Almost like a combination of Open City from Rossellini and Brief Encounter from David Lean (maybe a tad of depression-era Capra)- a two-hander romance, a couple drifting through a city (during a set period of time), in war-ravaged and poverty-stricken post WWII Japan
The couple has no money, a hole in shoe—Kurosawa says it’s based on a DW Griffith film
Dialogue like “dreams won’t fill your belly”- survival—“the war destroyed that dream”- hard-hitting
great use of lighting here- this is absolutely a painting to be hung on the wall
The message is hit and driven home—inflation and black market
A great shot at 32 minutes – a symmetrical frame from behind the two as they sit together on a tree – they meet a homeless kid, and Kurosawa shoots him between the fence just after this shot- a nice sequence
A great shot at 32 minutes – a symmetrical frame from behind the two as they sit together on a tree
The walking, talking subgenre of films like Linklater’s Before Sunrise and Certified Copy–
In a few nice shot the ruins of the city make for a Germany Year Zero like set piece
Swinging in symmetry again in the moonlight sequence—another great frame
Swinging in symmetry again in the moonlight sequence—another great frame
At 96 minutes Kurosawa tracks in on Chieko Nakakita rapidly – heightening her desperation and the seriousness of the situation (he’s hanging by a thread at this point and she knows it)
Kurosawa untethers the camera completely in the amphitheater sequence at the end—the camera floats as he pretends to orchestration invisible musicians and then a crane shot of the couple as the camera pulls away—well done
a crane shot of the couple as the camera pulls away—well done
A series of dissolves of them sitting there at the end
Leave A Comment