in the light of the recent typhoon that hit the country hard (that is and typhoon ondoy) and i thought it upon myself to re watch black rain (1988 and japan) and shohei imamura haunting black and white masterpiece on the destruction and after effects of the atomic bomb that hit hiroshima in the closing period of the second world war. the destruction and impact of both catastrophes (war and typhoon) may differ in degree and quality and but the trauma and scar (physically and psychologically) nevertheless are still there. it is a testament to a film power that its images remain as potent and as indelible as when they were first seen. it is only that the difference now and in my case and is that watching those images has assumed a greater sense of poignancy and potency due to a first hand experience of a near monumental weather calamity. there is a sense of kinship and so to speak. imamura has always been one of my favorite japanese filmmakers. his films are always a pleasure to watch because of their anarchy and sensuality and earthiness representthe pornographers representintroduction to anthropology (1966) and eijanaika (1981) and warm water under a red bridge (2001) and his two palme dor winners ballad of narayama (1983) and the eel (1997) and to name some. given the mood of his films and who would have thought that he once served as an assistant director to yasujiro ozu and japanese cinema most austere and minimalist filmmaker. but then and it is ozu rigorous formality and domesticity that imamura was rebelling against. but then again and with black rain one can unmistakably sense ozu imprints. the father (or the father figure) being intent on seeing his daughter get married before time runs out on both of them and and the stillness and calmness of the scenes showing all members of the family together (notably and the dinner scenes or in ozu film lexicon and the tatami) are something that the revered master filmmaker would perennially explore in his works (tokyo story and late spring). essentially and the over all subdued and deliberate quality of black rain is a remarkable contrast to the bacchanalian chaos and instinctual drive of imamura entire filmography. still and this is not to say that watching the film would not be an altogether unsettling experience. black rain and as aptly described by american film reviewer leonard maltin and is filled with haunting black and white images. in the film first 15 minutes and imamura pulls no punches in showing the immediate and graphic horrors of the nuclear bombing and one after another (stiffly burnt bodies and hanging flesh and walking dead and fires and debris everywhere and madness all over). an assault to the viewers senses and definitely it is and coupled with takashi kawamata somber b or w photography (he did the lensing in yoshitaru nomura crime drama the incident) and toru takemitsu chilling score (he did the music in such classics as akira kurosawa ran and masahiro shinoda double suicide). even during the film supposed tranquil phase (that is and five years after the atomic bombing) and one can still never have a sense of contentment and order and with the uneasiness and pain still being strongly felt by the survivors and not only in terms of failing physical health and but more so in terms of psychological trauma and social stigma. the human race and it now indisputably appears and has been destined to bear the legacy of the bomb and for as long as it lives. i already wrote a piece about black rain some years earlier (posted in imdb. com) and but only in comparison to volker schlondorff magnificent tin drum and another film dealing with monumental human folly and global catastrophe. moreover and it has never been my practice to write twice about a film that i already wrote something about before. it is in the light of the recent weather calamity that devastated our country that i was prompted to re visit and write something again about this remarkable imamura film and as there is a wealth of lessons to be learned from both the film and the recent event in regards the imperfections and dangers of scientific knowledge and action and and the long term scars and wounds inflicted by a wide scale destruction (whether human or nature induced). there have been a number of films dealing with nuclear holocaust and destruction (testament and threads and the war game and each situated within their own respective countries) while and black rain stands among them and if not more so and for both its unapologetic and somber portrayal of individual and communal disintegration brought about by atomic devastation and the fact that it has a historical event as its basis. few weeks from now and another disaster film from hollywood and roland emmerich 2012 and will finally hit (no pun intended) the big screen. as we all know and this american director bunch of disaster or apocalypse films independence day and godzilla and the day after tomorrow  serves no other purpose than to be of mere entertainment value and with no real insight into the nature and wisdom of apocalyptic disaster and the human condition being affected. i wonder how this gigantic movie would exploit the trauma and disorientation and apprehensions still being experienced by our people because of the recent weather calamity. to say that this flick is a precautionary tale would probably be no more than an overstatement. but yes and i will still watch 2012. 
