HiroshiShimizu

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有りがたうさん [Arigatō-san / Mr. Thank You] (Hiroshi Shimizu, 1936)

Nov

6

Arigatō-san (Ken Uehara) courteously thanks someone who shares the road for giving way. DP: Isamu Aoki.

A movie that makes you want to travel*

“Arigatō! [Thank you!]”

– Mr Thank You to everyone – poultry included – he passes on his bus

Friendly and helpful, Arigatō-san (Ken Uehara) is there for his passengers and non-bus travellers alike. A sweet roadmovie from a Japan now lost to time.

 

* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for November is, again, not date-based, but follows a sloppy schmaltzy all-American Thanksgiving-y narrative. Trying to make it work my way.

#Bales2025FilmChallenge #HiroshiShimizu #YasunariKawabata #KenUehara #RyujiIshiyama #EinosukeNaka #MichikoKuwano #MasaoHayama #MitsukoMito #KeizōHoriuchi #IsamuAoki #comedy #drama #Movember #RoadMovie #BookAdaptation #Japan #1930s

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簪​ [Kanzashi / Ornamental Hairpin] (Hiroshi Shimizu, 1941)

Jul

24

relaxation

Men relaxing at a roten-buro, an outdoor onsen. DP: Suketarō Inokai.

Someone goes to a spa, beach, or retreat*

“There’s something almost poetic about finding a hairpin in the bath. It’s like the sole of my foot has been pierced by poetry.”

– Nanmura, via

Relaxing at an onsen, a soldier steps on the titular kanzashi. Now injured with too much time on his hands, he and his fellow nosy patrons go out looking for its owner.

 

* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for July is, for unknown reasons, mostly not date-related and follows some sort of vacation narrative.

#Bales2025FilmChallenge #relaxation #HiroshiShimizu #MasujiIbuse #KinuyoTanaka #HirokoKawasaki #TatsuoSaitō #ChishūRyū #ShinIchiHimori #TakeshiSakamoto #TakaakiAsai #SuketarōInokai #comedy #drama #BookAdaptation #Japan #1940s