![]() Stray Dog. Akira Kurosawa’s classic police procedural starring a luminous Toshiro Mifune screens in honor of what would have been the superstar actor’s 9. On a sweltering summer day, a rookie detective named Murakami (Mifune) has his pistol stolen on a crowded city bus. Panicked, he scours the bustling streets of downtown Tokyo for clues, aided by a seasoned section chief (Takashi Shimura). ![]() As Murakami gets closer to recovering the pistol, however, the distinction between himself and the criminal who stole it starts to become less and less clear. Stray Dog plunges deep into the anxiety and moral ambiguity of immediate postwar Japan with Kurosawa’s masterful visual flair. Japanese with English subtitles. Directed by Akira Kurosawa. With Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Isao Kimura, Keiko Awaji, Reisaburo Yamamoto. Part of Monthly Classics. Year- round screenings of beloved classics, hidden gems and recent discoveries of Japanese cinema on the first Friday of every month. Stray Dog - Nora Inu (Akira Kurosawa 1. Japanese Movies at Saru. Damaintro. This 1. Kurosawa Akira and the third in which he worked with Mifune Toshiro. Also appearing here is Shimura Takashi who had played either a leading or central role in seven of these initial (nine) films, including the leading role in Kurosawa's first* film, the 1. Sugata Sanshiro. Mifune and Shimura have always had excellent onscreen chemistry, with Mifune's firebrand personality juxtaposed the deliberate, contemplative Shimura. Here Shimura plays a seasoned and streetwise homicide detective who takes an ambitious and reactionary recruit (Mifune) under his wing as they pursue a killer through the slums of postwar Tokyo. Stray Dog Akira Kurosawa. DVD. 1 Disc. SRP. Stray Dog (Nora Inu). The Criterion Collection © 2016 About Us Contact Us Janus Films. Stray Dog (野良犬, Nora Inu?) is a 1949 Japanese police procedural film noir directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura. ![]() The killer Yasu is played by Kimura Isao who you may recognize as one of Kurosawa's (later) Seven Samurai (1. JAPAN'S NUMBER ONE!) Detective Akechi in Fukasaku Kinji's psychedelic Black Lizard (1. Note: I am counting here only those films which he fully directed and have excluded his pre- 1. The date of this film's production is 1. There are several scenes depicting regions of the city still waiting to be rebuilt after the bombings of the war (which ended in 1. In several ways, the moral exploration of this film is similar to that of Kurosawa's Drunken Angel (produced one year prior and also starring both Mifune and Shimura). Both are examinations of the impact of harsh social conditions upon the human soul, and in particular focus on the breaking point whereby an otherwise "good" person is turned toward a life of crime and social evil (or vice versa). Here, the young detective Murakami discovers that his past differs very little from that of the killer Yasu, who himself seems to have stumbled into a life of crime despite his knowing better. Both Murakami and Yasu are recent veterans of the war, returning to Tokyo with nothing but their knapsack, a hardship which Murakami believes can easily reduce a good man to a life of crime. The older Shimura views such empathy as simply the naivete of the new, postwar generation. The film Stray Dog, then, is an exploration into Shimura's perspective which suggests that stray dogs eventually become rabid dogs - - in other words, certain types of desolate individuals, when left to their own devices, will inevitably descend into evil. Stray Dog On the streets of postwar Tokyo, a rookie police detective searches for his missing gun. Gritty Akira Kurosawa drama blends American 'film noir' stylings. Stray Dog [Nora Inu] Genre: Post War Crime Thriller review in one breath. When homicide detective Murakami's pistol is stolen, a rash of murderous crimes begins. It is not a matter of education or reform. It is a matter of human nature. The emotional dynamic of this film consists of Murakami's intense conviction that rather than a natural fate, chance and circumstance do indeed make all the difference in an individual's destiny. Kurosawa seems to use the intense heat of summer, which palpably (!!) permeates this tale and its characters, as a metaphor for the social poverty of postwar Tokyo. This heat is explicitly mentioned in the opening lines of the film, and takes on a life of its own in many scenes thereafter. This metaphor culminates in the form of an approaching thunderstorm which violently releases itself upon the sweltering city right as the narrative's dramatic climax is reached. The film's moral message is then explored in the final scene, blanketed by (apparently) much