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AICN says farewell to Kon Ichikawa, a great director...

First by ishouldbeworking	Feb 15th, 2008 02:56:11 PM
First! Woooo ah but to a death
Disagree Speed by Aloy	Feb 15th, 2008 03:18:32 PM
I knew nothing about the guy and Harry gave a little respectful context to the whole thing. Appreciated and RIP Kon Ichikawa.
How about these titles, Harry... by Moonwatcher	Feb 15th, 2008 03:35:01 PM
and all you idiots out there who can't remember anything before Judd Apatow - The Burmese Harp, Fires on the Plain, The Devil's Island, The Phoenix. Surely anyone who's recognised as leaving a distinguished mark on film, no matter how obscure, deserves more than some stupid remarks from some knuckle-dragging troglodytes. Thanks, Harry, for remembering, and reminding us.
Street Kings by Dr. Stanley Goodspeed	Feb 15th, 2008 03:50:13 PM
We should probably talk about that instead.
Second Aloy by Archive	Feb 15th, 2008 04:10:01 PM
Harry gave his own understanding of why this director will remain immortal, and why the loss of his next film will be felt by our community. I'm not familiar with him myself, but I'll check it out. Thank you, Harry.
I never saw any of his films by Orionsangels	Feb 15th, 2008 04:10:04 PM
I didn't know who he was till today. The only famous asian directors I know are Ang Lee & Akira Kurosawa.
Farewell Ichikawa-san. Other films of interest: by critikal	Feb 15th, 2008 04:12:37 PM
Harry (and everyone else) -- While 'Fires on the Plain' will undoubtedly burn images of the truthful brutality of war into your cerebral cortex in a way not many other films will, Kon Ichikawa's other most notable anti-war film "The Burmese Harp" ("Biruma no tategoto") (1956) is an earnest and tender anti-war film - a "meditation on beauty coexisting with death". It absolutely must have served as inspiration for Clint Eastwood's "Letters From Iwo Jima", with bits and pieces reminiscent of (but precedent to - by one year) "Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957). Ichikawa was also very well known for his 1965 documentary "Tokyo Olympiad". Described by Criterion as "A spectacle of magnificent proportions, Kon Ichikawa's Tokyo Olympiad ranks among the greatest documents of sport ever committed to film." Like Leni Riefenstahl's "Olympia", which documented the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Ichikawa's film was considered a milestone in documentary filmmaking. However, "Tokyo Olympiad" keeps its focus more on the atmosphere of the games and the human side of the athletes instead of concentrating only on the winners and the results. It is not just about the realm of athletic or Olympic experience, it is about the human experience and about creating cinema out of it. "The Burmese Harp", "Fires on the Plain" and "Tokyo Olympiad" are all available in pristine form from Criterion.
Thanks Harry / critikal by bswise	Feb 15th, 2008 04:54:34 PM
Great remembrances. Those three from Criterion just went on my queue.
DANNYGLOVERS_DICKBLOOD... by LordPorkington	Feb 15th, 2008 05:23:18 PM
And yet you find the time to come on here and act like a moron. Just because he didn't make anything to your obviously high taste, why behave like a total cunt? With your attitude, I very much think that most people who cross your path will think exactly the same of you sir...
What do you expect from a guy named DGlover's DickBlood? by leobloom	Feb 15th, 2008 05:36:48 PM

