Stray Dog - Criterion Collection

Rating:
Summary: Japanese Film Noir
Review: I made a recent purchase of some Kurosawa films form Amazon.com, and I recently watched the first, Stray Dog. It was the first non-samurai movie I've seen since Rhapsody in August, an anti war movie that I saw many years ago and barely remember. I really enjoyed and was quite impressed with this early work of Kurosawa. But this film combines two things that I am really interested. On one level it is film noir, a detective gets his hand gun pick pocketed on a crowded bus and tries to chase down the Òrabid dogÓ before any other people are killed. The second aspect that appealed to me was that it is set in occupied Japan after the war. The occupation and Meiji restoration are the most interesting historical periods for me; because they are periods of great flux and help explain why Japan is the way it is today. The black markets figure in proximately during the film. On one level it is mediation on the options available to people in post war Japan, the moral choice that ex-army soldier Murakami (Mifune) takes, or the amoral destructive role the thief/murderer Yusa takes. There's a great commentary by Stephen Prince, who also narrated the commentary for the classic, The Seven Samurai. I think I might develop this theme and write any essay on it.


Rating:
Summary: 4.25 Stars for this Noirish Kurosawa Gem
Review: If you've only seen Kurosawa's samurai flics, definitely give this a look. The strength of Stray Dog is certainly the imagery: the glimpses of everyday life in the early years of postwar Japan are as priceless as virtually anything from the silent era, and seeing such a young Mifune in his dandyish zoot suite is also worth the price of admission in itself. The rabid dog thru the opening credits frames the film wonderfully and returns to your mind well after you've turned off the TV. And here Kurosawa's greatest weakness (an apparently utter disdain for females) is graciously muted: women are portrayed in mostly unflattering roles but are at least allowed to show some bit of their sensuality (something which is utterly lacking in his later films). The ending is first marvelous then disappointing; the last 120 seconds or so might have better landed on the cutting room floor. The narrative thrill wasn't quite Hitchcock, and the noirish shadows weren't quite to the level of Welles or Wilder. But I am not complaining. While Stray Dog shows some of the undeveloped side of Kurosawa, it also shows traits he would have been better to have kept. All in all Stray Dog was a delight to watch.

Regarding the Criterion DVD, the image quality is really no better than a VHS tape. Occasionally scenes are quite dark or the picture is striped with dark lines. The DVD menu page is too dark and it was almost impossible to read the options. As usual, Criterion offers no subtitle options beyond English. And the price is tad lower, if still too high. But at least they have made it available.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent psychological crime story...
Review: In the shadow of the American occupation of Japan after World War II during an extremely hot summer afternoon, Murakami (Toshirô Mifune), a young homicide detective, is duped by a pickpocket who steals his issued gun. Detective Murakami notifies his superior about the theft which causes him embarrassment and fear of being fired. The humiliation combined with the fear compels Detective Murakami to keep searching for the thief by going undercover. Murakami probes the scorching Tokyo streets and alleys with meticulously scanning eyes as he comes across a weapons dealer that has clues about the guns whereabouts. These clues help Murakami to continue the investigation as he is assisted by the shrewd Detective Sato (Takashi Shimura) to uncover further clues of the identity of the pickpocket. As clues accumulate Murakami seems to identify himself more and more with the criminal. This begins to wear on Murakami, but the understanding Sato keeps reminding him that he is doing the right thing.

Stray Dog is an intense criminal story that examines the psychology of the characters as in compares the similarities between criminals and detectives. These similarities are balanced on a thin line based on choice, which Kurosawa dissects studiously through the camera lens. Kurosawa's investigation of the character's psychology creates a spiraling suspense that is enhanced through subtle surprises and brilliant cinematography. The camera use often displays shots through thin cloths, close ups, and new camera angles, which also makes the film aesthetically appealing. When Kurosawa brings together camera work and cast performance, among other cinematic aspects, he leaves the audience with a brilliantly suspenseful criminal drama, which leaves much room for introspection and retrospection.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent psychological crime story...
Review: In the shadow of the American occupation of Japan after World War II during an extremely hot summer afternoon, Murakami (Toshirô Mifune), a young homicide detective, is duped by a pickpocket who steals his issued gun. Detective Murakami notifies his superior about the theft which causes him embarrassment and fear of being fired. The humiliation combined with the fear compels Detective Murakami to keep searching for the thief by going undercover. Murakami probes the scorching Tokyo streets and alleys with meticulously scanning eyes as he comes across a weapons dealer that has clues about the guns whereabouts. These clues help Murakami to continue the investigation as he is assisted by the shrewd Detective Sato (Takashi Shimura) to uncover further clues of the identity of the pickpocket. As clues accumulate Murakami seems to identify himself more and more with the criminal. This begins to wear on Murakami, but the understanding Sato keeps reminding him that he is doing the right thing.

