A Scene at the Sea (1991)

The lives of a young, hearing-impaired and gloomy couple are fulfilled after the boy holds interest in surfboarding.

Director:

Takeshi Kitano

Writer:

Takeshi Kitano

Stars:

Claude Maki, Hiroko Ôshima, Sabu Kawahara

11 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Claude Maki	...	Shigeru (as Kurôdo Maki)
Hiroko Ôshima	...	Takako
Sabu Kawahara	...	Takoh
Toshizo Fujiwara	...	Nakajima
Susumu Terajima
Katsuya Koiso
Toshio Matsui
Yasukazu Ishitani
Naomi Kubota
Tsuyoshi Ohwada
Tatsuya Sugimoto
Meijin Serizawa
Tetsu Watanabe
Keiko Kagimoto	...	Surf Shop Woman
Kengakusha Akiyama

Storyline

Born with a hearing impairment, Shigeru is a part timer working for the sanitation service. His girlfriend Takako has the same condition as well. On his usual pickup route, Shigeru finds a broken surf-board in a pile of garbage. His introduction to the world of surfing. Shigeru fails in his attempt to catch a wave. Takako looks on as the locals heckle the first time surfer. Un-hindered by the world around them, Shigeru and Takako commute to the beach every day. Impressed by Shigeru's determination, owner of a surf shop hands Shigeru a wet suit and an entry form to a contest. Ironically, Shigeru is disqualified from the contest for missing the announcement. Not to be discouraged, Shigeru's love for surfing consumes everything around him. He is able to fit in with the local crowd and even finish respectably at the second contest. Summer comes to an end and the cold wind starts to blow between Shigeru and Takako...

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Plot Keywords:

surfing | wet suit | beach | surfer | reconciliation | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Filmexport [France]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

19 October 1991 (Japan)

Also Known As:

A Scene at the Sea

Company Credits

Production Co:

Office Kitano, Toho Company, Totsu

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first film by Takeshi Kitano that doesn't feature any violence.

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Connections

Referenced in A Side, B Side, Sea Side (2005)

User Reviews

A Japanese masterpiece

Takeshi Kitano has made his reputation through a string of splendid Yakuza films, whose stylised violence is tempered with humour. All the more of a surprise, then, to come across this early Kitano in a totally different style. The storyline is minimal. A young deaf-mute garbage collector finds a broken surfboard, repairs it and becomes obsessed with surfing. His devoted girlfriend follows him - literally - everywhere, six paces behind him, dutifully folding up his discarded clothes while he is surfing.

Surely you can't make a film with so little action and no dialogue from the main characters! Kitano does, triumphantly. This is a heart-warming film, without being cloying. The relationship between the two central characters is drawn beautifully, using only their eyes and occasional smiles. They hardly ever even touch. But by the end of the film you feel that you know them and your heart goes out to them, in a film with touches of the great Japanese master Ozu. The music complements the film's moods superbly, and augments the atmospheric stillness that pervades this Japanese masterpiece. A must-see movie.