Review of Ikiru (1952) by Hiroshi M — 15 Dec 2009
Kurosawa.... samurai epics based on shakespeare and american westerns. True? Not quite. The sublime essence of Kurosawa's filmaking comes to full height in Ikiru, the best of his pictures. The fascination with life and old age, so proeminent in his latter films such as Dersu Uzala, Rapsody in August or Madadayo, blossoms to perfection in this heart moving tale of a simple civil servant, who spent his entire life behind the desk, and now discovers he is dying of cancer, and so wants to do something meaningfull before he dies.
The way the story is told (never from his point of view) is powerfully directed, beauty flows in simple scenes with masterfull cinematography (a playground swing amidst the snow, the singing of a song), and ultimately we are entwined in the most important of questions: the meaning of life.
But it is never directly shown. Like in the samurai epics, comical reliefs and social dillemas fill the picture, which reflects life's merry-go-round. Ikiru is a true masterpiece, and Kurosawa's finnest movie.
It is also the purest movie I have ever seen, and that is saying a lot.
This review of Ikiru (1952) was written by Hiroshi M on 15 Dec 2009.
Ikiru has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
