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Fires on the Plain
野火
1959 105 min Japan
★7.9
Drama, War
Director: Kon Ichikawa
🎭 Based on
«Fires on the Plain»
byShōhei Ōoka
Trailers
Description
In the closing days of WWII, a Japanese soldier afflicted with tuberculosis is abandoned by his company and left to wander the Philippine island of Leyte.
Starring
Eiji Funakoshi
Actor
Mantarô Ushio
Actor
Yoshihiro Hamaguchi
Actor
Awards
6 wins
Key opinion
Kon Ichikawa’s 'Fires on the Plain' is a harrowing, unflinching examination of war that eschews conventional heroism for a bleak portrayal of human degradation. It is widely praised for its revolutionary 1950s realism, which remains deeply shocking and haunting decades after its release.
| Direction | The film utilizes an uncompromising, raw naturalism that avoids sentimental Hollywood tropes or emotional manipulation to depict the horrors of war. | |
| Theme | The narrative effectively strips away human dignity, exposing the animalistic instincts that emerge when soldiers are faced with starvation and isolation. | |
| Cinematography | The stark, haunting visual presentation captures a landscape of despair where silence and brutality serve as the primary atmospheric drivers. | |
| Screenplay | The film’s departure from traditional storytelling creates a meditative, grueling experience, though the lack of a conventional plot can be polarizing for those seeking structured narrative arcs. |