MovieChat Forums > Hotaru no haka (1989) Discussion > Who else didn't find it that sad?

Who else didn't find it that sad?

posted 13 years ago by condensed_davola
26 replies | jump to latest

Everybody was saying how they cried throughout the entire movie, and it was the saddest movie they had ever seen. My friend, who never cries, said it's the only movie he's cried over.

I'm like... really emotional when it comes to movies; I'd cry over anything, so I don't really feel like a d!ck for not crying at this, since I know I have a heart. But while watching the movie, it just felt like watching the hardships of two people during the war. I didn't take it at face value; I understood the characters and everything, but the movie seemed more like a learning experience than a tear-jerker. I took the film as very enlightening, found some good messages, and have a new appreciation for things. But I wasn't thinking throughout the movie "oh man... those poor characters! I feel like crying!"

Though I will admit, right at the end when the girl dies, it kind of got to me.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] condensed_davola 13 years ago

That wasn't a spoiler, it just sounded like one. Ugh.

[–] mylovelyfate 13 years ago

To each is own, I guess. But I found this movie breathtakingly, horrifyingly, hauntingly sad. I began watching it with a clean slate, not knowing what to expect. I didn't hear anything about the movie prior watching it and I thought it'd just be like a moderately sad, moderately happy anime movie. Nope. I knew from the opening line of the movie that I was in for a big one. On top of which, I've lost my brother (obviously not in the same nature) but it made me relate to it more. I had a twinge of hope until the end of the movie, and the reality clearly crushed me. Terrible. I'd recommend it to everyone except for myself.

[–] hodie 13 years ago

Tragic, yes. Sad, no. The kids' own people didn't care about them. Why should I?

"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cpdbutler-368-796114 12 years ago

Because caring about people makes you a good person. You don't do it just because every-one else is doing it, you do it to be a good person. God you're callous.

[–] nuttwave 11 years ago

"The kids' own people didn't care about them. Why should I? "

What kind of logic is that?

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rothepro71 13 years ago

I guess what got to me was "The story is based on the semi-autobiographic novel by the same name, whose author, Nosaka, lost his sister due to malnutrition in 1945 wartime Japan. He blamed himself for her death and wrote the story so as to make amends to her and help him accept the tragedy." [ripped off the wikipedia page :P]

The movie is tragic as an elegy to a lost sibling; but you can also see the guilt the author harbors in each of the mistakes he has Seita make and that's a tragedy in itself. What does it say that he writes the death of the character that represents him

[–] kateskye 12 years ago

I'm with you. In fact, I was more angry at the end because I didn't understand why Seito didn't take more pre-emptive strikes against his sister's death. I was all like, "Why can't you find something more to do in the war effort? Your cousin's working. Why can't you put up with your bitchy aunt for the sake of your and your sister's survival? Why didn't you withdrawl the cash sooner if that solved your whole "food" issue?" And don't say it was because the war ended because he withdrew it before he knew about Japan's surrender. While it is a tragic film, I feel like all the hype I heard before hand ruined the pathos for me. I found the story to be more about Seito's immature lack of judgement (he was only 14 after all) and his decision to cut himself and his sister off from "the system" as the farmer pointed out. But, heck, I also found Romeo and Juliet uttlerly unromantic and much more of a commentary on the implusiveness of teenagers.

[–] TheMann3 12 years ago

The movie is tragic as an elegy to a lost sibling; but you can also see the guilt the author harbors in each of the mistakes he has Seita make and that's a tragedy in itself. What does it say that he writes the death of the character that represents him.

Survivor´s Guilt. The fact that he had Seita die really gives you an insight into he felt.

I know he must have gotten over her death years ago but I think the real Setsuko would say ´You lived Seita, you´re alive, don´t feel bad`

[–] docjoque 11 years ago

LOL! I'm right there with you. I was thinking the exact same things....to the point of screaming a the TV screen. I even agree with you about Romeo and Juliette!!

[–] evony666 11 years ago

One of two reasons you didn't cry:
1. You are a psychopath and have no ability to have normal human feelings.
2. You set yourself a subconscious mental barrier so you don't get hurt.

That which does not kill you, makes you stronger!

[–] yusef-ghanima 10 years ago

3. i was shouting in anger, and i prayed for a flood to kill all cruel humanity.

[–] NoodleLizard 11 years ago

Me. I was all hyped up to be curled up foetal in tears due to the hype it got, but at the end of it I was left no more sad than any other movie of its ilk. Kill a young, cute child and you're pretty much guaranteed to have these kinds of reactions, but really there wasn't much separating this film from other "humanistic" war movies.

The ending of the sort-of-similarish film 'The Road' was far sadder.

These bastards!

[–] christopher-morin7 11 years ago

I agree. Very moving stuff, but overall we already knew from the beginning they were gonna die so it took away from it.
It was sad, but not THAT sad. Have you ever seen Plague Dogs? That movie is brutally depressing!

[–] elijahyael_08 11 years ago

I cried not JUST because of what happened to Seita and Setsuko... I cried because for me they represented so many other innocent victims of war. It made me understand how really terrible war is, and how grievous it's effects are. It actually showed me a whole situation that has been happening to so many people around the world, and only the thought that there are children like Seita and Setsuko among them really crushes my heart. (Sorry for my English, it's not my first language.)

There's more to attraction than meets the eye.