本片是山中貞雄的(de )遺作,也(yě )是(🌰)他(tā )的“時(shí )代劇(🛍)的庶民(🤢)電影”的(de )代表(🎹)作之(🥈)一。他在片中吸取了(🥩)美國電影和法國電(🎲)影的影(yǐng )響(xiǎng ),並受到(dào )摯(🖲)友兼(jiān )老師小(👑)津安二(èr )郎的“小庶(👁)民(mín )(🙍)電影 ”美(🛹)學影響,將(jiāng )歷(🛺)史上江戶時(shí )代的(de )小人物形(xíng )像注入(rù )現(xiàn )(🥀)代庶民的語言、性(⏺)格、(🌙)行止、靈魂,成就了一(⏯)部(😞)難得的(❔)社會現(xiàn )實主義的佳(jiā )作。故事發生於(yú )十八世(shì )紀德川幕(mù )府(fǔ )時代,以悲涼(liáng )調子訴說德川(chuān )幕府時(shí )期(qī )(🤲)低下層的生(👺)活,開頭與結尾都是自殺(shā )(🤖)場景(🕯),映(👣)照出(🤘)舊時日(rì )本社會草根(gēn )(🍑)階(👊)層的悲(🚗)哀。另外(🈸),山(shān )中的剪(⛏)輯流暢自如,視覺風格(gé )鋒如日(💯)本(běn )繪畫,演員表演也很自然。此片公認為(wéi )山中最好的作品(🥅),也是他(🔞)僅存的三(🔎)部(bù )(🌂)電影之一(🐖)。
Humanity and Paper Balloons,unlike most other Japanese films of this period,is a historical film with a critical edge.Refusing to glorify samurai,the film insteaddeflates the myth around them with a gentle humanity. The film opens directly after a penurious ronin samurai has taken his own life.At his funeral his neighbors from his slum mourn his death. Here the film introduces another ronin samurai who lives in equal poverty. Having pawned his sword for food,the samurai searches for work but to no avail. The family's only income comes from the little balloon children's toys made by the wife.Out of desperation,the samurai abets in an attempted kidnapping. After finding out,the wife kills him in his sleep and then takes her own life, closing the film's narrative circle.
Brian Whitener, All Movie Guide.
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