Hands in the air! This is a hold-up! In the late 1960s, Japanese studios began to produce big mainstream WW2 dramas, with great special effects, stunning action scenes, starring the best actors of the time. And these blockbusters showed the courage & tragedy of Japanese soldiers, it was a bit nostalgic. Hopefully, Japan’s Longest Day is a multi-layered film. It looks like any other WW2 drama, but it carefully deconstructs the glorification of Japan’s Imperial past.
The film was produced to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Toho Studios. The story? As the title suggests, it’s about the day the Emperor agreed to Japan’s surrender to the allies. And director Kihachi Okamoto is basically pointing out the absurdity of the event & the regime. You thought the Emperor was all-powerful? Wrong, he’s weak and almost let his ministers take all decisions. The same ministers who spend hours arguing about a phrase… Meanwhile, their people are still out there getting killed for Japan’s sake. The film is an enjoyable happening!
The film is available on DVD in the U.S.
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