Films can take us into a culture faster than any other
medium--perhaps not in so much depth or with as much accuracy as books--but certainly
faster. Fortunately many Japanese films are subtitled and are easily available. This list
contains those films that may offer the teacher material for the classroom or for student
enrichment. The reviews offer suggestions for such use and the reviews can be a guide for
personal viewing. The films are arranged alphabetically by title. Your comments will be
welcome: mday@marblehead.com
Black Rain
Shohei Imamura
Fox Lorber Video
123 minutes B/W
Black rain fell from the sky onto a young woman after the bombing of Hiroshima. Five years
later she wants to marry but prospective grooms and their families fear radiation
sickness, which gradually claimed many survivors of the blast. The film centers on a
family and its friends as they try to live normal lives after the A bomb. Graphic scenes
of the immediate aftermath of the bomb are powerfully disturbing and will prompt class
discussion of Truman’s decision and of the horrors of war. Certainly the film will be
appropriate for units on war, suffering, and stigmatization. See the book list on this
site for a review of the novel on which this film is based.
Dreams
Akira Kurosawa
1990
Warner Brothers Video
120 minutes
“Man is a genius when he is dreaming,” said Kurosawa. In a series of dreams,
Kurosawa explores the destruction of nature, the power of nature, nuclear danger, and the
joys of a traditional life. Some dreams are frightening, some surreal, and some gentle.
The film could be used as part of a theme unit or to spark a creative writing assignment.
Heaven and Earth
Live Home Video
104 minutes
PG13
Set in 16th century Japan, two warlords, one who longs for peace and one who longs to
conquer, clash in many battles. The battle scenes have been called stunning in their color
and sweep. Fortunately for the viewer, the two warlords wear contrasting colors. Student
viewers may need a summary and cast of characters to help them keep track of the plot and
characters. A good film for an enrichment list.
High and Low
Akira Kurosawa
1983
East/West Classics
143 minutes B/W
Set in Yokohama, this detective story centers on the kidnapping of a child and the
tracking down of his kidnappers. The first part of the film focuses on the dilemma of
whether to pay the ransom while the second part focuses on the police work needed to find
the culprits. The film is too long for the classroom and slow-paced by current standards.
It might fit in a unit on the detective story.
Ikiru
Akira Kurosawa
1952 B/W
The title means “to live” in Japanese. A great film for the classroom, it
concerns a middle-aged bureaucrat who discovers that he has terminal cancer. He suddenly
sees the senseless drudgery of his work and he quietly determines to achieve one
significant task before he dies. The lack of color enhances the grayness of modern
bureaucracy. Another theme is the lack of understanding between generations when his son
is totally unaware of what is happening to his father. A touching film, although long,
Ikiru will speak to teens who are always fearful of a life of mediocrity and
conformity.
Maborosi
Hirokazu Kore-eda
1995
New Yorker Video
11O minutes
Winner of Best Film at the Chicago International Film Festival, Maborosi begins
with a dream sequence about Yumiko's grandmother who wanders away and is lost. Later the
young wife and mother loses her husband in an inexplicable accident. The story moves
gradually with minimal dialogue as she remarries and settles by the restless and endless
Sea of Japan. Its theme centers on the mystery of love and loss in a world that moves on
regardless of such losses. There is one very brief scene of semi-nudity between the
married couple.
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
Warner Home Video
121 minutes R
Yukio Mishima was one of Japan’s most famous postwar writers, one torn between
opposites: beauty vs. reality, strength vs. weakness, tradition vs. modern world. This
biography shifts between his life (realistic) and his novels (stylized). It culminates
with his dramatically staged traditional suicide. An intriguing film, it will interest
film buffs and lovers of literature more than students. Several scenes are too explicit
for the classroom.
My Neighbor Totoro
animated
87 minutes
Fox Video
1993
Award winning animator Hayao Miyazaki presents a warm story of a family that moves into an
old house in the Japanese countryside and finds helpful neighbors next door and, in a
nearby giant camphor tree, surprisingly furry neighbors, Totoros. Great for family viewing
and elementary school viewing, the films shows the daily customs of current Japanese life
while it also shows that family life is much the same the world over.
Picture Bride
Kayo Hatta
no date
Miramax
95 minutes PG 13
Winner of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, the film tells the story of a
young Japanese woman who travels to Hawaii early in the century to marry a man who has
sent his picture and the fare. Picture Bride explores the themes of disappointment,
loss, hope, marriage, and love. Its historical perspective is a valuable insight into the
few options women--and men-- often had. The characters are sympathetic and realistic and
the ending is upbeat without being sentimental. A good film for the classroom.
