Jun 25, 2013
Russian art culture of the 'fin de siecle' part1（playlist）
2 part lecture in Japanese with English CC. Part 1
Jun 24, 2013
Formation of 'Post-Cold War' type film culture in USSR
Below is a playlist of Youtube video with optional English subtitles(use CC function).
My report in the international workshop"Cultural imagination of post-Stalin period" held in Tokyo University of Foreign Studies on 22 February 2010. (part 1 and 2)
My report in the international workshop"Cultural imagination of post-Stalin period" held in Tokyo University of Foreign Studies on 22 February 2010. (part 1 and 2)
Jun 9, 2013
The Archaeology of War
As I wrote before, some archaeologists argue that there is no evidence that war is inevitable for mankind. At the stage of food gathering mankind rarely killed each other.
War occurred only after the beginning of agriculture, settled lifestyle and the necessity of protecting the assets of one group against other groups.
So it is not "installed"within human being as a species, but it had begun with the socially-originated vice called "greed"-- the engine of modern capitalism.
Below is a very short "montage film" inspired by the words of an archaeologist Makoto Sahara, who devoted his later years for "archaeology of war".
War occurred only after the beginning of agriculture, settled lifestyle and the necessity of protecting the assets of one group against other groups.
So it is not "installed"within human being as a species, but it had begun with the socially-originated vice called "greed"-- the engine of modern capitalism.
Below is a very short "montage film" inspired by the words of an archaeologist Makoto Sahara, who devoted his later years for "archaeology of war".
May 27, 2013
Kurosawa and Tarkovsky
They say that F.F.Coppola insisted that Akira Kurosawa should receive Nobel Prize for his filmmaking. Many american masters share such a high estimation of Kurosawa's art and it had helped this master in making "Kagemusha"and "Dreams".
Perhaps, Kurosawa was one of few directors who had been officially and publicly praised on both side of "Iron Curtain" in Cold War period. Like other masters of cinema, he suffered very much after the decline of film industry and of "studio system". It's not coincidence that he made most of his classical works with highly humanistic theme and excellent portrayal of social reality from late 1940 s to the beginning of 1960 s. "Heven and Hell"(63) and "Akahige(Red Beard)"(65) was the last two pieces in his filmography characterized by all merits of prosperous industrial "system" of cinema. But then, the system had collapsed everywhere in the world with such rare exception as Soviet and Indian cinema.
It's natural that Kurosawa was impressed by large studio set for Tarkovsky's "Solaris"(72) when he visited Moscow. On the other hand, still young Tarkovsky complained that the film's premier was held not in the "first-rate" theater, comparing it with the official rating of the film of veteran S.Gerasimov. Tarkovsky' s self-image as a filmmaker seems taint by arrogance, when compared with Kurosawa's words that he is not at all a genius, he only try very hard because he doesn't want to lose.
Tarkovsky had extremely strong intuition in filmmaking, but he was not so strategic and logical as to be expected by readers of his book "Sculpting in Time". For example, his indisputable masterpiece "Andrei Rublyov" was completed as a result of double rewrite of screenplay and numerous re-editing. Its screenplay translated into English(Faber and Faber) is not at all ideal form of screenplay, and frankly speaking, not for cinema, because of the lack of dramatic tension and too loose composition.
In this sense, Kurosawa's "Akahige" is a pure contrast to "Andrei Rublyov". Based on the novel of Shugoro Yamamoto, his scenario (as his following 3 films) is characterized by economy and logic of dramaturgy for cinema. Namely, there is no superfluous episode or scene, no inconsistency of "point of view"(focalisation, if using the term of narratology). The composition of the film is made so that the audience would go through the whole process of a young man's becoming a true doctor, his realization of the mission of the profession, growing up into an adult.
"Akahige" is a kind of Buldungsroman. And Kurosawa made it in such a way from the beginning. He had a very logical thinking, though maybe it worked on subconscious level. Sometimes his dramaturgy was even too logical that the wealth of his imagination which appeared in 40 s, 50 s
and after 80 s seems suppressed in 60 s and 70 s.
