Welcome to Classic Movie Monday. Every Monday, I watch a film at least 25 years old that I have never seen before. I will then write my comments on the film, telling you what I thought of it. This is an attempt to beef up my classic film knowledge as well as highlight some forgotten gems of Hollywood's heyday. So without further ado...
The Human ConditionRelease Dates:
Part I: No Greater Love: January 15, 1959
Part II: Road to Eternity: November 20, 1959
Part III: A Soldier's Prayer: January 28, 1961
Directed by: Masaki Kobayashi
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama, & Keiji Sada
Plot in a Nutshell:An epic trilogy of releases, spanning one Japanese man's journey during WWII. Beginning as a labor camp supervisor, becoming drafted into the Japanese army, and finally ending captured in a Soviet POW Camp, this story defines epic cinema.
What I thought:What a film.
After watching the Human Condition, I am left floating in a wake of mixed emotions. On one hand it is very difficult not to admire the extraordinary work that was accomplished. In the other hand, I am left stirred and shaken, and maybe a little underwhelmed. But after completing the film, I can't be disappointed by its faults, but only marvel at it successes. This film is every bit a triumph of cinema. It really is, but I'm feeling mixed.
The story follows one character on a long journey. Kaji, played by Tatsuya Nakadai, is in virtually every scene and his odyssey is the focal point for the entire film. The great advantage to having a picture of this length is the great changes you can perform to your characters. Where some films will tighten their stories, and shorten their lengths, a film like the Human Condition can detail every moment, every point of significance, showing to the audience why somebody has become who they are. It makes for a terrifically fascinating character study. Its amazing seeing the main character, Kaji, transition from a very liberal, anti-war, naive, young man in the beginning, to then transition and become a leader of men and a seasoned war veteran who doesn't hesitate to kill those who are a threat. When you watch the film, you see every moment in that long transition, and never once do you think "He wouldn't do that," "That's not Kaji." You are with his character constantly and you feel his every emotion. By the end you have invested what in cinematic terms, equates to a lifetime, into this one singular character.
Played with near perfection by a then newcomer, Tatsuya Nakadai pours everything into the portrayal of Kaji. Requiring an enormous effort on his part, it is incredibly impressive that he is able to bring so much life into his character for so long a time. Performing the gamut from longing lover, misunderstood prisoner, idealistic youth, impassioned humanitarian, oppressed junior soldier, and vengeful friend, Nakadai effortlessly moves between them all, and brings great presence to this fantastic character. He inhabits every frame with a strength and conviction that is rare in today's film performances. As the single consistent role throughout the picture, he deserves all the credit for the success of this character, and in turn, the success of the film.
The film was adapted from a lengthy six-part novel. Each of the films three releases are split into two parts, totaling the six parts of the book. Believe me when I say, it is DENSE. Characters often transition into lengthy speeches about humanity, war, oppression, socialism, and democracy. The film makes dozens of statements about many ideas present in a tumultuous post-war Japan. But I found the greatest impact came from two key ideals. First is the futility of war; it's effects on society, cultures, and people's beliefs. Second is the treatment of people and races different than your own.
The absurdity of war is a topic that has been discussed ad nauseam in countless books & films over the years. The thing that makes this film so relevant in that discussion, again comes down to the length and depth into which the film is willing to go. Also in American war films of the 40s and 50s, it was all about the heroics and idealism. A very interesting point was brought up by Japanese filmmaker Masahiro Shinoda in the Human Condition's extra features. He said that the victors never can see the whole picture in the aftermath of a large scale war. It is only the defeated who can look at everything objectively and with clarity. In that statement, you realize that to obtain the truth of history, you need not look at what the winners write, but what the losers feel. Its an incredible thing to think about. And the Human Condition shows emotions and feelings about war that American films are only just now starting to explore.
The second major theme to the Human Condition focuses on is supremacism. The first two parts to the six part film focus on the mistreatment of the Chinese by the Japanese. In exchange for a military draft exemption, Kaji betrayed his beliefs by taking a position heading up a labor camp. He figures he can try to change the way laborers are treated. But superior Imperialism has become too entrenched in the minds of every Japanese citizen, and Kaji realizes it is very difficult to change their minds about humane treatment.
