Based on the Gorky play "The Lower Depths", "Donzoko" is an unrelentingly dark picture of the human predicament as shown through the lives of a group of society's outcasts living in squalor. Certainly, there is much bitter, ironic humor among the characters, and many brilliant performances (Toshiro Mifune and the actor portraying the philosopher, especially) but the vision of human nature so beaten down is not a message easily received. Many of the scenes are also of a theatricality which wear and jangle.
Yet... the attraction of the film is irresistibly powerful. The lives that Gorky and Kurosawa painted still exist, even in the richest country in the world.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Topic - Kurosawa's "Donzoko." - tinear 04:52:02 01/27/06 (4)
- Have you seen Jean Renoir's adaptation of the same story? -nt- - Donald 18:31:13 01/27/06 (3)
- No. C'mon, what's the title and your opinion? nt - tinear 04:40:30 01/28/06 (2)
- It's called The Lower Depths (Les bas-fonds). - Donald 07:12:06 01/28/06 (1)
- I had some problems as you did with the claustrophobia and - tinear 08:09:47 01/28/06 (0)