David and I are back with another episode of The Eclipse Viewer, the podcast dedicated to the Criterion Collection’s Eclipse Series of DVDs.
In this episode we discuss five early films by Keisuke Kinoshita, made during and just after World War II, packaged in Eclipse Series 41: Kinoshita and World War II: Port of Flowers (1943), a comedy that eases itself into propaganda; The Living Magoroku (1943), a film about carrying on one’s noble heritage; Jubilation Street (1944), ostensibly a film meant to encourage Japanese residents forced to leave their homes, but one that is surprisingly sympathetic; Army (1944), my favorite of the set, a masterpiece of subversive cinema that has a propagandistic script along a film that does not support the message; and Morning for the Osone Family (1946), a cathartic film made just after the war, during the U.S. occupation.
Please find the podcast, the shownotes, and plenty of links over at CriterionCast here.
In the next episode of The Eclipse Viewer, David and I will be discussing Eclipse Series 23: The First Films of Akira Kurosawa, featuring the following four films: Sanshiro Sugata (1943), The Most Beautiful (1944), Sanshiro Sugata, Part Two (1945), and The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail (1945).
Well, Army sounds great in particular – will listen to the podcast to find out more. And I look forward to the Kurosawa!
Army is, in my opinion and from what I’ve seen many others’, the jewel of the set, Lee. Definitely something you should seek out!