Tokyo Olympiad by Uncle_Pooch	Feb 15th, 2008 05:40:41 PM
stunning...as is The Phoenix...RIP fuck you Dickblood
Also Worth Seeing... by Aquatarkusman	Feb 15th, 2008 05:58:43 PM
... his version of The 47 Ronin, made when he was in his 80s (!).
RIP by palimpsest	Feb 15th, 2008 06:02:38 PM
Nuff said, tho thanks to Harry for the mention. It's the mix of full-on geekery and genuine appreciation for quality cinema that makes AICN one of my daily internet stops.
Thanks for the recommendations critikal by MontyPigeon	Feb 15th, 2008 06:09:56 PM
I like sport documentaries and will be sure to pick up Tokyo Olympiad. I've never heard of his work until now but I agree with palimpsest, that's what is great about this site. May he rest in peace.
Punishment Room by psychedelic	Feb 15th, 2008 06:10:59 PM
I had the good fortune to see Ichikawa's 1956 Punishment Room on the big screen last year thanks to the American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. The story of juvenile delinquents with a gang rape at its center--that's right, a 1956 movie about gang rape-- is light years ahead of its time. It was extremely controversial in Japan back then. The more I think about it, the more of its searing images come into my brain. Even though it might be considered tame by today's standards, the brutality depicted still packs a punch. The only film of that time I can think of that deals with a social issue so frankly is Cassavetes' 1959 Shadows depiction of race relations. Needless to say, I give Punishment Room a high recommendation though unfortunately it's not on DVD. This is the only Ichikawa film I've seen. Clearly he was a master director and I need to check out more of his work. Especially in light of the fact there’s no mention of his passing on the IMDb home page, I’d like to thank Harry for remembering Kon Ichikawa.
christ...was hoping to finish out the week by bacci40	Feb 15th, 2008 06:16:58 PM
without another rip thread...rip...damn good director
Princess From The Moon by Zillamon51	Feb 15th, 2008 06:45:04 PM
I run a site on Japanese fantasy films . Here's my obit from that perspective: Acclaimed Japanese film director Kon Ichikawa passed away yesterday, February 13, at the age of 92. He was best known to tokusatsu fans for "Princess From The Moon" (1987). Based on a popular Japanese tale, the film stars the legendary Toshiro Mifune ("Seven Samurai"), and features Heisei Godzilla series regular Megumi Odaka in one of her earliest roles. The special effects, by Teruyoshi Nakano, include a giant plesiosaur and "Close Encounters"-inspired spacecraft. The film is available on region 2 DVD in the U.K. Last year, The Criterion Collection released his "The Burmese Harp" (1956) and "Fires On The Plain" (1959) on DVD in the U.S. Here is a story on his passing from Yahoo! News , and here is his filmography from IMDb .
A sad loss by Spiegeltrui	Feb 15th, 2008 07:25:35 PM
The Burmese Harp is a masterpiece. As in, after I saw it I almost went crazy finding out it wasn't available on DVD. Luckily Criterion recently released it as a nice high quality DVD. Next up for me is Fires On The Plain.
you really blew a great pun headline by smackfu	Feb 15th, 2008 07:49:44 PM
by not using 'say konichiwa to Kon Ichikawa'. You now much commit seppuku, it's the only thing to do at this point.
"People talk about Anti-War film and claim there's no such thing by Gwai Lo	Feb 15th, 2008 08:13:26 PM
These people haven't seen Come and See either
May he rest in peace... by Sledge Hammer	Feb 15th, 2008 08:20:15 PM
I haven't seen much of the man's work, but The Burmese Harp and Fires On The Plain are nigh on masterpieces, and really deserve to be more widely known and seen. If this thread does anything, besides pay respect to the memory of this talented, but little known (in the west) director, then hopefully that'll be to inspire a few people to at least check out those two films.
Come & See is a great film... by Sledge Hammer	Feb 15th, 2008 08:30:41 PM
...and what's more amazing is the fact that it was originally comissioned and oft used for propoganda purposes, yet beyond that fact it still turned out to be one of the most powerful war films ever made. True art always finds a way.
I thought you saw The Burmese Harp... by grungies	Feb 15th, 2008 09:16:20 PM
You listed it on a DVD PICKS AND PEEKS, and I remember you lavishing praise on it. Did you lie to us?
Amazon links don't lie! by Sledge Hammer	Feb 15th, 2008 10:09:27 PM
I mean come on, if that were the case, Herc's part of the site would be effectively useless! How dare you even think such a thing...
Grungies by HEADGEEK	Feb 15th, 2008 11:14:45 PM
Forgot that I'd seen it. The Obit was rushed due to having to run out to shop for Quint's birthday.
Kon Ichikawa Bitches! by Napolean Solo	Feb 16th, 2008 05:53:04 AM
Sorry I couldn't resist! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY QUINT!
Tokyo Olympiad by gotilk	Feb 16th, 2008 08:20:50 AM
He directed that one, huh? I have to say that's the only one of his films I have seen. Looks like I have some catching up to do. Tokyo Olympiad really was one of the best, if not the best sports doc ever made. Beautiful. RIP.
Kon Ichikawa documentary by fried samurai	Feb 16th, 2008 10:40:36 AM
Anybody now the status of the doc Shunji Iwai was making on the director?I heard about it awhile back then nothing...RIP
Ichikawa Sensei! by Chishu_Ryu	Feb 16th, 2008 11:22:09 AM
While not very familiar with the man's work (I've seen only Fires On The Plain and Tokyo Olympiad), he seemed to me a strong visual filmmaker with the courage to tackle the at-the-time often avoided issue of modern warfare. I find it interesting that he idolized Walt Disney. Rest in Peace Ichikawa-san...
psychedelic by Chishu_Ryu	Feb 16th, 2008 11:45:09 AM
Wow, I'll try to keep a look out for Punishment Room in the future. In addition, I always thought Italian neo-realist films by Rossellini and DeSica always had a strong impact in dealing with social issues. Rebel Without a Cause comes to mind. Sam Fuller's 1951 "Steel Helmet" is a Korean War film that also deals with race relations between white, black, and Asian. Nice call on Cassavetes' Shadows. That film was also very much for me about the search for identity, the masks we create, as the most racist people depicted in the film were Ben and Lelia, who tried to mask the fact they were black...
"monkey meat" by ironic_name	Feb 17th, 2008 01:55:05 AM
thats what he called japanese soldiers resorting to cannibalism, i think.
Not a bad film to get after eating at SALTLICK by joeelliott	Feb 17th, 2008 02:53:37 AM
Or any other Bar B Q joint -- wait a minute - there are no other Bar-B-Q joint Salt Lick rules too hard.
Did his friends call him by Kizeesh	Feb 17th, 2008 06:36:22 PM
Kon Ichi-Wa? too soon?
The Burmese Harp by CornsilkSW	Feb 18th, 2008 12:25:05 PM
... is probably the greatest peace movie ever made. EVERYONE should watch it once. Preferrably alone, in a dark room, with a box of tissues next to the chair. If you don't tear up, then you're a sociopath with no human empathy. Ichikawa will be missed, may his art live on forever.
fuck him ? fuck your loser self. dumb ass by harlock13	Feb 18th, 2008 08:55:47 PM
Fuck him? Give the man a respect. or fuck your dumb brain self, if you can think ... maybe too stupid to do that
Give a man a respect....and fuck u DANNYGLOVERS_ DICKBLOOD by harlock13	Feb 18th, 2008 08:59:39 PM
RIP MY FRIEND....ICHIKAWA
The Burmese Harp by Fineus Fog	Feb 18th, 2008 09:48:11 PM
was a really good film - I remember watching it with my Dad about a month before he died. I have only seen bits of Fires on the Plain - I must get back to it. Thanks Mr Ichikawa
Glad to be a help, Chishu_Ryu by psychedelic	Feb 20th, 2008 12:27:17 AM
Hopefully more of Ichikawa's movies will find their way to DVD.

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