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Red Beard - Criterion Collection Director: Akira Kurosawa Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen Format: Black & White, Widescreen Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Running Time: 185 minutes Studio: Criterion Collection Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2002-07-16 Buy from Amazon |
 "Meandering but Brilliant"While not my favorite of Kurosawa's work Red Beard is THE best picture I have ever seen on human compassion. The story line trails out in several directions at times early on - mostly with the patients recollections of their personal tragedies - but admittidly the emotions of those stories are part of the films strength. Also the story of an arrogant young doctor stuck in helping the poor and sickest of all people comes off not only as a great tale of truth in helping the unfortunate but also an even more truthful tale of how life puts you in unlikely, and sometimes unwanted, situations that turn out to make ones life and others lives worth living. "Pehapse the best Kurosawa film ever made."Akira Kurosawa's touching tale of a young doctor who is doing his internship at a poor country clinic. The last film Toshiro Mifune made with the famed director, and perhapse their best collaboration. Filled with pain and struggle, and joy and warmth. Definitly the one Kurosawa movie that must be seen. "A Masterpiece"While the film is long, as many other reviewers have pointed out, it is not too long. It holds up, better than many contemporary American films with the same running time. This film wonderfully displays the silent grace and dignity Mifune plays so well. To see just how good he actually is, watch this, then watch Seven Samurai. His range is incredible. Every one of his characters is so different, all the way down to their walk. But, back to Red Beard. Like all Kurosawa films, there are some very memorable shots stylistically, and the acting is top-notch. There are many stories within the main plot, and they are all tied together very well. It isn't like a vignette piece. Each of the characters is related in one way or another. This is definitely an emotional tale, and made me feel for the characters and cheer for the compassion one human being can show to another. There isn't much humor here, like some of his other films, but it really isn't called for. If you come across the DVD from Mei-ah, do not buy it. The subtitles are horribly translated. "Touching last collaboration; epic on the psychological scale"As Kurosawa intended, the story is a morality lesson for us and details the transformation of a vain young doctor by his internship at a clinic for the poor -- headed by Red Beard (Dr. Niide played by the great Mifune-san.) Despite the incredibly realistic set and great performance by the actors, some of the various subplots can seem too melodramatic for even the slightly cynical. However, there are many unforgetable characterizations and bone-chilling scenes (eg. the calling of the name of a dying boy, Chobo, into a well) that portray an ideal of human goodness all too absent from today's films. Mifune shows off his star power in an incredible action scene also...if you need some incentive to sit for this generally fantastic film , which took an excruciating 2 years to make (a very long production for Japanese films then and now.) "want to know what japan was like at the turn of the century?"this was one of the best japanesse movies that i have ever watched. The story line is catchy and engulfs you the moment you start the movie...this is one of those movies that even if you don't like subtitles you are entranced to keep going. This movie shows you what life was really like in japan at the turn of the century. i would suggest this movie...it is even better than seven samuri. |