Stray Dog is an intense criminal story that examines the psychology of the characters as in compares the similarities between criminals and detectives. These similarities are balanced on a thin line based on choice, which Kurosawa dissects studiously through the camera lens. Kurosawa's investigation of the character's psychology creates a spiraling suspense that is enhanced through subtle surprises and brilliant cinematography. The camera use often displays shots through thin cloths, close ups, and new camera angles, which also makes the film aesthetically appealing. When Kurosawa brings together camera work and cast performance, among other cinematic aspects, he leaves the audience with a brilliantly suspenseful criminal drama, which leaves much room for introspection and retrospection.

Rating:
Summary: Stray Dog - Criterion Collection
Review: Murakami (Toshirô Mifune), a young police officer in 1940s Tokyo, finds that his gun was stolen while he was riding a packed bus. With his position in jeopardy, Murakami, aided by veteran officer Sato (Takashi Shimura), tries to locate his missing weapon. Together, they head to some of the worst parts of the city ... and to the forefront of crime. When Murakami learns that his gun has been used in a murder, his search escalates.

Rating:
Summary: Desperation
Review: Riding a crowded bus packed with people standing shoulder to shoulder in scorching heat a detective suddenly notices his pistol is missing. As the bus pulls to a stop he notices someone hurriedly get off and there begins a chase that lasts the entire movie. Kurosawa examines the mindset of desperate men. The criminals are desperate for a variety of reasons and the detective too is a desperate man because he soon learns that it his pistol that is being used to commit crimes which he feels personally responsible for. The incident proves to be the beginning of the young detectives education. The relationship that develops between this younger detective and the older wiser detective is fascinating taking Kurosawas samurai theme of old masters and young warriors and placing it in a modern setting. The older detective teaches the younger one that despite ones own self interest there is a code to respect. But he also learns much from his own field work. The young detective in desperation to retrieve the lost pistol goes undercover posing as an ex soldier down on his luck in an attempt to penetrate the blackmarket for stolen guns. These are some of the most interesting scenes of the picture as they are ripe with social commentary as the detective becomes one of the lowest of the low to catch his thief. The detectives tour of Tokyos criminal underworld is unforgettable and it is there that Kurosawas irony works best for the young detective acts as selfishly and recklessly and desperately as the criminals themselves. The film appeals on many levels. As enjoyable as any Hitchcock or Carrol Reed(Third Man) film. In fact the film reminded me of those English directors in its pacing and look and moments of comic relief. Its a one of a kind classic, a study of different kinds of desperation, with nods to Hollywood but made especially appealing by being shot on location on the cluttered streets of impoverished post war Tokyo. Complex major and minor characters throughout with complex motivations plus that always present eye on the biggest social themes which transcend nationality keep this riveting and interesting all the way through. As entertaining and atmospheric as any classic noir but with much more substance and humanity in it than most noirs have. A smart genre picture by one of the greatest directors ever.

Rating:
Summary: Dog Days
Review: Takeshi Shimura and Toshiro Mifune negotiate post-war Japan's underbelly in this cops and robbers thriller, finding friendship, and ultimately, the reason for existance. If you watch this film, unless you have no soul, I guarantee that you will be haunted by scenes of Shimura's head against a bank of clouds, of Mifune's face in the background of the interrogation scene, of Mifune's boots stomping the streets, doggedly, in the bad part of town, of flowers in the field near a train station, of the sound of a piano when a man is shot, of train tracks and Shimura's voice, of the steam rising from a cold popsicle in the heat of summer.

Who is the stray dog? Mifune? The dog who won't let go of a bone? We're led to think the criminal is the stray dog. But everyone in the film is dog-tired, hot, weary, beat down, even Japan itself is beat. The scene at the broken fountain symbolizes this demoralization, exhaustion, heat and loss of direction.

Wow. That's pretty heavy stuff. Just to lighten up a bit: Mifune is breathtakingly beautiful in this film. (Some of us gals may miss the brevity of Mifune''s outfit in Seven Samurai, but, still, he wears white linen gorgeously: even when it is saturated with mud in the last fight scenes: shows the form, eh? He is definately a beautiful man, and refreshingly humble in this flick. Makes it even easier to love him.)

Mifune's intense as always, but without samurai growling or histrionics. You won't miss them. He convicingly shows humility, respect, dedication, perserverence and as in all his films, gains understanding and knowledge as the film develops. Mifune always goes through a transformation.

Takeshi Shimura is the older and wiser cop-- not unlike the leader in Seven Samurai: he shows the way. But, we all make mistakes, and have bad luck. for Shimura, the confluence of confusion and momentarily lost focus is almost fatal.

But, the good guys live to reflect on their journey together. If Kurasawa had never made the more famous and popular samurai films, he still had gold with the combination here of Shimura and Mifune. This is a film worth watching.



Rating:
Summary: New Criterion Collection DVD to be released in MAY 2004!!
Review: The Criterion Collection will be releasing this movie for the first time ever on DVD. It will come out in May 2004. The retail price is $39.95 but as with most new Criterion DVDs, Amazon might be selling it for $29.95 soon after it comes out.

