Rent Profound Desires of the Gods (1968)
4.0 of 5 from 74 ratings
2h 52min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- The culmination of Imamura's extraordinary examinations of the fringes of Japanese society throughout the 1960s, Profound Desires of the Gods was an 18-month super-production which failed to make an impression at the time of its release, but has since risen in stature to become one of the most legendary — albeit least seen — Japanese films of recent decades. Presenting a vast chronicle of life on the remote Kurage Island, the film centres on the disgraced, superstitious, interbred Futori family and the Tokyo engineer sent to supervise the creation of a new well — an encounter which leads to both conflict and complicity in strange and powerful ways.
- Actors:
- Rentarô Mikuni, Chôichirô Kawarasaki, Kazuo Kitamura, Hideko Okiyama, Yasuko Matsui, Yoshi Katô, Hôsei Komatsu, Chikako Hosokawa, Chikage Ôgi, Jun Hamamura, Taiji Tonoyama, Susumu Mizushima, Yasuhiko Ishizu, Kiyoshi Tokugawa, Kazuhiko Hasegawa, Sen Hara, Tatsu Nakamura, Kanjûrô Arashi
- Directors:
- Shôhei Imamura
- Producers:
- Masanori Yamanoi
- Writers:
- Keiji Hasebe, Shôhei Imamura
- Aka:
- Kamigami no fukaki yokubô
- Studio:
- Eureka
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama
- Collections:
- Masters of Cinema, Top Films of 1968
- Countries:
- Japan
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 21/06/2010
- Run Time:
- 173 minutes
- Languages:
- Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.35:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- New Video Introduction by Film Scholar Tony Rayns
- Original Japanese Theatrical Trailer
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Reviews (1) of Profound Desires of the Gods
Stunning and memorable film - Profound Desires of the Gods review by TE
To get the best out of this uniquely amazing film it is well worth watching the introduction (by Tony Rayns) that is included in the Special Features on this disc.
It sets the film within Okinawan mythology and within the context of Japanese views on Okinawa and its many islands.
The film sustains a vibrant energy throughout its nearly 3 hour length and does not feel in the least bit over-long.
Myth and traditional ways of life clash with demands for economic progress amidst a riot of comedy, tragedy, abuse of power and erratic sexual desires.
Visually there are set piece scenes of jaw-dropping beauty and strangeness.
If you enjoy one-off peaks of brilliance in world cinema this one is for you!
4 out of 4 members found this review helpful.