Dodesukaden
Directed by	Akira Kurosawa
Written by	Akira Kurosawa
Starring	Yoshitaka Zushi Kin Sugai Toshiyuki Tonomura
Release date	October 31, 1970
Running time	140 min
Language	Japanese
IMDb profile

Dodesukaden (どですかでん) is a film by Akira Kurosawa set in a Japanese rubbish dump in the period immediately following World War II. The film focuses on the fantasy life of its characters, focusing primarily on a mentally retarded boy who pretends to be a tram conductor by following a set route through the dump in an imaginary tram that he mimes. Some mistakenly think the film title refers to the traditional Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound made by a tram or train while in motion, "Do-desu-ka-den do-desu-ka-den do-desu-ka-den"--but in actuality Kurosawa made the tram onomatopoeia for the movie up. The titular sound is made by that of the mentally-challenged protagonist, which he makes on his faux-tram route through the dump on his daily circuit. Dodesukaden was filmed on an actual dump in Tokyo. This film had stylistic effects on the later Japanese development of anime. Image File history File links Dodesukaden. ... Akira Kurosawa (黒澤 明 Kurosawa Akira, also é»’æ²¢ 明 in Shinjitai, 23 March 1910 – 6 September 1998) was a prominent Japanese film director, film producer, and screenwriter. ... Akira Kurosawa (黒澤 明 Kurosawa Akira, also é»’æ²¢ 明 in Shinjitai, 23 March 1910 – 6 September 1998) was a prominent Japanese film director, film producer, and screenwriter. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Akira Kurosawa (黒澤 明 Kurosawa Akira, also é»’æ²¢ 明 in Shinjitai, 23 March 1910 – 6 September 1998) was a prominent Japanese film director, film producer, and screenwriter. ... A Landfill is a site for the permanent disposal of waste materials by burial. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, France/Free France, United States, China, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Greece, Norway, Honduras, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, Bulgaria, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Burma, Slovakia Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military... TW2000 car in Hanover Volkswagen Cargo-Tram in Dresden on a section of grassed track. ... Look up onomatopoeia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... // A scene from Cowboy Bebop (1998) Anime ), which is short for the English word animation, in the western world most popularly refers to the medium of animation originating in Japan, with distinctive character and background aesthetics that visually set it apart from other forms of animation (e. ...

This was Kurosawa's first color film, and he took full of advantage of the new color medium. After the success of Red Beard, it took Kurosawa five years before this film appeared. There was no Toshiro Mifune in the film, as was commonplace in most Kurosawa films (they had a falling out after Red Beard), and most of the cast were relative unknowns. Dodesukaden was unlike anything that he had made before, and this lead to the film being critically panned in Japan, despite it earning an Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Film in 1970. Regardless of its success in the West, which was most common with Kurosawa films (many of them being remade into Western counterparts), Dodesukaden was Kurosawa's first financial failure and it came during the worst possible time in his life. At the time of the filming, Kurosawa had been going through a lull in his career and personal life - he was finding it harder and harder to get his films bank rolled even amid the fanfare and prosperity of his previous films, and rumors about his deteriorating mental health only furthered his floundering. Dodesukaden was only made by the cooperation and co-producing of three other Japanese directors, Kinoshita, Kobayashi, and Ichikawa. For other uses, see Red Beard (disambiguation) Red Beard (赤ひげ, Akahige) is a 1965 feature film by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. ... Toshiro Mifune in the film Drunken Angel. ... For other uses, see Red Beard (disambiguation) Red Beard (赤ひげ, Akahige) is a 1965 feature film by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. ...

The critical failure of Dodesukaden sent Kurosawa into a deep depression, and in 1971 he attempted suicide. Despite the horrific nature of his attempt (he slashed himself over 30 times with a razor), it was mainly believed to be a cry for help, rather than an actual attempt on his own life. It would be five years until Kurosawa returned to filmmaking with the release of Dersu Uzala in 1975, which garnered itself an Oscar for Best Foreign Film (and the only Academy Award that Kurosawa received for a single film). Dersu Uzala (Дерсу Узала) is a 1975 joint Soviet-Japanese film production, directed by Akira Kurosawa. ...

Donald Richie's book, The Films of Akira Kurosawa, lists the running time as 244 minutes. The US release version ran 140 minutes. There is little information on why the film was cut. There have been some who have suggested that the 244 minute running time is a myth. Donald Richie(born 1924-) is an American-born author who has written a number of books about the Japanese people and arts. ...