Red Beard (The Criterion Collection)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Miyuki Kuwano, Reiko Dan, Toshirô Mifune, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Yuzo KayamaBrand: MIFUNE,TOSHIRO
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Japanese (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Anamorphic, Black & White, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 185 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-07-16
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Home Vision Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Red Beard (The Criterion Collection)
Movie Review: Can A Film Change Your Life?
Summary: 5 Stars
When critics and film buffs talk about the legendary Akira Kurosawa, they usually focus on how he influenced American cinema, or his deep philosophical undertones. While those topics merit discussion (and books), I think those same critics and film buffs forget to mention just how entertaining Kurosawa was. You can spend months dissecting each brilliant camera shot and subtle ideals, but what about those precious hours where all you have to do is watch the screen? To appreciate Akira Kurosawa's impact on cinema requires you to believe a very simple truth: "There is more than one way to be excited, to be moved, and to be entertained."
If you can accept that principle and are ready to challenge your moviegoing senses, then the work of Kurosawa will possibly change your life as it has mine. I'm not gonna call Kurosawa the greatest filmmaker who ever lived, because a couple of his pieces (particularly his latest work) just don't do it for me. But I will say that when the Japanese legend managed to reach me, no other filmmaker inspired me more as a person. My favorite example is RED BEARD, a very gentle and uplifting story of loyalty, maturity, friendship, and hundreds of other synonyms I could throw at you.
During the opening credits, you think you know what you're getting into. The gentle music, the peaceful shots of calm rooftops, the sounds of nature...at the outset, you're right. RED BEARD begins as sentimental as its musical score implies. The peaceful tone continues as we're introduced to the young Dr. Yasumoto, a brilliant intern who instead of being sent to practice at a prestigous government office, is assigned to a poor village. Yasumoto is to work under Dr. Niide, a man who's basically the mentor we all wish we could have. Niide (aka "Red Beard") is firm, wise, strong, and patient. RED BEARD's main story is Yasumoto's appreciation for life and humility.
Of course, like any great film, RED BEARD gradually reveals layer after layer, theme after theme, character after character, & brilliant scene after brilliant scene. What I want to make clear is that RED BEARD isn't just a character drama. It's a jack-of-all-trades. There are several harrowing scenes where the doctors have to treat patients, none of them excessive or overly grotesque. The story is romantic, but in a believable and respectable way. There are even a few scenes of violence: one a suspenseful attack, the other an unexpected fight sequence. I promise you that while the choregraphy of the violence is thrilling, the aftermath to each is even more of pleasure to watch. RED BEARD also briefly addresses issues like class politics and domestic values.
Kurosawa often explored the different classes in his films, but in most of his samurai films, he was incredibly cynical about the tension between them. Contrary to American sociology, the lower class is often reviled more in his films than the upper class. Although no character in a Kurosawa flick was perfect, we often sympathized with the stronger protagonists, rather than the weaker subordinates. Another Kurosawa norm is the "overacting"; detractors sometimes can't get into Kurosawa's films because the actors seem to 'speak' their emotions rather than 'perform' their behavior.
RED BEARD breaks these traditions. The performances are more grounded and less theatrical. The tone is generally light; the tunnel never gets dark without a light at the end of it. And frankly, I don't think I've ever been more moved by a story in my entire life. There's a perfectly-executed sequence in the middle act, where two souls heal each other in the most unusual way. To give away the rest would be unfair to you, but even if you read the entire plot, RED BEARD wouldn't be any better or worse for you.
Most of RED BEARD's detractors focus on its time length. The film is 185 minutes long. It might be a few minutes too long, but then again there's no such thing as a perfect film. Kurosawa isn't in any hurry to tell his story, but that doesn't mean he didn't pace himself. If everything I've read about Kurosawa's techniques is true - and I believe they are - no filmmaker showed more discipline to his craft than Kurosawa. Even respected greats like Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, and Sidney Lumet would tell you no other filmmaker was more dedicated or selective with his style. There are thousands of classics with worse flaws; RED BEARD's flaws are literally a matter of minutes.
The Criterion DVD includes only two extras. First is a theatrical trailer, which honestly isn't anything special other than a peek at 1960s movie marketting. But the other bonus - and I do mean BONUS - is a stunning feature-length commentary track by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince. I've listened to this man speak on 6 Kurosawa films' DVDs, and this is just as great as his other tracks. He analyzes shot sequences, historical background, behind-the-scenes issues, scene composition, philosophy, & hundreds of other factoids I can't remember. Prince talks endlessly throughout the film, but not because he loves the sound of his own voice. He keeps speaking because he knows that 185 minutes isn't enough time to do RED BEARD justive. Simply put, Stephen Prince knows how to turn a skeptic into a believer. Trust me, I've walked away lukewarm from a couple Kurosawa "classics", only to have Prince challenge my criticisms.
RED BEARD's plot description doesn't look like much on the surface, but no summary does any film justice. What should persuade you to check out RED BEARD is how it's inspired and moved the curious few who've watched it. The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) reports only 3000+ voters have scored this film; the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films have over 100,000 votes each. It's lost masterpieces like RED BEARD that the Criterion Collection exists.
Criterion sometimes releases works of art that only the most educated cryptologists and historians can apprecate --- RED BEARD is not one of them. Even though it's in black-and-white with subtitles, it's as commerical and accessible as any true classic. I'm convinced you will walk away from this film a better human being.
Summary of Red Beard (The Criterion Collection)
Epic medical saga in which an arrogant young doctor learns the true challenge of fighting for good in an evil world.Genre: Foreign Film - Japanese
Rating: UN
Release Date: 16-JUL-2002
Media Type: DVD
Featuring the final collaboration between esteemed director Akira Kurosawa (Kagemusha, The Seven Samurai) and actor Toshiro Mifune (Yojimbo, Hell in the Pacific), this 1965 film explores the complex and tumultuous relationship between a doctor and his protégé, and the meaning of compassion and responsibility. Mifune plays the title character, a revered but stern and unbendable physician ministering to the poor in a clinic, driven by a sense of calling to the profession of medicine and to mankind. He is assigned a young brash intern whose rebellious and arrogant attitude threaten to disrupt the hospital and destroy his burgeoning career. Under the intense tutelage of the relentlessly stern doctor, however, the young doctor in training goes from a spoiled wunderkind insulted at having to work at a clinic he thinks is beneath him, to one who appreciates the compassionate nature of a doctor's calling. A long, intimate, and engrossing film, it displays some of Mifune's finest work as a man whose profound sense of higher purpose touches all around him. An earnest exploration of duty and honor, Red Beard is an unlikely but worthy addition to the enduring legacy of Akira Kurosawa. --Robert Lane
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