On the contrary, screenplay "Andrei Rublyov" was free from dramaturgy. It's partly a poem in prose and at first it contained even an allegorical episode, such that Tarkovsky himself criticized in his later years. His intuition was superb in terms of imagery, including the selection of actors, locations and physical details. But in terms of dramaturgy his intuition often didn't compensate the lack of strategy.
Interesting is that these two masters publicly (not in personal diaries ) praised each other, Tarkovsky added Kurosawa in the list of a few cinematic geniuses, where was no place even for D.W.Griffith. Kurosawa said that he loves all of Tarkovsky's films. Apparently, they understood each other's works better than ordinary "cinephiles"did.
Perhaps, Kurosawa was one of few directors who had been officially and publicly praised on both side of "Iron Curtain" in Cold War period. Like other masters of cinema, he suffered very much after the decline of film industry and of "studio system". It's not coincidence that he made most of his classical works with highly humanistic theme and excellent portrayal of social reality from late 1940 s to the beginning of 1960 s. "Heven and Hell"(63) and "Akahige(Red Beard)"(65) was the last two pieces in his filmography characterized by all merits of prosperous industrial "system" of cinema. But then, the system had collapsed everywhere in the world with such rare exception as Soviet and Indian cinema.
It's natural that Kurosawa was impressed by large studio set for Tarkovsky's "Solaris"(72) when he visited Moscow. On the other hand, still young Tarkovsky complained that the film's premier was held not in the "first-rate" theater, comparing it with the official rating of the film of veteran S.Gerasimov. Tarkovsky' s self-image as a filmmaker seems taint by arrogance, when compared with Kurosawa's words that he is not at all a genius, he only try very hard because he doesn't want to lose.
Tarkovsky had extremely strong intuition in filmmaking, but he was not so strategic and logical as to be expected by readers of his book "Sculpting in Time". For example, his indisputable masterpiece "Andrei Rublyov" was completed as a result of double rewrite of screenplay and numerous re-editing. Its screenplay translated into English(Faber and Faber) is not at all ideal form of screenplay, and frankly speaking, not for cinema, because of the lack of dramatic tension and too loose composition.
In this sense, Kurosawa's "Akahige" is a pure contrast to "Andrei Rublyov". Based on the novel of Shugoro Yamamoto, his scenario (as his following 3 films) is characterized by economy and logic of dramaturgy for cinema. Namely, there is no superfluous episode or scene, no inconsistency of "point of view"(focalisation, if using the term of narratology). The composition of the film is made so that the audience would go through the whole process of a young man's becoming a true doctor, his realization of the mission of the profession, growing up into an adult.
"Akahige" is a kind of Buldungsroman. And Kurosawa made it in such a way from the beginning. He had a very logical thinking, though maybe it worked on subconscious level. Sometimes his dramaturgy was even too logical that the wealth of his imagination which appeared in 40 s, 50 s
and after 80 s seems suppressed in 60 s and 70 s.
On the contrary, screenplay "Andrei Rublyov" was free from dramaturgy. It's partly a poem in prose and at first it contained even an allegorical episode, such that Tarkovsky himself criticized in his later years. His intuition was superb in terms of imagery, including the selection of actors, locations and physical details. But in terms of dramaturgy his intuition often didn't compensate the lack of strategy.
Interesting is that these two masters publicly (not in personal diaries ) praised each other, Tarkovsky added Kurosawa in the list of a few cinematic geniuses, where was no place even for D.W.Griffith. Kurosawa said that he loves all of Tarkovsky's films. Apparently, they understood each other's works better than ordinary "cinephiles"did.
May 16, 2013
The Bankruptcy of Modern Empire(short montage film)
Another montage film built up from Public Domain films, including "The house of Rothschild", "Battleship Potemkin", "Berlin; Symphony of a great city", "War comes to America" and official propaganda films of US in cold war days.
May 15, 2013
Who is to be blamed for tragedy of Tarkovsky?
After the research for writing "Tarkovsky and His Time" 2 years ago, I still can't help but questioning myself.
Did Soviet Union really so abuse him so that he couldn't work in his profession?
Did he decide to emigrate to West by himself?
Why did he buy so many things for new life in Italy that his bank deposit became almost empty?
Why did his second wife Larisa so hate first crews of "Stalker"?
