Madadayo
Encyclopedia
is a 1993 Japanese film
. It is the thirtieth and final film to be completed by Akira Kurosawa
. It was screened out of competition at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival
.
of German
, in the period immediately before the Second World War. The plot of the film is centered on his relationship with his former students, who care for him in his old age. The title, Not Yet in English
, is an allusion to an ancient Japanese
legend
mentioned in one scene of the film, of an old man who refuses to die. This story is constantly referred to in the movie, as every year on the old man's birthday, his students throw him a party in which they all ask him, "Mada kai?" ("Are you ready?"). He responds by drinking a large ceremonial glass of beer and shouting "Mada dayo!" ("Not yet!"), implying that death may be near, but life still goes on. The movie also covers the events that transpire in between these birthdays, such as his moving into a new house, his discovery of (and loss of) a beloved house cat, etc. As the years progress, the annual celebrations shift from a fraternity party atmosphere to a gathering of families, and the ceremonial large glass of beer that Uchida drinks changes as well, but he always completes his full glass.
works, the background material for the film's screenplay . The portrayal of Uchida in the film might be interpreted as a metaphor for Japan
of the Meiji
, Taishō
and early Shōwa
periods, trying to cope with the fast changing world of the later Shōwa period.
. This usage shows the character with Uchida's humour.
's L'estro Armonico
Op. 3, Concerto No. 9.
in Australia, Yume Pictures in the UK, and Mei Ah
in Hong Kong. A Blu-ray edition, without English subtitles, is available in Japan as part of a box set with Rashomon
, Ran
, and The Quiet Duel
.http://www.yesasia.com/us/kurosawa-akira-blu-ray-box-blu-ray-first-press-limited-edition-japan/1013727396-0-0-0-en/info.html
Cinema of Japan
The has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world – as of 2009 the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. Movies have been produced in Japan since 1897, when the first foreign cameramen arrived...
. It is the thirtieth and final film to be completed by Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
. It was screened out of competition at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival
1993 Cannes Film Festival
- Jury :* Louis Malle * Claudia Cardinale * Inna Churikova * Judy Davis * Abbas Kiarostami * Emir Kusturica * William Lubtchansky * Tom Luddy * Gary Oldman * Augusto M...
.
Plot
The main story of the film is based on the life of a Japanese academic and author, Hyakken Uchida (1889–1971). The film opens with him resigning as professorProfessor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, in the period immediately before the Second World War. The plot of the film is centered on his relationship with his former students, who care for him in his old age. The title, Not Yet in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, is an allusion to an ancient Japanese
History of Japan
The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
mentioned in one scene of the film, of an old man who refuses to die. This story is constantly referred to in the movie, as every year on the old man's birthday, his students throw him a party in which they all ask him, "Mada kai?" ("Are you ready?"). He responds by drinking a large ceremonial glass of beer and shouting "Mada dayo!" ("Not yet!"), implying that death may be near, but life still goes on. The movie also covers the events that transpire in between these birthdays, such as his moving into a new house, his discovery of (and loss of) a beloved house cat, etc. As the years progress, the annual celebrations shift from a fraternity party atmosphere to a gathering of families, and the ceremonial large glass of beer that Uchida drinks changes as well, but he always completes his full glass.
Other uses
Madadayo is also the title of a collection of posthumously published essays by Uchida, which forms, together with his other autobiographicalAutobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
works, the background material for the film's screenplay . The portrayal of Uchida in the film might be interpreted as a metaphor for Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
of the Meiji
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, Taishō
Taisho period
The , or Taishō era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taishō Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen to the Diet...
and early Shōwa
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
periods, trying to cope with the fast changing world of the later Shōwa period.
Romanization and usage
The official romanization of まあだだよ is not madadayo but mādadayo (the additional あ "a" sound after ま "ma" draws it into a long 'a'). The meaning of the two spellings is the same except that the latter is an expression Japanese children use in the game tagTag (game)
Tag is a playground game played worldwide that involves one or more players chasing other players in an attempt to tag or touch them, usually with their fingers. There are many variations...
. This usage shows the character with Uchida's humour.
End Credits
The cloudy-sky artwork during the end credits sequence was painted by the writer/director Akira Kurosawa and is coupled with Antonio VivaldiAntonio Vivaldi
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe...
's L'estro Armonico
L'estro Armonico
L'Estro Armonico, Op. 3, is a collection of twelve concertos for 1, 2 and 4 violins written by Antonio Vivaldi in 1711. It largely augmented the reputation of Vivaldi as Il Prete Rosso;...
Op. 3, Concerto No. 9.
Home video
English-subtitled DVDs have been released by Winstar and the Criterion Collection in the U.S., MadmanMadman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
in Australia, Yume Pictures in the UK, and Mei Ah
Mei Ah Entertainment
-History:The company was established in 1984 in Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong. A number of TVB TV series were redistributed by Mei Ah after airing nightly on national broadcasts. Movies distributed by the company are also branded in the film and on the boxes. The company continued to expand until it...
in Hong Kong. A Blu-ray edition, without English subtitles, is available in Japan as part of a box set with Rashomon
Rashomon (film)
The bandit's storyTajōmaru, a notorious brigand , claims that he tricked the samurai to step off the mountain trail with him and look at a cache of ancient swords he discovered. In the grove he tied the samurai to a tree, then brought the woman there. She initially tried to defend herself with a...
, Ran
Ran (film)
is a 1985 Japanese-French jidaigeki film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film starred Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-era warlord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons. It also stars Mieko Harada as the wife of Ichimonji's eldest son...
, and The Quiet Duel
The Quiet Duel
is a 1949 Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa.-Plot:Toshirō Mifune plays a young idealistic doctor who works at his father's clinic in a small and seedy district. During the war, he contracts syphilis from the blood of a patient when he cuts himself during an operation...
.http://www.yesasia.com/us/kurosawa-akira-blu-ray-box-blu-ray-first-press-limited-edition-japan/1013727396-0-0-0-en/info.html
External links
- Madadayo at the Japanese Movie DatabaseJapanese Movie DatabaseThe , commonly referred to as JMDB, is an online database of information about Japanese movies, actors, and production crew personnel. It is similar to the Internet Movie Database, but lists only those films originally released in Japan. The site was started in 1997, and contains movies from Meiji...