 |
 |
||||||
|
||||||
男人の苦：山田洋次特集
山田洋次，1931年生於日本大阪，兩歲時因父親的工作關係，舉家遷往滿州，戰後才返回日本。他在東京大學主修法律，畢業後考入松竹擔任助導，後晉升為編劇；1961年執導了首部電影《二樓的陌生人》，至今已自編自導了77齣電影，經典作多不勝數，其中以逾四十集的《男人之苦》系列最具代表性。系列由已故巨星渥美清演繹「寅次郎」的放浪人生，由1971年起，每齣新作均成為日本的指定賀歲片及暑期片，維持了三十多年，乃日本最膾炙人口的電影系列，並見證了日本在經濟高速成長的三十年間，城鄉、家庭關係、價值觀等變化。 七十多部作品之中，均可見山田鍾情描寫庶民形象多於中產面貌，無論是《男人之苦》系列，還是愛情片以至近年的古代劇，他電影中的人物皆來自低下階層。山田從影以來都希望自己的電影能「與民同樂」，強調娛樂性多於藝術性，相比起同期加入松竹的大島渚，路線顯然更大眾化。他的人物樂觀、正義、善良、幽默、有人情味，且浪漫非常，乃山田期盼日本人能流傳下去的優良品性。雖笑言男人很苦，但山田電影裡的男人和女人其實最可愛、最勇敢、最浪漫。 是次影展定於8月4日揭幕，以「男人之苦」為名，乃紀念於1996年8月4日病逝的一代巨星渥美清。他一生演活了寅次郎，也活像寅次郎，更標誌著山田電影里程碑。影展分為「武士」、「家族」、「純愛」及「男人之苦」四部份，選映了山田的十部代表作。是時候認識這位隱伏已久的電影大師，是時候重探日本的時代經典。 企畫．撰文：內野Esther The master chronicler of the Japanese mentality, Yamada Yoji, is an expert in comedy as well as the depiction of the lives and times of the common people, and has been called the "spokesman of the Japanese heart". Unlike his precursors at the Shochiku Studio, Ozu Yasujiro and Kinoshita Keisuke, or the other giants of Japanese cinema Kurosawa Akira or Mizoguchi Kenji, the artistic achievements of Yamada have long been overlooked. Nevertheless, Yamada's work is more celebrated among the common people than that of any other Japanese director. Born in Osaka in 1931, Yamada and his family moved to Manchuria when he was two, returning only after the end of the World War II. He majored in law at the Tokyo University, and joined the Shochiku Studio as an assistant director upon graduation, soon promoted to scriptwriter afterwards. In 1961, Yamada directed his first feature film The Strangers Upstairs, and has since helmed more than 70 films. He is best known for the "Tora-san" series, which spans more than 40 films. Starring the late Atsumi Kiyoshi as Tora the free-spirited traveller, the films were the “event-films” of every New Year and summer holiday from 1971 (the eighth episode) to 1995, the year the last instalment was released. It was the most popular and prominent film series in Japan, as well as a testament to the changing relationships between urban and country living, family bonds and values during the 30 years when Japan was experiencing a rapid economic growth. It is evident in Yamada's work that his interest lies more in the depiction and exploration of the lives of the common people than that of the middle classes. Whether it was the Tora-san series, the love stories or his recently efforts in the samurai genre, the protagonists in his films are, without exception, of the lower classes. Yamada always wants to share his films with the general public, emphasising the entertainment values of cinema over that of the artistic. His characters are optimistic, decent, kind, compassionate, exceedingly romantic and blessed with a healthy sense of humour, all the finer qualities of the Japanese national character that Yamada hopes to see passed on. Even though he laughingly calls a man's life bitter and tough, the men and women in his films are indeed the bravest, the most loveable and romantic in Japanese cinema. The festival will commence on 4th August 2005, to commemorate Atsumi Kiyoshi who passed away on the same date in 1996. Atsumi spent a major part of his life playing Tora, the iconic character that has become a milestone in Yamada's career. The festival is divided into four parts - "Tora-san", "Family", "Love" and "Samurai" - and 10 of the most representative work of Yamada have been chosen. The time has come to embrace this hidden master, and revisit the era-defining classics of Japan. Curator．Text : Esther Uchino |
山田洋次，一個道盡日本人心事的電影大師，他有「喜劇山田」、「庶民劇大導」之稱，更在國內被封為「日本人心靈的代言人」。不過，相對於他在松竹片廠的前輩小津安二郎、木下惠介以及其他名導如黑澤明、溝口健二等，山田洋次的藝術成就可說一直被忽略。但事實上，山田電影比任何一位大師的作品都更深入日本民心。