Description: Director Masaki Kobayashi's magnum opus on the devastation of war. "The Human Condition" is a trilogy of epic films intended to show the brutalities of World War II and their effect on the participants and on Japanese society. Part One introduces Kaji, a pacifist who is set up by his superiors, tried for treason and drafted into the army.
Any new DVD release scheduled? A new print of the entire series is being shown in a New York theater. Does this mean a new DVD is in the works, somewhere?
A Humanist Masterpiece, and even funny sometimes! Not much to add to the other reviews, except to point out that these films (like all great humanist art) are not only about the tragedy of the human condition, but also about the humour associated with being alive, and the wonder as well. There are many quite funny moments in these films, especially in the first two, but no-one seems to want to mention the comedy aspect of this wonderful cinematic achievement, which is a shame. And while the ending is definitely about as bleak as endings get, the final message is really not about how sad life is, but more about the towering indomitability of the human spirit in sad circumstances. In other words, the measure of a life is not about how it ends, but how it is lived. Possibly the greatest (and most uplifting) film cycle ever made.
A Truly Great Masterpiece Of Cinema! This first film in a 9 hour trilogy, by director Masaki Kobayashi, and starring the great Tatsuya Nakadai, this film is a must have [or see] for those who love great Japanese cinema. Or great cinema period! The film deals with the inner turmoil of a man Kaji (Tatsuya Nakadai), during the period of Japans occupation of China during World War II. The Japanese Imperial Army's inhumane occupation of Japan, and Kaji's own inner moral turmoil is confronted in a brilliant character development, which in the later episodes will show Kaji as a Japanese soldier who has come face to face with the horror of war. Kaji attempts to overcome the injustice that he sees around him, using his own ethical standards in trying to change a system that he is at odds with.
Kobyashi does a terrific job with this first film exploring the emotional conflict that Kaji undergoes. Yet, Kaji is himself brutalized by the very nation he has sworn allegiance to. He does not desert his homeland, but instead tries to change a system from within. He must be the one who sets an example for others. In this episode, the veiwer sees Kaji as a supervisor in a labor camp in Manchuria, with Chinese laborers. He and his wife (Michiyo Aratama) try to change the horrible conditions of those in forced labor. When Kaji refuses to go along with the brutal system in place, he is tortured and inducted into the Army. The next two parts deal with Kaji's military service, and the wrath he receives from his fellow officers when he tries to instill a more humane sense of ideals with those around him.
Kaji himself will not tolerate what he sees as unethical behavior. The third film deals with Japan's defeat and subsequent capture by soviet soldiers. No matter what the cost, Kaji remains loyal to his true tenets and belief system of justice. He truly is a good man, regardless of the horror and brutality around him. He realizes in the film that tryng to please everyone, pleased no one. He must remain true to his own values and beliefs. This is a great film, and worthy to be called a masterpiece of cinema. The film is based on director Kobayashi's own experiences, and as the veiwer you will not find this a happy film, but very bleak, however, it explores the nature of one individual who tries to make a difference. I highly recommend this film to everyone, it is a great film. [Stars: 5+]
Art and fixation It's always amusing to witness over and over again the way some people try to apply a work of great art to a banal situation, like the one Reviewer, who apparently got overwhelmed by the media to such an extent as to lose a sense of proportion, significance, relevance, etc. What is Abu Ghraib? Nothing in the middle of nowhere, blown up and out of all proportion to reality by the media and dumped upon the mindless public, hungry for mass entertainment. If one wanted to make a more relevant comparison, he or she had better turned to the labor camps in the present day North Korea or Cuba. This movie is a work of art, the hype about Abu Ghraib, in contrast, is a shameless garbabe.
A nearly Perfect movie about the Condition of being Human... This movie is the first from a 10 hour trilogy, detailing Kaji's (a Japanese man) moral and physical passage, from being a warden of sorts, to the front lines, and finally to a Russian prison camp. Through these three movies, we get a sense of Kaji, as a truly beatiful soul, always torn between two equally unappealing destinations: trapped in a perpetual catch 22. No Greater Love shows him reluctantly aiding the Japanese war machine, while simaltaneously refusing to take part in it.
Kaji does not want to go to the front lines. He is about to be married to a beautiful woman, he has a great job, and he is against the idea of war as a general principle. Fortunately, his boss at the steel company offers him a comprimise: he doesn't need to go to the front lines if he relocates to a Manchurian iron mine and serves as the labor coordinator...
It sounds like a dream come true for Kaji; he can now ensure that workers' rights are not being violated and gets to spend time with his new wife. But then, a Japanese army general drops off 600 Chinese prisoners at the mine. Kaji does not want to take them and act as their oppressor, but he has little choice. He tries to gain the trust of the prisoners but because he is Japanese, this is a nearly impossible task. When the prisoners start escaping from within the electrocuted barbed wire, both Kaji's job and life is put on the line.
So, why is this 3 and a half hour movie the masterpiece that it is? Apart from being visually stunning in remarkably well shot black and white, the movie throws the most clean soul into a cesspool of dirt... everything in the movie is dirty: the landscape is constantly obscured by sand (dust) storms, the Chinese workers who help the Japanese are scumbags, and the Japanese authorities are tyrants. Kaji is forced to stand against attack from all sides, from both his friends and from his enemies.
But, alas, he is only human. He can only do so much to protect the well-being of the prisoners, to raise the production quotas, to take care of his lonely and bored, yet still loving, wife. When something bad happens at the mine he is blamed by both the prisoners and the authorities: called a Japanese tyrant by the prisoners and a sympathizer by the authorities. He tries to balance, but he cannot stretch himself that far. When some of the prisoners are executed, he manages to save the lives of some of them, but gets blamed for the loss of life of the others.
But, nobody else does anything to help. Even those that admire him are working against him. He is attacked for not doing enough, when he did more than everyone else. As a beautiful soul he is the perfect scapegoat, and he suffers for his purity.
Though the movie is long, it was never boring. Each scene was substantial and perfectly set up the next scene and the one after that. Every scene was suspensful as well as heartfelt and combined to create a very good viewing experience, a true connection and understanding of the main character. There was very little wrong with this movie: watch it, experience it.
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