The Human Condition (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

11/10

Had this on my radar for the last few years and finally watched it this year. This three part Japanese WWII epic is a masterpiece. Honestly, everyone one into film should watch it before they die.The Human Condition tells the story of a man named Kaji working and serving in Japanese occupied Manchuria. Part 1 covers his role working as a supervisor at a mine using POW labor, part 2 is about his training as a cadet in the army, and part 3 covers his epic journey of survival with Japan’s collapse & defeat at the end of WWII. Very rarely do we see or at least I have seen, movies covering the Japanese perspective of the war and this one is excellent.The entire epic is around 9-10 hours long so it is indeed a long one, but worth it. IMO I think Part 1 and 2 are definitely a slow burn, but the switch up at the end of part 2 and part 3 as a whole makes it worth it. So good.

Fantastic four disc edition of one of the greatest pieces of Japanese and world cinema films ever made. It is about the Japanese occupation of Manchuria during world war 2.It is a masterpiece. I first saw this on British television in the 1980's and considered it one of the greatest films I had ever seen on TV. I have been looking for it for over 25 years so really glad to have find it in such a well presented and packaged collection. I am really looking forward to watching it. It was originally released in Japan as 3 separate films in the 1960's and is spread over 4 discs in the Criterion collection.It is by the great Japanese Film Director Masaki Kobayshi and is considered a mammoth and moving humanist drama and tells the story of a naïve young Japanese man who journeys from labour camp supervisor to Imperial Army soldier to Soviet POW in World War 2 Japanese occupied Manchuria. It is an anti war and humanist tale of a corrupt and brutal system and an indictment of Japans wartime cruelty, mentality and atrocities and his struggle to survive and retain his morality amidst the tragedy of war. In my view it is one of the most staggering achievements in world cinema and a masterpiece of cinema at its greatest. If you have not seen it and are interested in Japanese cinema the and the War in th Far East then buy it and enjoy. It is worth the cost and the effort

So so good. Kobayashi and Kurosawa were like the Shaq and Kobe of mid-century Japanese filmmaking. Not sure who’s Shaq and who’s Kobe tho. Kobe-yashi is funny so I’ll go with that.

wonderful film. The Japanese sure know how to make films. Highly recommend

Excellent

Criterion does justice to this amazing work of cinema. A truly great film that is a must view to be sure.

My wife and I have not finished watching these features, because we can handle the stark realism of the brutality of Japan's WWII military in measured doses. Nevertheless, the acting is excellent, and the perspective on the Manchrian theater of the war is fascinating.