Finally why do so many people accuse Larisa, especially in doc.film "Rerberg and Tarkovsky"?
All of these facts and situation suggest me the following.
Tarkovsky decided to emigrate to West because of Larisa.
Firstly, for filmmakers, it's fatal for his living to lose their comrades, creative crews for no reason(it's what Larisa's behavior caused to them).
Secondly, Tarkovsky knew how to communicate with Soviet cinema bureaucrats and how to earn by doing "part-time job"(for example, script writing for others) even in late 1970 s in Soviet Union.
Thirdly, he was disappointed in West before he declared emigration, as clearly written in his diaries.
Tarkovsky was a Soviet director, but had a sense of efficiency in his work. But Larisa, his ex-assistant director in "Andrei Rublev"didn't. Or precisely, she wanted the domination over him and his crews after "Mirror", where she was denied by her husband the role of hero's wife and mother.
For Tarkovsky, the situation must have been very difficult. Though cinema was the first thing for him, he couldn't behave so severe to Larisa as he could to other people. And she knew it.
Woman's pride grew up in her and it became destructive to his official status and his work in filmmaking, because his irritation affected to his attitude to bureaucrats and the crews.
Men are more "social" than women in some societies. Creative intelligentsia in USSR apparently made such society, especially in 1960 s. Friendship was a very important element of their life, making creative atmosphere. In making "Stalker", such an atmosphere was replaced by suspicious attitude to each other. Relations with bureaucrats was already worsened, though he was allowed to behave more bravely than before.
He felt alone in shooting, especially after his mother's death.
It was a tragedy of Tarkovsky as a talented Soviet creator and Soviet citizen.
In USSR he was a "cult" figure among educated people, and a qualified director of the largest film studio. He HAD a decent social status.
In West he was a "genius" oppressed by totalitarian Soviet regime, which could have allow him more freedom of creation if he remained untill the beginning of Perestoroika. That time none of us knew how he suffered from complicated private life and from desolate solitude.
Did Soviet Union really so abuse him so that he couldn't work in his profession?
Did he decide to emigrate to West by himself?
Why did he buy so many things for new life in Italy that his bank deposit became almost empty?
Why did his second wife Larisa so hate first crews of "Stalker"?
Finally why do so many people accuse Larisa, especially in doc.film "Rerberg and Tarkovsky"?
All of these facts and situation suggest me the following.
Tarkovsky decided to emigrate to West because of Larisa.
Firstly, for filmmakers, it's fatal for his living to lose their comrades, creative crews for no reason(it's what Larisa's behavior caused to them).
Secondly, Tarkovsky knew how to communicate with Soviet cinema bureaucrats and how to earn by doing "part-time job"(for example, script writing for others) even in late 1970 s in Soviet Union.
Thirdly, he was disappointed in West before he declared emigration, as clearly written in his diaries.
Tarkovsky was a Soviet director, but had a sense of efficiency in his work. But Larisa, his ex-assistant director in "Andrei Rublev"didn't. Or precisely, she wanted the domination over him and his crews after "Mirror", where she was denied by her husband the role of hero's wife and mother.
For Tarkovsky, the situation must have been very difficult. Though cinema was the first thing for him, he couldn't behave so severe to Larisa as he could to other people. And she knew it.
Woman's pride grew up in her and it became destructive to his official status and his work in filmmaking, because his irritation affected to his attitude to bureaucrats and the crews.
Men are more "social" than women in some societies. Creative intelligentsia in USSR apparently made such society, especially in 1960 s. Friendship was a very important element of their life, making creative atmosphere. In making "Stalker", such an atmosphere was replaced by suspicious attitude to each other. Relations with bureaucrats was already worsened, though he was allowed to behave more bravely than before.
He felt alone in shooting, especially after his mother's death.
It was a tragedy of Tarkovsky as a talented Soviet creator and Soviet citizen.
In USSR he was a "cult" figure among educated people, and a qualified director of the largest film studio. He HAD a decent social status.
In West he was a "genius" oppressed by totalitarian Soviet regime, which could have allow him more freedom of creation if he remained untill the beginning of Perestoroika. That time none of us knew how he suffered from complicated private life and from desolate solitude.
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