While it shows much of the humanity and technical skill of his later films, sanshiro sugata is still pretty rough around the. Sanshiro sugata was remade by shigeo tanaka in 1955 and again by seiichuro uchikawa ten years later. The directors debut film, introducing the first akira kurosawa hero. Sanshiro sugatas prescription for japan is to put older ideas to an honorable rest, embrace the new and continue to oppose foreign evil. The film, made under reasonably smooth conditions despite the war, is based on a bestselling novel about the creation of judo.
Sanshiro sugata arrives in an unnamed city looking to study at a school of jujitsu. Sanshiro sugata is a very old film it was shot in 1943, during the war, and as such has been unfortunately cut by the japanese censors of the time. Sanshiro is ultimately after spiritual gain to achieve the purity he found in the moonlit flower. Sanshiro sugata is a film directed by akira kurosawa with denjiro okochi, susumu fujita, yukiko todoroki, ryunosuke tsukigata, year. In april 1952, akira kurosawas directorial debut, sanshiro sugata 1943, was rereleased to japanese theaters with a rather heartwrenching disclaimer. The film denotes human sense, defending the rules and the collective interest, as it should be, but also understands the meaning of love and compassion, and rejoices as they deserve. Sanshiro sugata 1943 sugata sanshiro original title not rated 1h 19min action, adventure, drama 28 april 1974 usa sugata, a young man, struggles to learn the nuance and meaning of judo, and in doing so comes to learn something of the meaning of life.
But the fault does not fall on kurosawas shoulders. By the time akira kurosawa made his directorial debut with sanshiro sugata 1943 for the toho film studios at the age of 33 seven years after joining the company as an apprentice, the films themes of sacrifice, spirituality and a warriors comingofage were already well. Sugata sanshiro sanshiro sugata director kurosawa, akira country of prod. February 20 american film studio executives agree to allow the office of war information to censor films. Kurosawas effortless debut is based on a novel by tsuneo tomita about the rivalry between judo and jujitsu. First released in japan on 25 march 1943 by toho film studios, the film was eventually released in the united states on 28 april 1974. Sanshiro sugata sugata sanshiro 1943 action adventure drama.
So this was kurosawas change to prove himself as his own master. Gennosuke higaki, the villain in the story, is also based on a reallife fighter, mataemon tanabe, who is considered one of the greatest modern jujutsuka. The fictional characters sugata sanshiro and yano are loosely modeled on real persons, saigo shiro who was recruited by kano jigoro in 1882. Sanshiro sugata is the directorial debut of the japanese film director akira kurosawa. Toho kabushiki kaisha genres historical martial arts feature subjects judo history drama martial artists japan 19th century drama. Based on a bestselling novel, sugata sanshiro established the reputation of kurosawa, and made him a prominent figure in the filmmaking business. They established judo as a superior hand to hand fighting style to jujitsu.
Kurasawa was obsessed with making sure that a film adaptation of the popular novel with the same name, about the hardships that a judo fighter susumu fujita goes through in. Sanshiro sugata was akira kurosawas debut film, and popular and influential for its time. Sanshiro sugata has been ranked 2318 times, wins 32. I think, sugata sanshiro, was a good start for the master kurosawa. In addition to establishing the reputation of kurosawa, the film made a popular star of susumu fujita. Sanshiro sugata may be akira kurosawas official debut film as a director, but one would never know it from the masterful way the young director dominates the film. This film has been modified from its original version without consulting the director or the production staff.
Starring susumu fujita as the title character, sanshiro sugata is a thrilling martial arts action tale, but its also a moving story of moral education thats quintessential kurosawa. He quickly becomes a pupil of the great shogoro yano denjiro okochi. September 11, 2017 action, adventure, drama 3 comments. The film is based on the novel of the same name written. Nationalistic messages appropriate to wartime are transformed, reworkedcinematizedthrough kurosawas remarkably dynamic approach to film style. Sanshiro sugata, released in 1943, was akira kurosawas debut film as a director after six years spent as an assistant director and screenwriter.
