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Hana-bi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, seeHanabi.
Hana-bi
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTakeshi Kitano
Written byTakeshi Kitano
Produced byMasayuki Mori
Yasushi Tsuge
Takio Yoshida
Starring
CinematographyHideo Yamamoto
Edited byTakeshi Kitano
Yoshinori Ota
Music byJoe Hisaishi
Production
companies
Distributed byNippon Herald Films
Release dates
Running time
103 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Budget$2.3 million[1]

Hana-bi(lit. 'Fireworks'), released in theUSAasFireworks,is a 1997 Japanesecrime dramafilm written, directed and edited byTakeshi Kitano,who also stars in it. The film'sscorewas composed byJoe Hisaishiin his fourth collaboration with Kitano.

Hana-bireceived critical acclaim and won theGolden Lionat the54th Venice International Film Festival,helping to establish Kitano as an internationally acclaimed filmmaker; the film has developed acult following.

Plot

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Yoshitaka Nishi is a violent formerpolice detectivewho had to retire after a tragic accident during a botched arrest in which another detective, Tanaka, was killed by the suspect while two others, Nakamura and Horibe, were severely injured. Becoming unemployed, Nishi spends most of his time taking care of his sick wife Miyuki, who has terminalleukemia.To pay for his wife's care, Nishi borrows money from theyakuzabut is having difficulty repaying them.

Meanwhile, Horibe, who has beenparalyzedsince the incident, suffers deepdepressionafter his wife and daughter leave him. In a conversation with Nishi, Horibe hints at committingsuicide,while adding that he would like to paint but cannot afford to buy himself the necessary materials. After a botched suicide attempt, Horibe receives art supplies mailed to him by Nishi. He then takes up painting and createssurrealworks of art, and later in apointilliststyle.

Nishi buys a second-hand taxicab and repaints it in police colors. He arms himself with a revolver and robs a bank dressed as a policeman. Using the money, he pays off theyakuzaand gives some to Tanaka's widow. Nishi then leaves with his wife for a road trip. Nakamura learns from Tanaka's widow about the gift and advises her to keep the money. He also learns about the paints for Horibe and soon realizes who committed the robbery. Nakamura and his partner attempt to reach Nishi, eventually tracing his route as he and his wife embark on their trip.

Meanwhile, even though Nishi has paid his debt to them, theyakuzadeduce Nishi committed the robbery and attempt toextortadditional money from him. Theyakuzatrack down and confront Nishi, but he kills them all in a violent shootout. The next day, Nishi and his wife are at a beach when they are found by Nakamura and his partner. They prepare to arrest Nishi, but Nishi asks Nakamura to spare him a moment of time and lies alongside his wife on the beach. The couple comforts each other before the camera pans away towards the ocean before two gunshots are heard in the distance.

Cast

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Production

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Horibe takes up painting in thepointilliststyle in order to compensate for hisparalysis.In reality, these paintings were painted by Kitano himself, whilst in recovery from an infamous motorcycle accident in August 1994 that left half of his face paralyzed.[2]

Kitano's daughter and former singer, Shoko Kitano, makes a cameo appearance playing a nameless girl flying a kite in the film's closing scenes.

The film's title is sometimes listed as "Hana-bi","hana-bi"or"Hanabi"on the covers of international DVD releases and other references to the film in the West. However, the official title is actuallyHANA-BI,fully capitalized,[3][4]and is used on all Japanese licensed products, including theatrical posters, video covers andOSTcovers.[5]

Soundtrack

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Hana-bi
Polydor cover
Soundtrack albumby
Joe Hisaishi
ReleasedJanuary 1, 1998
GenreSoundtrack, modern classical, downtempo
Length42:14
LabelPolydor,Milan Records
Alternative cover
Milan Records cover

The soundtrack CD was first released in 1998 and 1999 by Milan Records,[6]then reissued by Polydor.

Track listing

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All compositions by Joe Hisaishi.

