Film Persona

  Kon Ichikawa's "The Burmese Harp" The BBC once described Kon Ichikawa's 1956 Japanese film " The Burmese Harp " as "one of the first films to portray the decimating effects of World War II from the point of view of the Japanese army." While this may be accurate, the thematic reach of the film extends beyond its central focus. " The Burmese Harp " is a Japanese film that implements a certain spiritual layer to its story, much like other global films released in the 1950s. Bresson's " The Diary of a Country Priest " and Ray's " Pather Panchali " come to mind. The film's plot revolves around a battalion of Japanese soldiers stationed in Burma in the final days of the war. Their commanding officer, Captain Inouye, teaches the men to sing choral music to boost morale. To accompany this chorus singing, Private Mizushima plays the harp. After learning the war has ended, Mizushima is tasked with infiltrating a de...

  Jack Lee's "A Town Like Alice" Although it did not perform well here in America, Jack Lee's " A Town Called Alice " was the third highest earner at the British box office in 1956. Based on the 1950 novel of the same name by Nevil Shute, the film centers on an Englishwoman who, along with other women and children, become imprisoned by Japanese soldiers in Malaya.  The film is notable for being withdrawn from the 1956 Cannes Film Festival due to fears that it would offend the Japanese. While I understand this viewpoint, there are many instances in the film in which Japanese characters are sympathetic and compassionate to the English prisoners. The film isn't as black and white as one would imagine.  I did find the film to be mildly entertaining. It certainly didn't blow me away, but it also wasn't a complete waste of time. It is an interesting story about compassion and resilience during the years of wartime.  

  Masaki Kobayashi's "I Will Buy You" Based on the retrospective reviews of Masaki Kobayashi's 1956 film " I Will Buy You ," one would think it was a lesser work in Japanese cinema at the time. After watching the film, I can confidently say that I wholeheartedly disagree. I found " I Will Buy You " to be completely engaging and thematically fulfilling.  The film centers on a recruiter for a baseball team called the Toyo Flowers. The recruiter, Kisimoto, must sway a generationally talented hitter, Kurita, to join the Flowers. While contending with three competitors, Kishimoto must also garnish the favor of Kurita's shadowy benefactor, Kyuki and Kurita's girlfriend, Fudeko. If you look at the film's rating on IMDb, you'll find that it has a 6.9. If you look at some reviews of the film, like film historians Donald Richie and Joseph L. Anderson who wrote in their 1959 compendium " The Japanese Film - Art & Industry " that ...

  Don Siegel's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" There is a bit of a debate about what exactly the subtext is behind Don Siegel's 1956 classic horror film " Invasion of the Body Snatchers ." Judging by the time period it was released and its subject matter, there are a few interpretations to contend with. Regardless of the interpretation, the film has managed to hang on to a cult status in the genre of horror/thriller, even being remade in 1978. The film centers on an extraterrestrial invasion in the small fictional town of Santa Mira, California. A local doctor begins to notice that many of the town inhabitants are starting to act strange. Upon further investigation, it is revealed that alien plant spores are duplicating human beings with identical copies. These copies act as one, homogenous mind that is hellbent on converting all human life on the planet.  The film was released during the McCarthyism of the 1950s and many people connect the film's theme...

  Mikio Naruse's "Flowing" There's something very breezy and sublime about Mikio Naruse's 1956 film " Flowing ." Set in a geisha house that is slowly fading into obscurity, Naruse's film seems to effortlessly balance focus between his array of characters. The primary characters of the story, Oharu, Otsuta, and Katsuyo, are all played by three of Japan's greatest actresses: Kinuyo Tanaka, Isuzu Yamada, and Hideko Takamine respectively.  I am not completely sure what makes " Flowing " such an engaging piece. However, I was completely captivated by the lives of these women from beginning to end. On a larger thematic front, the film is about a culture and world fading into obscurity in the form of the geisha house. However, its the characters and their relationships to each other and their environment that really captivates the viewer and keeps the attention.  For this reason, " Flowing " almost seems like an elusive mystery to me...

  Masaki Kobayashi's "The Thick-Walled Room" Despite having made five films before 1956, Masaki Kobayashi's career only truly started as an auteur when he released " The Thick-Walled Room ." Although his previous films were serviceable features, " The Thick Walled-Room " was Kobayashi's "true debut film, the first picture that shows fully the artistic profile that he would make his own," as film author Stephen Price puts it. Although it was filmed and completed in 1953, it wouldn't actually get its official release until 1956. This is because the Japanese government felt the film was overtly harsh on the American occupation and they didn't want to offend the Americans.  The film centers on a group of B and C class war criminals locked in a detention facility. As they attempt to navigate the harsh conditions of their imprisonment by the American forces, the group of prisoners reflect on their traumas of the war. They also begin...

  Jules Dassin's "Rififi" While I do think Jules Dassin's 1955 film " Rififi " is one the best French gangster films from the 1950s that I've seen (" Touchez Pas au Grisbi " definitely being up there), the genre in itself doesn't usually satisfy me. " Rififi ," although garnering some interest, was not as engaging as public opinion would have led me to believe. I do recognize the films merits and would undoubtedly watch the film again (as its reachability is not in question). However, it does not have any thematic depth that would romance me in any way. I think the highlight for me is the heist sequence, of which everyone would undoubtedly agree. The only unfortunate notion is that this heist sequence is only 20 minutes or so of the whole story. The heist sequence is tactfully done suspense that completely captivates the viewer. The rest of the film is your typical run-of-the-mill 50s French gangster film, of which I'm not typ...