265 minutes version


original 265 minutes version of hakuchi is exist.
but,only one print on the earth.
old mad mania have it.nobody can see it.even kurosawa's son cannot!
I want to see 265 minutes version til i die.

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who is "old mad mania"? it should be released!!!!!!!!!

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Not sure. Maybe he meant it was part of the Abe collection that they are still cataloging.

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Sadly when Kurosawa was making second-to-last film, Rhapsody in August, he tried looking in the archives to find the full version, but to no avail. I hope there still is a full print out there! the novel is a complete masterpiece.

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I'm not sure what the original poster is referring to, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a release of the full version. In his book "The Films of Akira Kurosawa" Donald Richie says "Original unreleased version: 265 minutes - no prints extant."

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AK100project started as Akira Kurosawa's birth 100-year.
Executive committee head declared to look for the full version of "Hakuchi"
http://akirakurosawa100.com/

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True, but that book was written decades ago, and enough previously-lost films have been discovered in the intervening time to give us some hope that the full 'Hakuchi' may be extant after all.

http://illusionstreetcar.blogspot.com

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I'd love to see the full version. The "shortened" version is too messy at times.
Seems the 265 min cut is lost, but don't lose hope.
Original footage from Fritz Lang's masterpiece "Metropolis" (thought to be lost forever) was recently found in Argentina. Finally 80 years later you could see the complete version of Metropolis.

Miracles does happens.

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There was no habit of keeping a film in Japan at that time.The original film of most movies was scrapped for that.256-minute version is never introduced to the public officially.Therefore, Only one original print of 256 minutes exist in this world from the beginning.256-minute version negative film has already been scrapped, too.
I read in book that the print of 256 minutes was stolen by one person concerned of movie company before it was scrapped.It finally went to the hand of maniac movie collector.
I heard the old mania told Kurosawa's son to choose throwing it away rather than he delivered that film to the others.
A critic said that Japanese Government should make it specify that film in the Japanese national treasure and not make it throw it away legally.
But, this information has already been a very previous matter. I don't know whether that old man is still living.

I hope that miracle happens, too.

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I don't know why you would call that collector a maniac, since he or she was merely articulating the attitude that governs the thinking of all so-called 'Serious' cinephile/collectors: These movies are not to be seen by anyone but US (the elite sector of cinephiles). To let THEM (the vulgar hordes) see the films only WE can truly appreciate is to diminish them, cheapen them.

Why single this collector out for criticism when that sentiment is shared by so many.

http://illusionstreetcar.blogspot.com

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So Kurosawa's proper hundred-minute-longer version only ever screened once, and is now considered lost. Well shoot. Hadn't realized that when I was watching it. I thought it was an extremely well-made movie, but in retrospect it did seem fragmented, and I totally didn't understand what happened at the ending (judging from the two threads on this without clear answers except to refer to the book, this wasn't my fault).

God, that sucks. Well, maybe it's still out there somewhere; maybe one day it'll be found and restored, and I'd totally upgrade my DVD as it's released as a standalone Criterion edition or something... yeah, it doesn't seem too hopeful, but I can dream!


--- grethiwha -------- My Favourite Films:
http://www.imdb.com/list/Bw65XZIpkH8/

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