A.K. (1985)
Country: FR/JAP
Technical: col 75m
Director: Chris Marker
Cast: doc.
Synopsis:
For a few weeks in November 1984, Marker observes Kurosawa at work on the fortress assault sequence from Ran (1985). Punctuated by portentous intertitles such as 'Patience', the days of shooting unfold with little explanation of what is going on, and little in the way of comment from the master filmmaker, to whom the director reverently refers as Sensei.
Review:
Aside from the quasi-epic quality of the shots of devoted technicians and extras preparing for shooting on the volcanic soil of Mount Fuji, or painting pampas grasses gold, the better to stand out in a night sequence that failed to make final cut, this has to be one of the most boring and least evocative 'making of' documentaries ever committed to film. As an illumination of a cinematic legend it must rank alongside Pharos of Chaos for reverent allusiveness and elusiveness in equal measure, its one advantage being relative brevity. Apologies to Marker devotees, but why has this film, and this filmmaker, been garlanded with quite so much praise over the years? For insights into Kurosawa, far better to watch his films.
Country: FR/JAP
Technical: col 75m
Director: Chris Marker
Cast: doc.
Synopsis:
For a few weeks in November 1984, Marker observes Kurosawa at work on the fortress assault sequence from Ran (1985). Punctuated by portentous intertitles such as 'Patience', the days of shooting unfold with little explanation of what is going on, and little in the way of comment from the master filmmaker, to whom the director reverently refers as Sensei.
Review:
Aside from the quasi-epic quality of the shots of devoted technicians and extras preparing for shooting on the volcanic soil of Mount Fuji, or painting pampas grasses gold, the better to stand out in a night sequence that failed to make final cut, this has to be one of the most boring and least evocative 'making of' documentaries ever committed to film. As an illumination of a cinematic legend it must rank alongside Pharos of Chaos for reverent allusiveness and elusiveness in equal measure, its one advantage being relative brevity. Apologies to Marker devotees, but why has this film, and this filmmaker, been garlanded with quite so much praise over the years? For insights into Kurosawa, far better to watch his films.
Country: FR/JAP
Technical: col 75m
Director: Chris Marker
Cast: doc.
Synopsis:
For a few weeks in November 1984, Marker observes Kurosawa at work on the fortress assault sequence from Ran (1985). Punctuated by portentous intertitles such as 'Patience', the days of shooting unfold with little explanation of what is going on, and little in the way of comment from the master filmmaker, to whom the director reverently refers as Sensei.
Review:
Aside from the quasi-epic quality of the shots of devoted technicians and extras preparing for shooting on the volcanic soil of Mount Fuji, or painting pampas grasses gold, the better to stand out in a night sequence that failed to make final cut, this has to be one of the most boring and least evocative 'making of' documentaries ever committed to film. As an illumination of a cinematic legend it must rank alongside Pharos of Chaos for reverent allusiveness and elusiveness in equal measure, its one advantage being relative brevity. Apologies to Marker devotees, but why has this film, and this filmmaker, been garlanded with quite so much praise over the years? For insights into Kurosawa, far better to watch his films.