The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Gems: Ikiru (1952)

How do you choose what to watch on all those streaming services you have access to? There are so many options that it is just overwhelming. These services constantly release new content and overshadow all the great films from the past that are already there and ready to watch. Now there is The Wasteland Gems! Here is a great film on streaming right now that you should check out this weekend:

Ikiru (1952)

Who is the most famous and most acclaimed director in all of Japanese cinema? Akira Kurosawa. The legacy that Kurosawa created was made on a backbone constructed of one of Japan’s most unique historic and cultural aspects…samurai cinema. But Kurosawa was not just a great samurai cinema director. There are plenty of other films that are not centered on feudal Japan and sword fights. He explored crime thrillers like High and Low, small-town dramas like Dodes’ka-den, and historical dramas like Dersu Uzala. But arguably his best film of all is a deeply human drama…Ikiru.

What makes Ikiru such a poignant film? There is so much emotion packed into this human story. Takashi Shimura’s Kanji is a lowly bureaucrat who goes on quite an unexpected and tragic journey. Kanji is informed that he has terminal cancer which means he only has so much time to live. Kanji’s journey in Ikiru is a rollercoaster ride of emotion. We witness Kanji crashing out and going on sad, drunken benders. This creates such a harrowing experience for both Kanji and the audience. The story does not have a happy ending for Kanji (in a traditional sense), but we still witness a miraculous achievement by him before he breathes his final breath. One of the most emotional resonant moments in film is Kanji taking in the park that he helped create by cutting endless red tape over his last few months. That shot of Tanji on the swing in the snow is worth the whole investment in the film.

Why is that moment so poignant? This is a film that is quite impressive from a filmmaking standpoint. Kurosawa is one of the greatest directors of all time and you can see that in all his films. Ikiru does not have the same big, sprawling feel of his many samurai films but it still boasts some impressive filmmaking elements. The final sequence of Kanji sitting in the park is quite poignant. The framing of Shimura on that swing, perfectly centered in the frame, is quite impactful. The stark contrast between the white of the snow and the crisp black of the night is quite an evocative sight. The close-up shot of Shimura’ face getting emotional is one of the most iconic shots of Kurosawa’s filmography. There are plenty of other great close-up shots that accentuate Shimura’s performance (more on that later) as well as some impressive usages of shadows throughout the film. While you are feeling plenty of emotions throughout the story, you also get treated to some impressive filmmaking as well.

What is the most significant element of Ikiru for its success? Shimura is the real start of this film for sure. His performance is a full gambit of emotions that captures the challenging journey that Kanji goes through in this film. We witness Kanji starting off as sad, bored, and somber individuals and Shimura sells that apathy so well. The drunk acting is plenty messy with Shimura making this sequence feel so authentic and believable. But as the film goes on, Shimura is tasked with conveying such deeply affecting emotional elements and they hit hard. Kurosawa makes sure the camera is in a place where Shimura can deliver such authentic and impactful emotion into his performance. The details in Shimura’s face are so important to selling the more intimate shots that Kurosawa calls for. You feel all the emotion and presence that Shimura can muster. Ikiru is a compelling and poignant drama that stands tall in the filmography of Kurosawa. 

Ikiru is streaming on HBO Max.