Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Drunken Angel

Japan   d/ A. Kurosawa   Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune

An early effort by Japan's great master. A lesser work. Set in 1948's post-war devastation this centered around a kindly but belligerent, drunken doctor who treats yakuza. His latest patient has TB but his lifestyle and "friends" won't allow him to adopt the lifestyle changes the doc deems necessary to return to health. So they clash, over and over.

Second rate AK with the deadly wild overacting common in Asian film. One good fight scene. Not much evidence of his later framing skill or camera  movement. Most interesting as a time capsule view into a harsh, poor time in Japanese history.

5

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