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An elderly woman living in Nagasaki Japan takes care of her four grandchildren for their summer vacation. They learn about the atomic bomb that fell in 1945, and how it killed their Grandfather. Richard Gere guest stars as an American nephew of the elderly woman.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 35 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
Kurosawa was (among other things) a master metteur-en-scene, whose fine visual compositions have elicited the admiration of filmgoers the world over for decades. The people at Digital Entertainment are not bothered by such artsy-fartsy niceties, however. Not only are the colours on this release washed-out and the subtitles burnt into the image, but the sides of the frame have been lopped off to fit your TV. Who does Digital Entertainment think buys this sort of stuff? Bottom line: this fine film deserves a much better (i.e. decent) edition, so let's wait until someone who cares get the rights.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Kali
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
An elderly woman (Kane) played by Sachiko Murase lives in Nagasaki Japan. One memorable summer she takes care of her four grandchildren who inadvertently awaken in her the memory of the day that the atomic bomb fell in 1945, and how it deprived her of her husband.
With the arrival of her American-Asian nephew from the US, played surprisingly well by Richard Gere who manages to speak Japanese without fluffing it too much, Kane is forced to re-evaluate how the dropping of the bomb has shaped her life and beliefs.
Haunted by the fact that she could not save her husband, and reliving the memories of that terrible day Kane strives to protect her family, and this culminates in her fleeing her house in a storm, clutching an umbrella as if this will protect her against the wrath of nature.
The scenery is breath taking, the acting brilliant and with a haunting sound track, this slow moving Japanese with English subtitles will make you look at the dropping of the atomic bomb with new and horrified eyes. An intelligent and thought provoking film for those people who like to think.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:VHS Tape
Slow-moving film which nonetheless brings home the continuing and lasting impact of American intervention in the second world war on the lives of ordinary Japanese citizens; a great chance to view history from the other side. Many memorable images - sympathetic, humorous, moving and well-worth watching.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't buy this one.
This DVD contains a seriously mutilated version of the movie. Large parts of the image were cut off in changing the format from 16:9 to 4:3. Don't buy this one. Read more
Published on 8 Sep 2010 by Akira
1.0 out of 5 stars
This is embarrassing
Has anyone ever seen those dreadful movies on the Hallmark TV channel? Then this film would be right at home there. Read more
Published on 3 Aug 2010 by Denis Joe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Little-known gem
Anyone who loves Japanese cinema should be delighted by this gentle film. A real treat to watch and a surprise for anyone who knows Richard Gere's films but has never heard of this... Read more
Published on 30 Aug 2009 by R. A. Fallows
3.0 out of 5 stars
Better Late Than Never
Kurosawa was 81 when he made "Rhapsody in August", one of a trio of small-scale, more personal works, all about the effects of the A-bomb on Japanese society; this after a... Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2008 by Peter Scott-presland
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very strange masterpiece
Let us take a 'masterpiece' to be that that is utterly thorough in its composition, i.e. every detail accounted for. In this sense, Mr Kurosawa's film is a masterpiece. But... Read more
Published on 20 Oct 2008 by Mr. A. Allison
4.0 out of 5 stars
poignant reminder
This film reminds us of the tragedy of war, and focusses on the destruction of Nagasaki as remembered by Grandma. Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2008 by Mr. Peter Gage
4.0 out of 5 stars
Quick Reviews!
One of Kurosawa's last films, and one of his most personal showing all the skill of a 'complete director'. Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2007 by carlosnightman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kurosawa's family film
A beautiful little family study, seen through the eyes of the grandchildren of a Nagasaki bomb survivor. Read more
Published on 11 April 2004 by "dave4317"
5.0 out of 5 stars
a sad, beautiful, poetic movie, on an atypically small scale
This movie often gets oddly low ratings by critics, which I think must be partly due to the high expectations people have for Kurosawa movies. Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2002
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