DVD Club: IKIRU

[Blarg]

I just don't agree here. It's unnecessarily restricting if people confine choices only to what can be found at every single store. You're pretty much stuck with only the latest pop crap and leftover pop crap from years past, that way. Forget most foreign films unless they've got Jet Li in them, and same with black and whites.

You can also join a rental service like Netflix for 5 bucks a month, and for that price wind up getting movies for a buck each or less. You seem to be counting yourself out prtty easily. Or too many movies out. Or both.

[whiskeytown]

it's been a while since I've seen it, and it was before I really got to know a lot about kurosawa's style and really, the only contemporary film of his I've seen (as opposed to the samurai films that went back to earlier times)

I think it's a great story we all ask ourselves all the time - if I have only so many months to live, what will I do to make the world a better place? - The struggle the character goes thru isn't typical drama - more like man vs. sleeping mammoth - but I think it's a great story -

the nighttime scene on the swing in the snow (also on the DVD cover) was the tearjerker for me.

rb

FYI the film is in most foreign film sections at blockbuster and Hollywood - it's by Japan's greatest director, after all

rb

[diebitter]

I feel bad. I've had it for a week, and still haven't found time for it.

I'll try on Monday or Tuesday, mkay.


I forgot, I do have the next dvd club choices, but it slipped my mind. I will say, if you want mainstream, you're gonna HATE these ones.

[mrbaseball]

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You're pretty much stuck with only the latest pop crap

[/ QUOTE ]

There is a big difference between the latest "pop crap" and a 1952 movie from Japan. And a whole lot in between. There are plenty of "obscure" movies much more readily available than Ikiru. I don't neccessarily believe obscure is good (or bad).

I'm just saying that anyone who in fact did vote for Ikiru and than didn't watch and discuss it shouldn't vote anymore. I would never vote for something unless I knew I could find it. I knew I would have a tough time finding Ikiru (outside of actually buying it) and I know I voted for something else.

Anyway "availability" was one of the initial ground rules and that seems to be going by the wayside.

[ QUOTE ]
You can also join a rental service like Netflix for 5 bucks a month

[/ QUOTE ]

Well that's not gonna happen. I would never use it outside of the stray Ikiru selection which would be cheaper to actually buy.

[mrbaseball]

Okay I just revisited the voting thread. Seems that Ikiru won with only 5 votes. It also seems that none of the folks who voted for it (Kdawg, rothko, Barcolounger, Junt Monkey or Shadowrun) have deemed it neccessary to discuss as of yet.

This is my fundamental concern/complaint with the Lounge DVD club.

[katyseagull]

I can definitely understand your frustration mrbaseball. I felt the same way as you several months ago when I noticed that people weren't following through with watching the movies. However, since I didn't watch a couple myself (Eraserhead comes to mind - but I didn't vote for it) I've decided to cut others some slack.

I actually contemplated buying Ikiru so I could discuss it and I scoured the blockbuster foreign film section for it but came up empty.

For what it's worth, I didn't used to belong to an online film service either until this whole DVD club idea came up. I felt I had to enroll if I seriously wanted to hang with the rest of the film guys because it was just not feasible to get some of these films at my local blockbuster. The reason I didn't order Ikiru online is because I'm so behind on my other movies! And I didn't want to send Queen or Black Narcissus or the other one back [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]. I'm really behind. God. But my guess is that people do intend to get the movies and watch them, they just get so busy with their lives that it gets pushed to the back burner.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You're pretty much stuck with only the latest pop crap

[/ QUOTE ]

There is a big difference between the latest "pop crap" and a 1952 movie from Japan. And a whole lot in between. There are plenty of "obscure" movies much more readily available than Ikiru. I don't neccessarily believe obscure is good (or bad).

I'm just saying that anyone who in fact did vote for Ikiru and than didn't watch and discuss it shouldn't vote anymore. I would never vote for something unless I knew I could find it. I knew I would have a tough time finding Ikiru (outside of actually buying it) and I know I voted for something else.

Anyway "availability" was one of the initial ground rules and that seems to be going by the wayside.

[ QUOTE ]
You can also join a rental service like Netflix for 5 bucks a month

[/ QUOTE ]

Well that's not gonna happen. I would never use it outside of the stray Ikiru selection which would be cheaper to actually buy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, you've been told more than once it's not hard to find, so if you want to insist it is, I guess there's nothing anyone can do about it. It's hardly obscure either. It's one of the best known films by one of the best known foreign filmmakers in the world.

[mrbaseball]

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Well, you've been told more than once it's not hard to find

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This was discussed at the clubs inception. EVERYTHING is easy to find on Netflix but it has to be reasonably available outside of that option. I'm sorry but his one isn't. I'd like to watch actually and maybe someday I will get the chance.

[Troll_Inc]

[ QUOTE ]
I feel bad. I've had it for a week, and still haven't found time for it.

I'll try on Monday or Tuesday, mkay.


[/ QUOTE ]

When you watch it look at his eyes.

[diebitter]

I finally got to watch Ikiru!


I liked this a lot, though it was in places a little piecemeal in feel, especially once his funeral starts, but it had many lovely touches. The lead character was very expressive and immediate as the sad little man, and my favourite part was his funeral when the officials were stuffily talking, and the group of weepinng women came in to mourn him. How embarrassed those guys looked, and his son too.

The central characters was so dignified and pure in his desire to get something worthwhile done, it was a very touching little film. However, it is probably the Kurosawa film I like least of his movies other than Ran - it's not this isn't terrific, I just like all the others a lot more.

Overall, a very good story about the human condition, perseverance and redemption. One that makes you think and feel, and well worth seeing.