cooler winds and blue skies. ![]() Directed by Akira Kurosawa. With Toshirô Mifune. Stray Dog. Nora inu (original title) Not Rated. A classic crime film steeped in the vivid environs of postwar Tokyo, Stray Dog is arguably Akira Kurosawa's finest film preceding the international success of Rashomon. A review by Jasper Sharp of Stray Dog (Nora Inu, 1949, Akira KUROSAWA). Whether by intention or not, this film also provides some rather fascinating glimpses into early postwar Tokyo, ranging from extended scenes of an actual baseball game (Giants vs. Hawks!) within a packed stadium, to the humble yet bustling economy of recovering urban centers. ![]() You are also given much insight into the darker alleys and seedier elements wherein the city's criminal element slowly develops and takes shape. With a running time of 1. Tokyo. story. The young war veteran Murakami only recently joined the Tokyo Homicide Department, a career which is suddenly threatened after his gun (a Colt!) is pickpocketed on the way back from the shooting range. Murakami's loose gun and its seven bullets could spell disaster if they fall into the wrong hands. When word of a shooting and robbery suddenly turns up, and analysis shows the bullet matches that of Murakami's gun, he diligently sets out to track down not only the gun, but also now the shooter. Murakami is paired with Sato (Shimura), a more seasoned detective, and together they set out to gather clues which bring them gradually closer to the shooter. It is not long until news of a murder reaches them, and again, the bullet has come from Murakami's gun. This fact weighs heavily upon Murakami who wrestles with his own inadvertent role in these crimes (as owner of the gun) and so a heightened sense of urgency possesses their investigation. Their trail leads them through poverty- stricken slums, shadow- filled alleys, cabaret theaters and ritzy hotels. As they close in on their target, Murakami grows increasingly distraught, sensing something terrible is about to happen and believing that had he only not lost his gun, these crimes would not have occurred. Sato, however, is adamant that the loss his gun has very little to do with it. On the horizon, massive stormclouds are gathering. I can think of four things which make this film well worth seeing. First, this is actually a very good detective crime thriller. The fact that it is set in early postwar Tokyo and thus confined to the sensibilities and crime- fighting methods of that era make this particularly fascinating. This does not portray (by now) stereotypical chase and interrogation scenes, but rather a wholly humanitarian side emerges wherein we recognize that crimes are sometimes committed by otherwise decent people. Sato in particular embodies this notion, and the film depicts his knack for treating even social outcasts with respect as the key to his success. The trail of clues gathered is not an easy one here, and each one is (literally) hard earned. Thus the audience, along with the detectives, slowly piece this mystery together, all while the killer is on the loose and committing more violent crime. Second, this is a very insightful historical piece providing a window into the social structure of early postwar Tokyo. This happens through both intentional and unintentional elements throughout the film, which as a whole presents quite a thorough display of the era. From actual location shots to depictions of poverty, both the social progress and lack thereof only four short years following the war are front and center. Third is the fact that this is an early Kurosawa film starring two of his favorite actors. This entire film - - its cinematography, its acting and its narrative - - all work remarkably well together and display virtually no shortcomings. As mentioned earlier, the combination of Mifune and Shimura also adds significantly to the maturity and appeal here. And if viewed in light of other early films involving these three (such as Drunken Angel), this film's uniqueness and thematic unity among Kurosawa's films is clearly enhanced. And finally, the use of SWELTERING HEAT here is quite amazing. In other films, such as Tokyo Dragon or Rainy Dog, RAIN plays such a central role in the film's narrative that it becomes almost a character unto itself. Here, however, summer HEAT makes itself apparent in nearly every scene of the film. I found Kurosawa's use and creative depictions of this metaphor quite mesmerizing. Believe me when I say, you will inevitably begin sensing the salty taste of sweat as you watch this film. Version reviewed: Region 1 DVD with optional English subtitles. Available at all mainstream venues.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2016
Categories |