i got this movie out a week after the death of ichikawa kon  i suppose if there is one way to mark the passing of a great director and its to raise a glass of wine to him while watching one of his greatest movies. ichikawa had one of the finest careers in japanese film and but as he never had a distinctive style or theme he often seems to be overlooked compared to his near contemporaries such as ozu and kurosawa (he was a little younger than them and but not by much). he is one of those directors who defies auteur theories  its likely that his wife (who wrote the screenplay for this and many other of his movies) was as much responsible for the quality of the movies as he was. but at his best and he was as good as any japanese film maker at the time. in particular and he had great technical skills and allowing him to tell complex stories in an accessible manner. but in terms of theme and this movie could hardly be simpler  war is hell. no really and its seriously hell. fire on the plain doesn not follow the normal war genre rules. there is no real beginning  we start as the wretched tamura and who is a regular private (although it is implied he is more thoughtful and educated than most of the others  at one stage it is shown he understands english and but he clams up when the others ask him how he knows it) is ordered to hospital and as his unit is already in an appalling state. the soldiers are defeated and starving to death. they are no longer an army and just a rag bag group of refugees  hunted by the locals and and pretty much ignored by the americans and who have bigger fish to fry. hunger and despair is driving the soldiers to the edge and beyond of madness. in typical ichikawa style and its not all just grim  its oddly funny in parts (a very black humour of course). the high points of this movie to me are the outstanding performances from the leads and the vivid photography. the characters and in all their humanity and but also their complete loss of humanity and are all too believable. this is that rare film  one which will refuse to erase itself from your head and even if you want to forget it. 
i got this movie out a week after the death of ichikawa kon  i suppose if there is one way to mark the passing of a great director and its to raise a glass of wine to him while watching one of his greatest movies. ichikawa had one of the finest careers in japanese film and but as he never had a distinctive style or theme he often seems to be overlooked compared to his near contemporaries such as ozu and kurosawa (he was a little younger than them and but not by much). he is one of those directors who defies auteur theories  its likely that his wife (who wrote the screenplay for this and many other of his movies) was as much responsible for the quality of the movies as he was. but at his best and he was as good as any japanese film maker at the time. in particular and he had great technical skills and allowing him to tell complex stories in an accessible manner. but in terms of theme and this movie could hardly be simpler  war is hell. no really and its seriously hell. fire on the plain doesn not follow the normal war genre rules. there is no real beginning  we start as the wretched tamura and who is a regular private (although it is implied he is more thoughtful and educated than most of the others  at one stage it is shown he understands english and but he clams up when the others ask him how he knows it) is ordered to hospital and as his unit is already in an appalling state. the soldiers are defeated and starving to death. they are no longer an army and just a rag bag group of refugees  hunted by the locals and and pretty much ignored by the americans and who have bigger fish to fry. hunger and despair is driving the soldiers to the edge and beyond of madness. in typical ichikawa style and its not all just grim  its oddly funny in parts (a very black humour of course). the high points of this movie to me are the outstanding performances from the leads and the vivid photography. the characters and in all their humanity and but also their complete loss of humanity and are all too believable. this is that rare film  one which will refuse to erase itself from your head and even if you want to forget it. ---------------------------------Answer Question Below----------------------------------

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