in the light of the recent typhoon that hit the country hard (that is and typhoon ondoy) and i thought it upon myself to re watch black rain (1988 and japan) and shohei imamura haunting black and white masterpiece on the destruction and after effects of the atomic bomb that hit hiroshima in the closing period of the second world war. the destruction and impact of both catastrophes (war and typhoon) may differ in degree and quality and but the trauma and scar (physically and psychologically) nevertheless are still there. it is a testament to a film power that its images remain as potent and as indelible as when they were first seen. it is only that the difference now and in my case and is that watching those images has assumed a greater sense of poignancy and potency due to a first hand experience of a near monumental weather calamity. there is a sense of kinship and so to speak. imamura has always been one of my favorite japanese filmmakers. his films are always a pleasure to watch because of their anarchy and sensuality and earthiness representthe pornographers representintroduction to anthropology (1966) and eijanaika (1981) and warm water under a red bridge (2001) and his two palme dor winners ballad of narayama (1983) and the eel (1997) and to name some. given the mood of his films and who would have thought that he once served as an assistant director to yasujiro ozu and japanese cinema most austere and minimalist filmmaker. but then and it is ozu rigorous formality and domesticity that imamura was rebelling against. but then again and with black rain one can unmistakably sense ozu imprints. the father (or the father figure) being intent on seeing his daughter get married before time runs out on both of them and and the stillness and calmness of the scenes showing all members of the family together (notably and the dinner scenes or in ozu film lexicon and the tatami) are something that the revered master filmmaker would perennially explore in his works (tokyo story and late spring). essentially and the over all subdued and deliberate quality of black rain is a remarkable contrast to the bacchanalian chaos and instinctual drive of imamura entire filmography. still and this is not to say that watching the film would not be an altogether unsettling experience. black rain and as aptly described by american film reviewer leonard maltin and is filled with haunting black and white images. in the film first 15 minutes and imamura pulls no punches in showing the immediate and graphic horrors of the nuclear bombing and one after another (stiffly burnt bodies and hanging flesh and walking dead and fires and debris everywhere and madness all over). an assault to the viewers senses and definitely it is and coupled with takashi kawamata somber b or w photography (he did the lensing in yoshitaru nomura crime drama the incident) and toru takemitsu chilling score (he did the music in such classics as akira kurosawa ran and masahiro shinoda double suicide). even during the film supposed tranquil phase (that is and five years after the atomic bombing) and one can still never have a sense of contentment and order and with the uneasiness and pain still being strongly felt by the survivors and not only in terms of failing physical health and but more so in terms of psychological trauma and social stigma. the human race and it now indisputably appears and has been destined to bear the legacy of the bomb and for as long as it lives. i already wrote a piece about black rain some years earlier (posted in imdb. com) and but only in comparison to volker schlondorff magnificent tin drum and another film dealing with monumental human folly and global catastrophe. moreover and it has never been my practice to write twice about a film that i already wrote something about before. it is in the light of the recent weather calamity that devastated our country that i was prompted to re visit and write something again about this remarkable imamura film and as there is a wealth of lessons to be learned from both the film and the recent event in regards the imperfections and dangers of scientific knowledge and action and and the long term scars and wounds inflicted by a wide scale destruction (whether human or nature induced). there have been a number of films dealing with nuclear holocaust and destruction (testament and threads and the war game and each situated within their own respective countries) while and black rain stands among them and if not more so and for both its unapologetic and somber portrayal of individual and communal disintegration brought about by atomic devastation and the fact that it has a historical event as its basis. few weeks from now and another disaster film from hollywood and roland emmerich 2012 and will finally hit (no pun intended) the big screen. as we all know and this american director bunch of disaster or apocalypse films independence day and godzilla and the day after tomorrow  serves no other purpose than to be of mere entertainment value and with no real insight into the nature and wisdom of apocalyptic disaster and the human condition being affected. i wonder how this gigantic movie would exploit the trauma and disorientation and apprehensions still being experienced by our people because of the recent weather calamity. to say that this flick is a precautionary tale would probably be no more than an overstatement. but yes and i will still watch 2012. ---------------------------------Answer Question Below----------------------------------

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