100 years of Japanese cinema ?...oh, this must be great! These were my first thoughts when I found this 55 minute long documentary on the evolution of Japanese film-making. Being quite fond of Japanese films for many years, I believed this was a great chance to remember classic masterpieces of the past, and most of all, learn about movies and directors I had never heard of. I was VERY WRONG.. Nagisa Oshima had no intention of making a true and honest documentary on the first 100 years of his country's cinema. All he was interested in was a chance to glorify himself and his work, presenting himself as the man who changed the whole system by breaking away from the major studios and starting making break-through, independent films. Almost half of the narration is in first person ("I thought this..I did that...") and equally long is the time spent on his own films.
How about the other great Japanese directors? Let's see.. Akira Kurosawa: 2 references (half a minute on "No regrets for our youth" and 2 seconds on "Rashomon"), Kenji Mizoguchi: 1 reference, 30 seconds, Yasujiro Ozu: never existed (only a photo of his is shown!), Masaki Kobayashi: never existed, Hiroshi Teshigahara: 1 reference, 4 seconds Not a single word is said on films like Ran, Ikiru, Tokyo Story, Woman in the dunes, Ugetsu Monogatari, Harakiri etc.. Mr.Osima probably believes that films of his own such as "Gishiki" and "Koshikei" or "Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence" are worth to be mentioned extendedly in a documentary about Japanese film-making.
I am glad I watched this already having an idea on Japanese cinema, so I won't buy that crap. If this wasn't the case, I would be convinced that nothing really good was ever produced in Japan in the 50's, since all the directors were restrained by common themes and state limitations, a restraint which of course has ended upon the arrival of the one and only..Nagisa Oshima. Thankfully, this is not the case..
Mr. Oshima, if you think you are the greatest Japanese director..you are very much mistaken. If you also believe that all "Rashomon" has achieved, was to open Western audiences to Japanese films..let me tell you something..even if Kurosawa had not made a single other film, he would still the greatest of all. I wish you could have made a film like "Ugetsu Monogatari" or "Chikamatsu Monogatari"..but you haven't. What you are presenting here isn't a tribute to Japanese film history, it's just your filmography in disguise.
p.s. One year later, in 1995, Martin Scorsese released "A Personal Journey with M.S. Through American Movies". THIS IS WHAT A MOVIE HISTORY DOCUMENTARY SHOULD BE LIKE..
How about the other great Japanese directors? Let's see.. Akira Kurosawa: 2 references (half a minute on "No regrets for our youth" and 2 seconds on "Rashomon"), Kenji Mizoguchi: 1 reference, 30 seconds, Yasujiro Ozu: never existed (only a photo of his is shown!), Masaki Kobayashi: never existed, Hiroshi Teshigahara: 1 reference, 4 seconds Not a single word is said on films like Ran, Ikiru, Tokyo Story, Woman in the dunes, Ugetsu Monogatari, Harakiri etc.. Mr.Osima probably believes that films of his own such as "Gishiki" and "Koshikei" or "Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence" are worth to be mentioned extendedly in a documentary about Japanese film-making.
I am glad I watched this already having an idea on Japanese cinema, so I won't buy that crap. If this wasn't the case, I would be convinced that nothing really good was ever produced in Japan in the 50's, since all the directors were restrained by common themes and state limitations, a restraint which of course has ended upon the arrival of the one and only..Nagisa Oshima. Thankfully, this is not the case..
Mr. Oshima, if you think you are the greatest Japanese director..you are very much mistaken. If you also believe that all "Rashomon" has achieved, was to open Western audiences to Japanese films..let me tell you something..even if Kurosawa had not made a single other film, he would still the greatest of all. I wish you could have made a film like "Ugetsu Monogatari" or "Chikamatsu Monogatari"..but you haven't. What you are presenting here isn't a tribute to Japanese film history, it's just your filmography in disguise.
p.s. One year later, in 1995, Martin Scorsese released "A Personal Journey with M.S. Through American Movies". THIS IS WHAT A MOVIE HISTORY DOCUMENTARY SHOULD BE LIKE..