
💚 E-mail: styleissubstance1@gmail.com
💙 Partner: @Elaine_Fuentes
💜 Podcast: @genderweird_podcast
References:
► Citizen Kane. 1940. Dir. Orson Welles.
► Ikiru. 1952. Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Season 3, Episode 6 - Фільми й анімація
That scene at the end, where the bureaucrat thinks, for a moment, about departing from his routine as his entire office swore to do at the wake, ends with him deciding the old ways are best. His head sinks behind a pile of papers.
The rising sun is an emblem of Japanese optimism. Kurosawa inverted that with this final scene.
Style is Substance says (and I quote), 'Nope'.
@@castelodeossos3947 not quite. There is an inversion here. The bureaucrat does not abandon the routine but I don't quite ready that as the film making any declarative statement about what way is better. With Kurosawa's other films from around this time, it's quite clear he was paving the way for a new potential for the country all while critically examining the cultural nostalgia and sensibilities that informed the nation.
Citizen Kane. That's exactly the movie I thought about just after seeing Ikiru. The final in the snow, the link to the youth (
swing, sledge), and that powerful and poetic picture of what life is about.
The final has already appeared in the beginning, as we finally find it as a refrain.
@@PPVOA-PPVOB-PPVOC A truely masterpiece ahead of his time
@@j.thomas1420 Yes, 1952, Tokyo was exactly like this. Still caothic. At the Dancefloor scene, the real and famous "TOKYO CUBAN BOYS" was playing the Mambo that was in fasion at that time, as Japan had imigrants to Central and Latin America like Brasil that re-opened their gateway in 1952. 200mil at the preawr and 70mil sailed to only Brasil.
I was just reminded of this truly wonder of a scene when Kanji Watanabe have uttered those phrase 'why are you so incredibly alive?'.
Something about the acting of the Woman From Work that makes you also feel that 'a little bit shocked' reaction which is quite beautiful, bizarre, and extraordinary from the audience's perspective.
The commentary is impressive. It is the essence of this Kurosawa film.
Great take. This and Madadayo are my favourites from AK.
I love Kurosawa. I still need to see Madadayo. Definitely on my agenda.
beautiful movie
Seriously, its one of the best... really makes u think of ur life
neat film analysis! thank you
Found it by chance and glad
Ikiru has always been one of my favourite characters in cinema
*japanese cinema
Ikiru is not a character, it is the title of this film...
Also the basis of the new film LIVING with Bill Nighy. Watched both versions of this story in one week.
I don’t think cancer was as big of a deal. The actual diagnosis could have been different and the story still follows.
"Living", the british movie, is a complete plagiary of this masterpiece.
Its based off it thats why
'The old way had to be replaced with the new way.... When Watanabe dies, the old way dies with him but is replaced with the new way.' Very sorry, clever analogy but it doesn't work. The next day, everything is as before. Even the clerk who stands up in protest realises what they all vowed to do in their saké-intoxicated state hasn't a chance against the way it is and has been for decades. He sits down and resigns himself to the old way. Nothing died with Watanabe's death.
Nope.
@Boulanger if you completely ignore the historical and sociopolitical context
@Boulanger I'm not just trying to save face lol. I will always adjust my position on something or admit when I think I might have been wrong. For starters, it irritates me that I mispronounce Watanabe's family name; I'm not going to go around and pretend something false is true. But that's just not the case here with the ending at all. Life moves on without Watanabe, yes. The normal everyday at the job carries on as if nothing had happened the day after the funeral. I certainly know why you're interpreting the film as you know, but you're really limiting what is going on here lol. The park is Watanabe's legacy, a park that would not exist if it were not for Watanabe giving something long lasting before he fades away. The kids play at the park, and the kids are the new way. The old way is not wholly dead and I suppose you all are taking me so hyper literally when I'm speaking on metaphorical terms. Of course the adult world carries on to some extent. Watanabe is breaking past that system and way of life. When I say Watanabe dies with the old way, I am speaking about Japan as it once was prior to the Occupation period. This film, like No Regrets for Our Youth, Rashomon and Seven Samurai are works of cultural introspection aiming to critique the assumed truths of Japanese history and culture, truths suddenly and radically challenged following World War II. The kids play in this park, and they are the youth- the new way.
This is very much why Gondola no uta comes into play.
@@styleissubstance Thank you, at least now you bothered to explain your interpretation.
This film sarcasticly questions us your Egoism enrouted by the Burocratic vertical system where he had to follow as the City Hall government, a Public Affairs and Opinion's Department, based upon the virtue "MIZARU, IWAZARU, KIKAZARU" in my country JAPAN, that is "THREE WISE MONKEYS, procedent from the ancient Euroasia Continent ( ref Wikipedia ) ; your own unsecured optimism vs the unevitable reality ; the death, even if it is not the cancer. Be faithful and honest to your heart, do not try hiding from the matters, pretending you were not aware of it, as nobody can tell a lie to you yourselves.