The Human Condition (1959-1961) is a cinematic masterpiece, based on a novel by Jumpei Gomikawa, written and directed by Masaki Kobayashi. Over the course of three movies, each broken into two 90 minutes halves, this epic follows the life of Kaji (Tatsuya Nakadai), a Japanese man toiling through World War II.
Beautiful and shocking, hopeful and depressing, there is no description which can do anything but detract from the experience of watching these films. The storyline manages to remain compelling and unpredictable throughout, and the ending…. The acting is stellar. The cinematography, by Yoshio Miyajima, gives Kazuo Miyagawa a run for his money, which is the biggest compliment that can possibly be given. Stanley Kubrick stole the first half of the second movie almost scene for scene in making the first half of Full Metal Jacket (1987). Individually, each of these movies could be considered among the best ever made. Collectively, this trilogy is among the greatest achievements humankind has ever produced. Seriously.
Unfortunately the bulk of Americans don’t have nearly ten hours to waste on black-and-white and subtitled perfection.
3 comments:
I've put it in the netflix cue. Do you know or recommend the bonus disc 4?
hmmm, i actually haven't seen the movie in a couple years and can't recall watching the bonus disc.
I think I may skip the bonus disc, considering the additional time may be a hardship on this human's condition.
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