The consensus of opinion is that the Chinese are dogs. Nobody can match the supremacy of the Japanese race. Kaji fights this dog-headedness throughout the entirety of the film, it becomes one of the mainstays to his character. It is only towards the end, when everything is falling apart, that the Japanese characters begin to see how wrong they are. Defeated and broken by years of battle and fatigue, then are they only able to see who the real dogs are: themselves. Interestingly enough, Kaji begins as a humanist, but by the end, he has become desensitized by battles and his internal trials. As the general culture changes around him, he degrades into mindlessness. He never once turns from helping the weak, never turns his back on the helpless, yet he loses a little bit of his humanity every time he is forced to kill. It is a sad thing to see happen to a once proud and idealized individual.
Another great strength to the piece is the love shared between Kaji and his wife, Michiko, played by Michiyo Aratama. In the very first scene of the film, Kaji is followed by this sweet woman, Michiko. She wants to be with him and marry, but Kaji has doubts, as any man would at his young age. But when he makes the fateful decision to go work at the labor camp, he takes the plunge into marriage. Michiko isn't around for much in the grand scheme of the overall narrative, but she becomes an ever present point in Kaji's life. It was incredible to see his reluctance to marry, then his devotion develops, and ultimately she becomes all he has. *SPOILER* And if it had turned out ok for this couple, this would be one of the greatest love stories ever told. It felt very much like Cold Mountain, only much more depressing. Down though it may be, the drive captured in Kaji's eyes, speaks to his devotion, and that alone is worth it. I do wish it would have ended better though. *END SPOILER*
The production on this thing is beyond impressive. The sheer logistics that come with crafting a near 10 hour film can only be staggering in the least. To his credit, director Masaki Kobayashi is able to maintain great consistency across the entire film. The first minute of the film feels in line with the final crushing moment. Shots are incredibly simple yet completely effective. Kobayashi is able to evoke fantastic emotions, utilizing little more than a simple tilt or a slight push in. I was deeply impressed at the level of sophistication in the shots and editing. A scene towards the end involving Kaji's interrogation by the Soviets, exemplifies Kobayashi's skill as a cinematic craftsman. The use of silence, music, lighting, camera placement demonstrates he is a master of film technique, working well before his time. The level that he is working at in 1958-60, is better than many films I have seen in the past few years.
As impressive as the film ultimately is, there were still things I wish could have been done differently. The first 5 hours to the film are tedious and slow. There are more than a few great moments within that time (including an incredibly powerful execution scene), but it isn't until Kaji gets involved with the war that the film begins to glide right along at great pace. The final three hours are by far the best to the entire film. Kaji is leading a group of survivors back to safer territory, and is maneuvering around Soviet forces and meeting up with Chinese and Japanese all struggling to deal with the effects the war has wrought. But for roughly the first half of the near ten hour length, it was a real chore.
I also did not enjoy seeing how the Japanese army was. Director, Kobayahi was in the Army, as was the original book's author, so you know Japanese Army life is accurately depicted. I simply found it difficult to watch. The senior enlisted members routinely beat and thrash the new soldiers for minor grievances. It is not only common, but expected! It may have been authentic to the way things were in the Japanese Army, but after the 10th beating, I began to get fatigued. This could be what Kobayashi was going for, the discomfort, the angst that comes with mistreatment. In that regard, it is a success, but still tiring to watch.
When looking at the complete film as a whole, these grievances seem completely minor and inconsequential. The Human Condition is a massive undertaking that is just as equally impressive and awe inspiring as it is long and tedious. I don't know what Kobayashi was thinking when he set out to tell this story in this manner. All I can say is that it is an experience I will not soon be forgetting. It lingers on, occupies your thinking, and ultimately challenges you. I can think of nothing better to say about this epic film.
Bottom Line:
A massive film that is simultaneously riveting, slow, revealing, uplifting, sad, and altogether impressive. A landmark film achievement that should be seen by every film buff, but only if you can stomach 10 hours of Japanese in subtitles.
A
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