Directed by Kon Ichikawa • 1959 • Japan
Starring Eiji Funakoshi, Osamu Takizawa, Mickey Curtis
An agonizing portrait of desperate Japanese soldiers stranded in a strange land during World War II, Kon Ichikawa’s FIRES ON THE PLAIN is a compelling descent into psychological and physical oblivion. Denied hospital treatment for tuberculosis and cast off into the unknown, Private Tamura treks across an unfamiliar Philippine landscape, encountering an increasingly debased cross section of Imperial Army soldiers, who eventually give in to the most terrifying craving of all. Grisly yet poetic, FIRES ON THE PLAIN is one of the most powerful works from one of Japanese cinema’s most versatile filmmakers.
Up Next in Directed by Kon Ichikawa
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Odd Obsession
Directed by Kon Ichikawa • 1959 • Japan
Starring Ganjiro Nakamura, Machiko KyoKon Ichikawa’s ODD OBSESSION is a strange dark comedy on a then-forbidden subject—impotence, and jealousy as a cure for it. The movie explores the links between love, jealousy, and rage, all from the standpoint of...
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Her Brother
Directed by Kon Ichikawa • 1960 • Japan
Kon Ichikawa's family drama focuses on the relationship between a pair of siblings in 1920's Japan.
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Being Two Isn’t Easy
Directed by Kon Ichikawa • 1962 • Japan
Starring Hirro Suzuki, Fujiko Yamamoto, Eiji FunakoshiYou can say that again! The days leading up to a toddler’s second birthday are seen alternately from the adorable youngster’s point of view and from the perspective of his anxious parents as they navig...