Ran
Akira Kurosawa
1985
CBS-FOX
160 minutes
A wonderful companion for the study of King Lear, Ran opens with the image
of an old boar being hunted. Kurosawa changes the daughters to sons, conveniently wearing
red, blue, and yellow to tell them apart. The film is set in the.16th century. The only
significant female character rivals the men in her bloodthirsty amibition. Although long,
the film’s sweeping shots and pageantry make it a classic that demontrates the
universality of Shakespeare. It was named Best Film of 1985 by The National Society of
Film Critics.
Rashomon
Akira Kurosawa
1957
83 minutes B/W
A classic film in black and white with an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film,
Rashomon tells the story of a rape and murder from four points of view. It explores the
difficulty of ever knowing the truth, even from the participants or eye witnesses. The
film offers much to discuss about the literary elements of theme, character analysis,
conflict, and point of view. Although the main incident is violent, there are no explicit
scenes.
Rhapsody in August
Akira Kurosawa
1991
Orion Home Video
98 minutes
The film involves three generations of a family whose grandmother survived the atomic bomb
at Nagasaki. As her four grandchildren visit her near the anniversary of the atomic bomb,
they learn about the power of family, the past, survival, and peace. An American
cousin’s visit brings the dilemma of the bomb full circle. It is a beautiful film
that will fit into many thematic units as well as providing thought provoking glimpses
into the aftermath of perhaps the most frightening decision of the century. The film also
portrays everyday life of the grandmother in a traditional country house and contrasts it
with that of her blue-jeaned grandchildren. Rhapsody in August is a perfect film
for the classroom.
Samurai I
Hiroshi Inagaki
92 minutes PG 13
Embassy: The International Collection
In 17th century rural Japan, Musashi Miyamoto and a friend set off to find glory during a
civil war, but land on the losing side. He returns to his village and is uncontrollable
until a Buddhist priest takes charge of him and turns into a samurai. Called one of the
most popular martial arts films, it will appeal to those who like lots of action and
little explanation. There is the beginning of a love interest, but viewers must wait for
Samurai II to find out what happens. Probably this one is best on an enrichment list
for students.
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple
Hiroshi Inagaki
102 minutes PG 13
Embassy: The International Collection
Samurai II is visually much more artistic than the first film with its scenery,
costuming, and beautiful women. The hero has changed his name and become a thorough, but
not perfect yet, samurai. While there is enough sword play to please martial arts lovers,
the strong silent hero, surrounded by cowardly villains and loved by three beautiful
women, is the counterpart to the western cowboy. It helps to have seen the first in the
series, though a summary provided by the teacher might serve just as well. This film
offers a more complex conflict and more complexity of character than the first.
The Seven Samurai
Akira Kurosawa
1954
Embassy Home Entertainment
200 minutes B/W
Don’t let the length deter you. The film has classic themes: the helplessness of the
poor, the nobility of honorable men, the clash between the selfishness of evil men and the
generosity of good men, the tenderness of young love, the willingness to die for others.
The American western, The Magnificent Seven, is based on The Seven Samurai. Students might
want to compare and contrast the two. A brief list of characters, especially as the film
begins, will help the first time viewer.
Shall We Dance?
Miramax
119 minutes
In modern day Japan, a thirtyish young salaryman glimpses a beautiful woman in the window
of a dance studio. Although married and apparently successful, he senses a void and, quite
surprising to himself, he begins to take up Western ballroom dancing--considered a suspect
activity by many Japanese. With an assortment of quirky characters, he becomes a good
dancer. How his wife and daughter react, how the beautiful dancer reacts, and how his
office colleagues react make up a gentle yet humorous story. Everyone changes once he has
the courage to answer the question, Shall we dance? A good film for the classroom or for
enrichment.
Stray Dog
Akira Kurosawa
1949 B/W
Based on a true story, this crime thriller stars a young Toshiro Mifume as a young
detective whose gun is stolen. With the help of an older and wiser detective, he anxiously
follows the trail of crimes committed with the gun, hoping to retrieve it. The film
focuses on mood and character development as well as on the the theme of the gun’s
role in good and evil actions. There are no graphic scenes of violence.
Throne of Blood
Akira Kurosawa
1957
Home Vision Cinema
105 minutes
Throne of Blood is a superb adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, set in
medieval Japan. A great warrior, spurred on by his deadly calm wife, turns against his
lord and begins the plunge into madness and destruction. Kurosawa again explores the
ambiguity of truth as the wife reinterprets the meaning of events to her husband. The film
makes the story easy to follow although a list of the characters would be helpful to
students unfamiliar with Japanese names. While the plot is a bloody one, the film does not
dwell on the gore but on motivation and consequences. The film works well as a companion
to the study of Macbeth or as an example of the universality of Shakespeare’s
work.
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