Serials/Features

Green Belt Morishu Katayama Music, Hiroshima and I ⑦

January 14, 2022

There was a unique masterpiece theater called ACT Mini Theater in Nishi-Waseda, Tokyo. As the name suggests, it is very small. A full house with dozens of people. I take off my shoes, go upstairs, and sit down on the carpet floor. The screen is right in front of you. One night in the 1980s, as a university student, I saw "Hiroshima" directed by Hideo Sekikawa for the first time. As for the same Hiroshima movie about the atomic bombing, I had already seen Kaneto Shindo's "Children of the Atomic Bomb" many times, but for a long time I knew only the name of "Hiroshima". "I was surprised when I saw it." Both "Hiroshima" and "Children of the Atomic Bomb" are based on "Children of the Atomic Bomb", a collection of writings by A-bombed children. However, the way the film is made is the opposite. Shindo's work narrows down the characters, emphasizes the restrained exchanges of everyday life, and treats the scene of August 6 in a fairly symbolic way, as if to deeply permeate the tragedy of the A-bomb survivors. On the other hand, Sekikawa's work is like an epic Soviet historical drama. August 6th will also be recreated on an overwhelming scale, using a large number of extras and a large-scale set. Too straight and intense. Immediately beaten down. In analogy with the music of the atomic bombing, Shindo's works are introverted, like Hikaru Hayashi's "A Small View of the Atomic Bomb," while Sekikawa's works are exaggerated, like Masao Oki's "Return to Humans." And there are common elements in these two polar opposite works. Both are composed by Akira Ifukube. In "Children of the Atomic Bomb", a small orchestra sings a song of heartfelt sorrow, while in "Hiroshima", a powerful elegy resounds with a large orchestra that blows away the listener's ears. Moreover, the melody of the lamentation of "Hiroshima" had a secret. What is it? Continue to the final episode. (Political scientist, Director Mihara Popolo = Ibaraki Prefecture) (Published in the morning edition of January 14, 2022) Tweet serialization/feature article list