His other two shakespeare adaptations, throne of blood macbeth and ran king lear, are much more famous and wellregarded, justifiably so if you have seen them ran is particular is my favorite of all kurosawa films. Im working on a longer essay about him and this piece didnt make the cut, so im releasing it as a short standalone video. The bad sleep well is a loose adaptation of hamletvery loose, actually, being less faithful to the source than kurosawas other shakespeare adaptations throne of blood and ran. The bad sleep well is a forgotten gem from one of japans great masters, akira kurosawa. Its kind of exciting to have seen it, found it the criterion dvd only came out. The bad sleep well is loosely based on shakespeares hamlet and follows toshiro mifunes nishi, who marries into a powerful family to extract revenge on the family. The bad sleep well is a 1960 japanese movie directed by akira kurosawa. Only osscasionally, they are shown on turner classic movies or other channels and should not be missed. With toshiro mifune, masayuki mori, kyoko kagawa, tatsuya mihashi. Film critiques on the bad sleep well kurosawa, 1960 essay. The bad sleep well was the first film completed by kurosawa productions, the directors own production unit. Bluray the worse you are, the better you sleep toho 2009. Region 2 the worse you are, the better you sleep toho 2003. The bad sleep well probably has more feeling in it then any kurosawa film ive seen.
The bad sleep well is not kurosawas most memorable film, yet it augments many scenes with artistic brilliance. Fortunately, kurosawa could direct his own story, free of outside influences, as his own production company paid for the party. Outswaggered by yojimbos rambunctious ronin, who skulked into the imaginations of audiences the following. Along with stray dog 1949 and high and low 1963, it is one of three films in which. One of akira kurosawas many gifts was staging scenes in ways that were bold, simple and visual. The overall quality is good, with the dialogue all being crystal. Toshiro mifune koichi nishi, masayuki mori public corporation vice president iwabuchi, kyoko kagawa yoshiko nishi, tatsuya mihashi tatsuo iwabuchi, takashi shimura administrative officer moriyama, ko nishimura contract officer shirai, takeshi kato itakura, kamatari fujiwara assistanttothechief wada, chishu. The bad sleep well 1960, kurosawa akira the stop button. Continuing his legendary collaboration with actor toshiro mifune, kurosawa combines elements of hamlet and american film noir to chilling effect. The bad sleep well, warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru is a 1960 japanese movie directed by akira kurosawa. A vengeful young man marries the daughter of a corrupt industrialist in order to seek justice for his fathers suicide.
Akira kurosawas the bad sleep well adopts the american gangsterfilm style to weave a fascinating tale of corporate greed. In referring to the film, director akira kurosawa commented that he wanted to make a movie of some social significance. The title of akira kurosawas the bad sleep well suggests the films debt to american noir, but an alternate version of the title reveals even more in eight simple words. Its a great film and a perfect example of why writing about great films isnt any fun. The rotten corporate world is taken on by koichi nishi toshiro mifune, who is looking for revenge in the death of his father. Come for the reworking of hamlet in 1960s corporate japan, stay. The first film made by akira kurosawas own production company is a dark tale of greed, corporate corruption and revenge. Meanwhile, love shows that it also does not take any prisoners, as nishi truly falls in love with keiko. Akira kurosawa died in september of 1998, a month before i began shooting a humble, contemporary version of hamlet set in manhattan and filmed on super 16mm. Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru street date january 10, 2006 starring toshiro mifune, masayuki mori, kyoko kagawa, tatsuya mihashi, takashi shimura, ko nishimura, takeshi kato, kamatari fujiwara, chishu ryu cinematography yuzuru aizawa production designer yoshiro muraki.
The bad sleep well 1960 the geometry of a scene duration. The bad sleep well also plays strongly with the notion of guilt, as the title so eloquently and ironically points out. Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru, behemot, the rose in the mud. A gray flannel ghost story in which the living haunt the dead, the bad sleep well 1960 remains the least appreciated of akira kurosawas midperiod collaborations with toshiro mifunea fate for which we have only the other kurosawamifune films to blame. On imdb tv, you can catch hollywood hits and popular tv series at no cost. Kurosawas most socially responsible film the first he made for his own production company deals with corruption, graft and bribery at the public level. It was chosen as best film at the japan academy prize ceremony.
