DEEP DIVE: Hideko Takamine by Mikio Naruse
Details
Yasujiro Ozu is rightfully revered by Western cinephiles as the God of Japanese Cinema, but there's not enough respect or reverence or endless discussions made about another God of Japanese Cinema, my underrated king Mikio Naruse. We're gonna try to solve all of that. Naruse is known for imbuing his films with a bleak and pessimistic outlook. He made primarily common people drama films with female protagonists,
Speaking of, we're gonna simultaneously look at his frequent collaborations with Hideko Takamine, one of the greatest actresses in cinema ever! Get ready to be emotionally gutted! That's all.
Films:
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Floating Clouds (1955)
Synopsis: A tragic social drama set in post war Japan about a lonely woman trying to find purpose and stability in a devastated Tokyo.
STREAM: FREE on Internet Archives -
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960)
Synopsis: A middle-aged bar hostess, constantly in debt, is faced with numerous social constraints and challenges posed to her by her family, customers and friends.
STREAM: FREE on Internet Archives -
Yearning (1964)
Synopsis: After a bombing raid destroys the family store and her husband, Reiko rebuilds and runs the shop out of love stopped short by destruction.
STREAM: Free on Internet Archives
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Please try to watch all the films! If you can only watch a few, you're still welcome to join!
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Resources:
Mikio Naruse profile on They Shoot Pictures Don't Day
This video on Mikio Naruse's underrated-ness
Art Forum's Piece on Mikio Naruse's style
Reverse Shot article on Floating Clouds