  1. "Hana-bi" – 3:42
  2. "Angel" – 2:41
  3. "Sea of Blue" – 3:29
  4. "...and Alone" – 2:29
  5. "Ever Love" – 2:15
  6. "Painters" – 5:57
  7. "Smile and Smile" – 2:55
  8. "Heaven's Gate" – 4:59
  9. "Tenderness" – 2:31
  10. "Thank You... for Everything" – 7:09
  11. "Hana-bi (Reprise)" – 3:41

Credits

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  • Bassoon – Shinkichi Maeda
  • Clarinet – Tadashi Hoshino
  • Composer, arranger, performer – Joe Hisaishi
  • Flute – Takashi Asahi, Takeshi Shinohara
  • Harmonica – Nobuo Yagi
  • Oboe – Hiroshi Shibayama
  • Strings – Yuichiro Goto Group

Reception

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Although it was not a big success financially,[7]Hana-bireceived critical acclaim and won theGolden Lionaward at the54th Venice International Film Festivaland numerous other accolades. Kitano himself said it was not until he won the Golden Lion that he was accepted as a serious director in his native Japan; his prior films had been looked at as just the hobby of a famous comedian.[8]

It also won theGrand Prixof theBelgian Syndicate of Cinema Critics.

Review aggregatorRotten Tomatoesreports that 96% of 24 critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 8.4 out of 10.[9]Metacriticassigned the film a weighted average score of 83 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[10]American film criticRoger Ebertrated it three stars out of four, citing its unusual approach toward serenity and brutality, calling it "aCharles BronsonDeath Wishmovie so drained of story, cliché, convention and plot that nothing is left, except pure form and impulse. "[11]Jaime N. Christley ofSlant Magazinegave the film a perfect four star rating.[12]David StrattonofThe Movie Showcalled Hana-bi "an unclassifiable film" and "quite extraordinary," with co-hostMargaret Pomeranzstating "I was ultimately so moved by it. It did what cinema is meant to do, for me anyway, and that's take me on a journey that is mine, that ultimately ends up inside me, in my heart." Stratton concluded thatHana-biis "hard to describe to audiences, but all I can say is: Go and see it. It's great." The duo both awarded the film five stars out of five.[13]

Legacy

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The film is included in the book1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.[14]The Japanese filmmakerAkira Kurosawacited the film as one of his 100 favorite films.[15]

References

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  1. ^Kitano, Takeshi,FireworksDVD booklet, 1998,New Yorker Films.Retrieved 2015-12-26
  2. ^"A Gallery".Fireworks(DVD).New Yorker Films.1998.
  3. ^Official website at Office KitanoArchived2006-05-14 at theWayback Machine
  4. ^Hana-biat theJapanese Movie Database(in Japanese)
  5. ^Office Kitano movie postersArchived2006-12-12 at theWayback Machine
  6. ^"Joe Hisaishi – Hana-Bi (Music From The Motion Picture)".Discogs.1998.Retrieved5 September2018.
  7. ^"Midnight Eye interview: Takeshi Kitano".midnighteye. 2003-11-05.Retrieved2015-12-26.
  8. ^"Takeshi Kitano Interview".The A.V. Club.2004-08-11.Retrieved2015-12-26.
  9. ^"Fireworks (Hana-bi) (1997)".Rotten Tomatoes.Flixster.Retrieved2015-12-26.
  10. ^"Fireworks".Metacritic.
  11. ^Ebert, Roger(March 20, 1998)."Fireworks (1998)".RogerEbert.RetrievedDecember 18,2023.
  12. ^"Fireworks".Slant Magazine.2004-07-07.Retrieved2015-12-26.
  13. ^"The Movie Show Reviews Hana-bi".SBS.1998-09-02.Retrieved2018-07-01.
  14. ^1001 movies you must see before you die.Schneider, Steven Jay, 1974-. London. [England]: Cassell Illustrated/Quintet Books. 2003.ISBN184403044X.OCLC223768961.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link)
  15. ^Thomas-Mason, Lee (12 January 2021)."From Stanley Kubrick to Martin Scorsese: Akira Kurosawa once named his top 100 favourite films of all time".Far Out Magazine.Retrieved23 January2023.
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