So again, Letterboxd presents to me a trilogy I was not familiar of. Or maybe I was (I did see other movies from Masaki Kobayashi) but because of the run-time I completely forgot about it. No surprise from me here...when I see an unnecessarily long movie I am not always on board for various reasons I will not get into. In this case, I would have been wrong.
The first part in the trilogy is actually comprised of two movies of average length. Easy to follow, sufficiently detailed and full of useful dialog with just a couple of scenes that were not fully needed but are welcome nonetheless. The acting is of its age, the directing and blocking never falters in the entire 208 minutes of this part and the story is interesting enough. Not all elements aged very well, like the realionship of the main character with his wife but no matter. It's a small thing.
Even so, it is not an easy movie to recommend. Were it easier if it was comprised of 60 minute episodes? Yes...but then again it's not always about that. The subject matter has to interest you. It is a universally moral theme but it is still heavily dependent on the politics of a part of world we're not easily connected to, culturally or geographically.
I started this, I will finish it. But not in one sitting.
The first part in the trilogy is actually comprised of two movies of average length. Easy to follow, sufficiently detailed and full of useful dialog with just a couple of scenes that were not fully needed but are welcome nonetheless. The acting is of its age, the directing and blocking never falters in the entire 208 minutes of this part and the story is interesting enough. Not all elements aged very well, like the realionship of the main character with his wife but no matter. It's a small thing.
Even so, it is not an easy movie to recommend. Were it easier if it was comprised of 60 minute episodes? Yes...but then again it's not always about that. The subject matter has to interest you. It is a universally moral theme but it is still heavily dependent on the politics of a part of world we're not easily connected to, culturally or geographically.
I started this, I will finish it. But not in one sitting.