Fires on the Plain, Spine #378, is now available in the Criterion Collection.
Kon Ichikawa’s masterful adaptation of Shōhei Ōoka’s novel Nobi, has received a 4K upgrade, and deservingly so. I had never seen the film before this viewing, but I was familiar with it (largely due to the hours I’ve spent scouring the Criterion Collection’s expansive library). The release’s cover art perfectly encapsulates the torturous journey of our protagonist and the debilitating solitude he faces. It is, like many World War II films, a difficult viewing experience; however, it feels essential.
Fires on the Plain plot
Stranded in the hostile Philippines jungle during World War II, Japanese soldier Tamura (Eiji Funakoshi) faces the horrors and desperation of war when he’s cut off from his fellow soldiers and forced to fight for survival alone. With food and medical care all but nonexistent, Tamura struggles to survive.
Fires on the Plain review
The atrocities of war and its tragic effects on the soldiers involved have been depicted in film since Tearing Down the Spanish Flag, a one-scene, 40-second short silent film released in 1898. In the years since, technology has evolved, allowing the battlefield to feel incredibly realistic and transporting audiences into a warzone. Released in 1959, Ichikawa’s vision is far more desolate and somber, focusing on the limits of the human spirit when faced with unrelenting brutality.
It’s a difficult watch, and one that evokes an incredible amount of emotional response. The stark black and white cinematography, often placing Funakoshi center frame in a vast and empty setting, gorgeously contradicts the horrors of its story. Few films have so effectively captured the limitless bounds of the human spirit when facing such harrowing circumstances. Come and See, also in the Criterion Collection, rivals it, making it onto our list of The 10 Most Disturbing Movies That Are Actually Great.
A movie like this that exists with a purpose that extends far beyond simple entertainment can be difficult to sum up. It’s a movie that takes time to sit with and one that warrants repeat viewings. It’s a story that leaves an impact and raises questions that can be difficult to answer. In many cases, the heavy nature of this time of film can be overwhelming, acting as a barrier between the art and the audience. Fires on the Plain successfully dodges this trap, managing to wrap its themes inside an endlessly compelling venture.
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The special features
The special features listed below are included on the newly restored 4K release.
- New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack.
- One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features.
- Introduction by Japanese-film scholar Donald Richie.
- Introduction by Japanese-film scholar Donald Richie.
- Program featuring interviews with director Kon Ichikawa and actor Mickey Curtis.
- New English subtitle translation.
- PLUS: An essay by critic Chuck Stephens.
- Cover by Michael Boland.
Purchase your copy of Fires on the Plain from the Criterion Collection here.
