The Naked Island (1960)

A family of four are the sole inhabitants of a small island, where they struggle each day to irrigate their crops.

Director:

Kaneto Shindô

Writer:

Kaneto Shindô

Stars:

Nobuko Otowa, Taiji Tonoyama, Shinji Tanaka

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview:
Nobuko Otowa	...	Toyo, the mother
Taiji Tonoyama	...	Senta, the father
Shinji Tanaka	...	Tarô - the elder son
Masanori Horimoto	...	Jirô - the younger son

Storyline

Deals with the intolerably hard life of a family of four, the only inhabitants of a very small Japanese island in the Setonaikai archipelago. Several times a day they row over to the neighboring island to fetch water for their miserable fields.

---

Plot Keywords:

island | silence | agriculture | nature | japanese new wave | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #811.

---

Connections

Referenced in Quién te cantará (2018)

User Reviews

a perfect movie

I remember this film from my student days. I saw it in an uptown, shabby, art house theatre (when art meant porn) in Philadelphia. I was amazed. As I recall, it is a film without dialog. Not silent, but no dialog. Black and white, but singularly visual. Three, maybe four characters with self- effacing directing and camera work, it was as intimate as small off-Broadway theatre. I've seen nothing since as cinematic, or moving. No one I've ever met, has seen it. But I remember it vividly.

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

None

Release Date:

10 September 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Naked Island

Filming Locations:

Island of Sukune in Mihara, Hiroshima, Japan

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,673

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kindai Eiga Kyokai

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1