(1970) Dodesukaden
(In Japanese with English subtitles)
DRAMA
Agreed with a critic somewhere that this is an experimental film for Akira Kurosawa and somewhat unusual which revolves several different characters coping living in a pre-war environment which were at the time labelled as the slums of Japan. The story begins right after the end of WWII focusing on a harmless abnormal teen filling his time by pretending to be riding on a train as a train conductor. As he's choo- choo choo-ing, he passes some other people who also are in some difficult times of their own, two drink to escape their problems, a young teenage girl allows herself to be exploited with deliveries by a young teenage boy who feels for the young girl and a couple of underage scroungers trying to provide for their parents as well as more characters particularly one wise old man. The movie which was supposed to be as long as 140 minutes in length, some of the scenes looked like it went on forever since viewers already knew what was going to happen. It does have it's moments but not enough to sustain memorable interest because by watching this, it looked like Kurosawa had a lot to say but as a result of time and money, this was all he could do, meaning that it looked like that it should've been a long running series instead of being just a two film! Nominated for an Oscar Best Foreign film!
Agreed with a critic somewhere that this is an experimental film for Akira Kurosawa and somewhat unusual which revolves several different characters coping living in a pre-war environment which were at the time labelled as the slums of Japan. The story begins right after the end of WWII focusing on a harmless abnormal teen filling his time by pretending to be riding on a train as a train conductor. As he's choo- choo choo-ing, he passes some other people who also are in some difficult times of their own, two drink to escape their problems, a young teenage girl allows herself to be exploited with deliveries by a young teenage boy who feels for the young girl and a couple of underage scroungers trying to provide for their parents as well as more characters particularly one wise old man. The movie which was supposed to be as long as 140 minutes in length, some of the scenes looked like it went on forever since viewers already knew what was going to happen. It does have it's moments but not enough to sustain memorable interest because by watching this, it looked like Kurosawa had a lot to say but as a result of time and money, this was all he could do, meaning that it looked like that it should've been a long running series instead of being just a two film! Nominated for an Oscar Best Foreign film!