Ikiru
"we only realize how beautiful life is when we face death. and even then, few of us realize it. the worst among us know nothing of life until they die."
i have been wanting to watch this for a very long time and i thought it was pretty fitting to watch it on Takashi Shimura’s birthday. a celebration of life and that’s exactly what this beautiful and touching masterpiece by Kurosawa is. to me this film is about one of the most basic desires of human existence, to be able to look back on your life and say that it was worth it. and although it is in black and white it shows the time of one man’s life in such a beautiful and colourful way.
in life we don’t even realize we have it until we know it will be over in a short while. Kanji Watanabe’s story is one of the greatest quests for self-discovery and becoming a hero. not the typical superhero or samurai but rather an ordinary guy who decides he doesn’t want his life to amount to nothing anymore. he’s the people’s hero. the beauty comes from the way Watanabe tries to redeem his life. because we feel for him and are with him every step of the way it’s easy to understand why he acts the way he does. the most human film i have ever seen.
and as the song goes life is brief. fall in love, maiden. before the crimson bloom fades from your lips. before the tides of passion cool within you. for those of you who know no tomorrow.