Electric Tram Mania

Akira Kurosawa
Toshiro Mifune, Koto Sugai, Toshiyuki Nishida, Shinobu Otowa, Yuko Kusunoki, Jun Sandan, Kiyo Takeda, Michio Hino, Keiichi Furuyama, Toshihei Shimokawa, Kunio Tanaka, Minako Yoshimura, Hisashi Ikawa, Hideko Okiyama, Tetsuo Matsumura, Ivanri Tsuji, Hiroshi Akutagawa, Tomoko Naraoka, Noboru Mitani, Hiroyuki Kawase, Akemi Negishi, Hideaki Egasaki, Kazuo Kato, Michiko Araki, Toyomichi Shiozawa, Masakazu Kuwayama, Hiroshi Mitsui, Jerry Fujio, Masahiko Tanimura, Atsushi Watanabe, Kamaatsu Fujiwara, Yoshiko Son, Reiko Shinmura, Akira Hitomi, Takashi Ebata
1970
Japan
Completed
Japanese
140 minutes
Detailed introduction
This film (drama)Also known asどですかでん,is aJapanProducerwomen sex,At1970Released in year
。The dialogue language isJapanese,Current Douban rating7.9(For reference only)。
This is a story from the streets, set behind the skyscrapers of any developing country; it depicts the real society of the masses, often intentionally or unintentionally overlooked by mainstream media. The film's title comes from the protagonist's catchphrase (Dodes'ka-den), imitating the sound of a tram. In the human world, one must make some noise to prove their existence. Amid the rumbling of the trams, we see your smile, the intellectually disabled Shiliu, peaceful and content. The trams come and go day after day, in the cycle of time, every day for the masses is the same, helpless and resigned, at the moment when the individual cannot resist fate. Is Shiliu's disability not a form of happiness? For the countless beings in the streets, living sometimes is just a breath; they hustle every day for their livelihood, heavy and hopeless. In this regard, the intellectually disabled Shiliu is also a kind of happiness. In this world of existence, are there not enough worries arising from those who think? Shiliu's mother recites scriptures, while Shiliu prays to Buddha for his mother; this detail shows Shiliu's kindness and optimism. The marginalized people living amidst helplessness might as well learn some spirit of Ah Q or face their bitter existence more bravely! Who is happier, the intellectually disabled or the awakened? The two voices praying to Buddha grow louder; leaving a hope in an unchangeable situation is better than having no hope at all. The intellectually disabled Shiliu believes he is a tram driver, dutifully and rain or shine operating an imaginary tram beside the garbage dump in the slums every day. This is the daily life of mother and son, with the tearful mother always staring blankly at her child, lost in another world; only the mother knows her hardships. In such a theme, Akira Kurosawa uses the colorful wall of Shiliu's house adorned with tram art to express his hope for a beautiful world. Those naive crayon drawings signify a longing for brightness in a grim life, a positive attitude towards existence. The entire piece is imbued with the director's passion and ideals… The tram is a vehicle for moving forward; the tram is a projection of power; a thought of the future.