The bad sleep well 1960 directed by akira kurosawa. The bad sleep well, the first film made by kurosawas own, newly founded production company, was also the first over which he had complete control. Continuing his legendary collaboration with actor toshiro mifune, kurosawa combines elements of hamlet and american film noir to chilling effect in exposing the corrupt boardrooms of postwar corporate japan. Toshiro mifune stars as koichi nishi, the secretary to the president of a housing corporation, who seeks revenge for his fathers murder. The bad sleep well 1960 the geometry of a scene on vimeo. Taking place during the post world war 2 reconstruction of japan, akira kurosawas film the bad sleep well focuses on the corruption that was present in the corporate studentshare our website is a unique platform where students can share their papers in a matter of giving an example of the work to be done. The concept of honor, is often at the center of kurosawas work, as well as a sense of outrage on behalf of the exploited. The bad sleep well contains one audio track, which is a 1. There is currently one video available for the film, of which one and only one is a trailer, as listed below. Trailer for the bad sleep well something is rotten in japan in this engaging drama by acclaimed director akira kurosawa. Overview of the bad sleep well, 1963, directed by akira kurosawa, with toshiro mifune, takeshi kato, masayuki mori, at turner classic movies. The story is based on the last script written by akira kurosawa and is directed by his former assistant director of 28 years, takashi koizumi. The bad sleep well is a 1960 film directed by the japanese director akira kurosawa.
Aki kaurismakiprovided a more provocative influence with his hamlet goes business 1987, a caustic farce concerning the hostile takeover of a rubberduck factory in modernday finland. I mean, i dont have anything to bitch about and its quality wasnt a surprise. Akira kurosawa takes on corporate corruption in japan with a nod to shakespeares hamlet. Continuing his legendary collaboration with actor mifune, kurosawa combines elements of hamlet and american film noir to chilling effect in exposing the corrupt boardroom skullduggery of a prosperousbutpoisonous midcentury. Released january 22nd, 1962, the bad sleep well stars toshiro mifune, takeshi kato, masayuki mori, kyoko kagawa the movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 24 min, and received a score of out of 100. It was entered into the 11th berlin international film festival the film stars toshiro mifune as a young man who gets a prominent position in a corrupt. It was entered into the 11th berlin international film festival the film stars toshiro mifune as a young man who gets a prominent position in a corrupt postwar japanese. In this engaging drama, acclaimed japanese director akira kurosawa deftly splices together the nuances of hypocrisy, old feudal misconceptions lingering in modern corruption, and shakespeares hamlet. Viewers more familiar with toshiro mifune from his costume dramas with kurosawa. Released january 22nd, 1962, the bad sleep well stars toshiro mifune, takeshi kato, masayuki mori, kyoko kagawa the movie has a runtime of about 2. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free. It was the first film made by kurosawas own production company, although it was still distributed by toho.
The overall quality is good, with the dialogue all being crystal clear and there being no noticeable distortions. Some will be classic films, others obscure and occasionally fun bad bmovies. Video archive for the film the bad sleep well, which has a domestic theatrical release in the year of 1963. Middle manager wada kamatari fujiwara, still silent after weeks in jail, doesnt bend under questioning from a prosecutor koji nanbara in akira kurosawas the bad sleep well, 1960 view the tcmdb entry for the bad sleep well 1963. The movie while based on hamlet, it is a testament to shakespeares mutability and kurosawas capability to take the structure and themes of shakespeare and set it in postwar japan. He wanted to make a movie of some social significance and decided to target the culture of corruption he. Both figure prominently here as koichi nishi toshiro mifune, plans to exact revenge for the death of his father, a corporate executive who was forced to commit.
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