Jan 01, 2009 sanshiro sugata 1943 the biggest problem i have with traditional martial arts films is that the whole basic concept of whether this style is better than that style is completely pointless. The story of sanshiro, a strong stubborn youth, who travels into the city in order to learn jujutsu. Sanshiro sugata is the first film from the legendary akira kurosawa who went on to make some of the finest films the world has ever witnessed. Any irony in the fact that the film is about a martial artist susumu fujita, as the titular judo practitioner learning to strike a balance between ego and humility. Its tough to say that about a movie with martial arts where violence abounds, but kurosawas subtle approach to. Sanshiro sugata susumu fujita is a young man who yearns to learn the world of judo. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Directed by akira kurosawa 1943 japan kurosawas effortless debut is based on a novel by tsuneo tomita about the rivalry between judo and jujitsu. His raw talent at making cinema is perhaps unmatched. Sanshiro sugata 1943 is akira kurosawas first film. The film, made under reasonably smooth conditions despite the war, is based on a bestselling.
Sanshiro sugata 1943 sanshiro sugata is an interesting film for a number of reasons. First released in japan on 25 march 1943 by toho film studios, the fil. This first effort by japanese director akira kurosawa was originally released as sanshiro sugata. If it was truly that simple then everyone would have forgotten about every style other than the best one and there would be no more martial arts films. Sanshiro, a strong stubborn youth, comes to the city to apprentice at a jujitsu school. Sanshiro sugata 1943 the biggest problem i have with traditional martial arts films is that the whole basic concept of whether this style is better than that style is completely pointless. Sanshiro sugata 1943 stream and watch online moviefone. Sanshiro sugata is a very interesting film to start kurosawas career as a director. Sugata, a young man, struggles to learn the nuance and meaning of judo, and in doing so comes to learn something of the meaning of life. Very early in the film, you will see a great example of this. Sanshiros screenplay features many elements that would soon become cliches in martial arts movies and which, truth be told, were perhaps not entirely fresh even in 1943, but. Sugata sanshiro, aka judo saga is a 1943 japanese action drama film and the directorial debut of the japanese film director akira kurosawa. The film begins with an apology from toho made in 1950, saying that the cut film was unable to be recovered later, and that they felt that the film is still worthy of release. The film is based on the novel of the same name written by tsuneo tomita, the son of prominent judoka.
Sanshiro sugata is a 1943 japanese action drama film and the directorial debut of the japanese film director akira kurosawa. However, upon his arrival he discovers a new form of selfdefence. During his times under yanos tutelage he learns not only the true meaning of the martial arts, but also of life. I figured it was time to redress that imbalance, beginning with his 1943 directorial debut sanshiro sugata. He had spent years prior as a writer and assistant director. Sanshiro sugata, directed by akira kurosawa the seventh victim, starring tom conway shadow of a doubt, directed by alfred hitchcock, starring teresa wright and joseph cotten. The film is an adaptation of the tsuneo tomita novel, in which a brash young man named sanshiro travels to tokyo in order to learn jujitsu but winds up. Little by little sanshiro learns the truth about life and in the celebrated climax on the windswept heath he finds that strength is not enough but that endurance is. It was filmed in early 1945 in japan towards the end of world war ii. Though its far from being a genuine masterpiece, the film still shows the directors steady hand and is the admirable proof of his aweinspiring versatility. His first night, he sees yano in action, a master of judo, a more spiritual art, and he begs to be yanos. Sanshiro sugata goes beyond its historical sources and political program, as ambitious films tend to do. Detrimental to the film was the inferior film stock available to kurosawa at this point during world war ii.
But after he witnesses the power of judo firsthand, he abandons his jujitsu training to study with judo. Though the sanshiro sugata films were dogged by censors part of the first has been lost they still demonstrate kurosawas expert control over film grammar as a budding director. Conditions in japan had deteriorated so much that only scraps of recycled film stock could be found. It tells the story of a young man struggling to learn both the technique and the spiritual meaning of judo.