Features:

--New high-definition digital transfer, with restored image and sound. (Note: Non-anamorphic video.)

--Audio commentary by Stephen Prince, author of The Warrior?s Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa

--Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create, a 32-minute documentary on the making of Stray Dog

--A booklet featuring essays by film critics Terrence Rafferty and Chris Fujiwara and an excerpt from Kurosawa's autobiography, Something Like an Autobiography, in which he discusses the production of Stray Dog

--New and improved English subtitle translation

--Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition

This is gonna be hot.

Rating:
Summary: "Good time for a showdown."
Review: The sweltering heat of summer in the big city, the atmosphere of a metropolis in a time of drastic change, an idealistic young rookie out on a quest for personal revenge...

What can I say? Every time I think I have Kurosawa figured out he again amazes me with the incredible power of story-telling that he wields. While many will praise the master of Japanese cinema for his awesoem samurai epics, this one strikes a similar chord to High and Low, spinning a tale of social commentary in post-war Japan. There are differences though. Big ones.

While High and Low (like this film) tells us a great deal about police-work and the state of Japan after World War II (and the terrible things that people may or may not have been forced to do as a result of the social upheaval), this film is more personal.

Toshiro Mifune is probably the greatest actor in Japanese history, and his early performance here struck me very hard indeed. Previously I had seen Mifune as an old man and a rascal, but never playing a serious dramatic lead as a young man (ordinary Joe). When our young protagonist loses his gun, I can feel his shame and disgrace, and feel his terrible moment of panic. As the film progresses, he continues to scan every room as if it might hold some hidden clue, and his intensity is such that it worries his superiors and outright frightens normal people who get in his way. As the film progresses we watch the tension grow, and see his mind pushed closer and closer to the edge. He isn't worried about his gun. He is obsessed. Every new crime he hears about triggers the reaction "Was it MY gun?!" By the end of the movie my eyes were glued to the screen, and few moments in movie history match the scene where he finds himself right next to the killer who has his gun, with only a simple description to go on (that matches about five or six people right in front of him). Mifune is awesome in this movie. It's worthy buying for him alone.

Of course this detective story is about more than just one person, and all of the characters are acted out supremely well. Characteristic of Kurosawa, the camera is used to perfection, the music used to wrap you into the story, and the dialog is perfectly natural. It all feels so real (or is it surreal?), you simply don't know what is going to happen next. The atmosphere is the thing that really sends this one into the stratosphere, though. It's like The Big Sleep or The Maltese Falcon. As we are taken through seemingly every aspect of Japan's metropolis, we see people sweating up a storm, staring off into space dispassionately, struggling just to keep alive in a dangerous world. It's all metaphorical, but it's also all wildly entertaining. If you love film-noir or Kurosawa you must buy this movie immediately.


Rating:
Summary: Criterion spelled Kurosawa's name incorrectly in the menus.
Review: They spelled it "Kurowsawa". By accident of course, but it's still amusing seeing how large his name is on the menu screen. This is Kurosawa's oldest film to now be released on DVD by Criterion, and it's without a doubt one of his greatest films. This one came out in 1949, a year before his best decade as a director, which spurned Rashomon, The Lower Depths, The Hidden Fortress, Ikiru, and Seven Samurai. For some reason, this film isn't nearly as accredited with his other great works, though it certainly should be. Thanks to Criterion, they've now made it possible for everyone to enjoy the film in a wonderful new transfer. The picture is very sharp for its age with just slight film grain that only adds to the film's mood and setting (it is a film noir after all). Interestingly enough, the film doesn't open with the original Shin-toho logo, but instead, the contemporary Toho logo, despite the fact that Shin-toho was the company who originally released the picture (Toho only purchased the rights to the film after they went bankrupt in the sixties).

I must say, Mifune is simply amazing in this film. I personally think this is the best work he ever did for Kurosawa, only because he's such a realistic character. All of his actions and emotions feel genuine. He gives the film the kind of realism that you normally only would get from Italian neo-realist pictures. Nothing feels phony (aside from a tremendous fall he takes early on in the film that looks too ridiculous to be possibile). All the other acting is spot on as well. Though no one tops Mifune's performance in the film, all the other actors do a wonderful job acting out their parts and are just as genuine and real as Mifune's character. I must add that I loved the ending of this film. The way it all came together was brilliant and the ending was perfect. I believed everything Mifune did was in character. Not a single false note.

The extras on the DVD are very nice and informative. Stephen Prince provides commentary and is definitely worth a listen to. It's on par with Jeck's commentary for Seven Samurai in my opinion. Along with that, the DVD also features a segment of "It Is Wonderful to Create" about Stray Dog. That too is highly informative. It's especially nice to hear accounts from actors in the actual film. All in all, this DVD is essential for fans of Japanese cinema, Kurosawa, or film noir.