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Twenty-four Eyes - Masters of Cinema series
RRP: £19.99
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Why the Inland Sea is one of the world's most magical places
Review date: 2008-10-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
This is one of those films that transcends time and place. I defy anyone who watches it not to be transported back to their own childhood - where ever it was - and to also draw breath as they remember how their lives changed as they got older.
And for those who love Japan, then this film also brings alive a part of Japan that remains one of the most beautiful and evocative even in the 21st century. For this film was shot on an island in the Inland Sea. Over the last 100 years or so, many writers have described in awe their love of the Inland Sea and yet it remains a largely unexplored place by westerners today. So if you have never been to the Inland Sea, perhaps this delightful yet insightful film might encourage you to visit, to see something of the old Japan.
This is a film for a Sunday afternoon, with a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits.
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Reviews
Amazing film - poor remaster
Review date: 2007-10-29 Rating: 6 out of 10
This film is trully a very touching movie, with beautiful characters, a very good storyline and a matching soundtrack. I watched the movie without any prior expectations/knowledge of what I would see and I was trully stuck to my armchair until the end. On that level, I fully recommend it and it would definitely get 5 stars. If only...
... the picture and sound were better. Much better, in fact. You see, for a Eureka Masters of Cinema series, I would expect the picture quality to be much better. And I am not mentioning this from the point of view of the person who hates black & white or old movies - not at all. Being a movie fanatic, I have seen many old films in black & white and from various studios & sources (e.g. Criterion collection) and I am quite accustomed with them. To that extent, the picture of this edition is definitely below par and unfortunately for me, this was quite noticeable, which somewhat spoiled the experience. Luckily, the plot is very gripping and perhaps (...) after a while you do not notice it. But I would definitely like to see a better remaster for this movie (& buy it as well!).
Overall, great movie but be prepared for a below par picture.
Evocative
Review date: 2006-09-28 Rating: 10 out of 10
This is one of those films everyone wants to watch but most have not got round to doing it in Japan.
The film is so old that I (who is Japanese) needed to use English subtitles from time to time to understand the storyline fully. When I was watching the film, I felt like I was watching a foreign film as it is so different from modern Japan. It starts with a portrait of a good old peaceful country side in west Japan, but the dark shadow of the war creeps in...
It is a long film, and unless you are in the right mood you won't enjoy it. Set aside a rainy afternoon when you just want to curl up on a sofa with a nice drink to warm your hands to watch this one.
The main actress, Hideko Takamine, plays the heroin from her early 20s into late 40s. Imagine, this film was shot in 1954 - Takamine who was 30 years old at that time played 40-something without any help from special effects whatsoever. In one of her books, she recalls that she tried to express the age by mere her facial expressions and her posture.
Takamine is still very well and now mainly writes columns on travels, her life after retirement and cooking (her self-written biography won an equivalent of Booker Prize). She is happily married with a famous director who she met when she was filming Twenty-Four Eyes. And she is still in touch with the people who played the kids!
Exeptional film- wonderful music
Review date: 2006-09-15 Rating: 10 out of 10
This is one of the most representative films of the Japanese cinema of the 50s in which some important questions about the correctness of the war were expressed in a subdue and yet deep meaningful way.
Set on a small island off the cost of Japan in a costal village this is the story of a teacher and her 12 students from the late 20s to the late 40s.
The teacher gained the love and respect of her students not only because of her abilities as a teacher but also as a companion in the lives of her students either in happiness or sorrow.
She was able to represent in her thoughts and simple comments the doubts about the war, the value of life and the wisdom of peace.
This film has also shown the living conditions of the prewar Japan.
The backdrop of this remote rural countryside on a small island gave the director all the characters that he needed to create a film that became an honor to the hard working farmers and fishermen, a praise to poverty and dignity, an eulogy to simple things and their beauty.
Shot in Black and White with exceptional artistic abilities this film is able to show the colours of the countryside either these were the vivid green of the rice fields or the bright yellows of the rape flowers or the show white blossom of the cherry trees.
The role of the teacher is played exceptionally well by Hideko Takamine while the roles of the children were perfectly performed by local children.
One of the most important points of this film is the music.
Most of the songs sang in this film are today classics in their own right.
In most occasions related to schools and children, one can hear the same songs played again and again.
It is this very special music that accompanied this wonderful film that will add more emotions and in few cases tears in the eyes of the viewer.
A film that one must see again and again.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Takero Terashita
Hideki Goko
Yukio Watanabe
Makoto Miyagawa
Hideko Takamine
Creators:
Hideki Goko (Primary Contributor)
Hideko Takamine (Primary Contributor)
Hiroyuki Kusuda (Cinematographer)
Keisuke Kinoshita (Writer)
Ryotaro Kuwata (Producer)
Sakae Tsuboi (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Eureka Entertainment
Manufacturer: Eureka Entertainment
EAN: 5060000402063
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2006-02-20
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Universal, suitable for all
Region code: 2
Running time: 155 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1954
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Japanese (Original Language)