Strict wartime censors cut seventeen minutes from the film and almost denied it a release. Kurosawas use of color in his black and white films. Sanshiro sugata susumu fujita wants to learn jujitsu. Denjiro okochi, ichiro sugai, kokuten kodo, ranko hanai, ryunosuke tsukigata director. But the esteemed director yasujiro ozu intervened, and sanshiro sugata became a big wartime hit. Denjiro okochi, susumu fujita, yukiko todoroki, ryunosuke tsukigata, takashi shimura director. Judo saga ii is a 1945 japanese action drama film written and directed by akira kurosawa. Sanshiro sugata is a 1943 film from japan directed by akira kurosawa. The fictional characters sugata sanshiro and yano are loosely modeled on real. Starring susumu fujita as the title character, sanshiro sugata is a thrilling martial.
Legendary director kurosawa made his debut with this little known martial arts film about a young man who sets out to master a new form of fighting, judo, and finds himself involved in an old rivalry between schools. He finds such a school, and goes with its members when they. But after he witnesses the power of judo firsthand, he abandons his jujitsu training to study with judo master shogoro yano denjiro okochi. Sanshiro sugata s prescription for japan is to put older ideas to an honorable rest, embrace the new and continue to oppose foreign evil. The film revolves around the challenges sanshiro sugata faces, both from himself and from opponents, in his effort to prove judos superiority over traditional jujitsu techniques.
The film was a hit and generated a sequel which we also screen the same day. It is apparent straightway watching sanshiro sugata that kurosawa understands how to construct an image effectively. Most of the film explores the relationship between the creator of this form of selfdefense and his faithful protege. When he first released this film in 1943, it was 97 minutes long. He served seven years as an assistant to director kajiro yamamoto before he began his own directorial career with sanshiro sugata 1943, a film about the. Even in sanshiro sugata, we get crude glimpses of kurosawas distinctive style, from dynamic weather. Akira kurosawas first official directorial credit, sanshiro sugata 1943, has a young masters brashness about it, showoffy, but not arrogantly so. Sanshiro sugata 1943 akira kurosawas dazzling debut as a director is about the rivalry between judo and jujitsu, and it concerns the moral education and enlightenment of sanshiro, played by susumu fujita. With denjiro okochi, susumu fujita, yukiko todoroki, ranko hanai. The main character is based on shiro saigo, a legendary judoka. It is based on the novel by tsuneo tomita, son of tomita tsunejiro, the earliest disciple of judo. Jan 03, 2011 sanshiro sugata susumu fujita is a young man who yearns to learn the world of judo. Its underwhelming on that note, but there are these little touches throughout that show an unused brilliance.
Released 1943, sanshiro sugata stars susumu fujita, denjiro okochi, yukiko todoriki the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 19 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic, which. He sees yano, a master of judo and begs to be his student. Sugata sanshiro, aka judo saga is the directorial debut of the japanese film director akira kurosawa. First films are either masterpieces the filmmaker is. The film is an adaptation of the tsuneo tomita novel, in which a brash young man named sanshiro travels to tokyo in order to learn jujitsu but winds up learning the new martial art of judo instead. In spite of its grand physical technique, sanshiro sugata suffers from a lumpy, truncated narrative, reducing what couldve been a great film into a modestly interesting one. Mar 28, 2019 the film revolves around the challenges sanshiro sugata faces, both from himself and from opponents, in his effort to prove judos superiority over traditional jujitsu techniques. Sugata sanshiro judo saga 1943 playing january 18th at the film forum. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Sugata sanshiro comes to the city to be apprenticed at a jujitsu school. Jul 30, 2008 legendary director kurosawa made his debut with this little known martial arts film about a young man who sets out to master a new form of fighting, judo, and finds himself involved in an old rivalry between schools. Sugata sanshiro judo saga judo story 1943 rotten tomatoes. Box office numbers were reported at the time as a percentage compared to normal business at each theater. Aug 12, 2015 sanshiro sugata 1943 sanshiro sugata 1943 is akira kurosawas first film.
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