Dodes 'Ka-Den

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Dodes 'Ka-Den

1970

2h 20m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

A group of impoverished misfits inhabiting a Japanese landfill have experiences that are alternately joyful and disheartening. Young, disabled Roku-chan (Yoshitaka Zushi) spends his days in a fantasy world where he is the captain of an imaginary train, while his mother, Okuni (Kin Sugai), remains in constant prayer, rarely venturing out of her shanty. A homeless man and his child lovingly envision every detail of the home they wish they had money to build, and a mute girl has a tragic encounter.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

It's a film with a rather strange surface, extending even to stylistic mannerisms we don't expect from a director whose best work can be so naturalistic. But underneath there's still the love and regard for characters...

Rated: 3/4

Jul 3, 2018

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

Dodes'ka-den may be fanciful in its depiction of poverty, but this comes from a desire to humanize people marginalized by society.

Feb 2, 2018

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Eric Henderson

Slant Magazine

Dodes'ka-den's forgotten souls enact their tribulations only in brief, impressionistic strokes, as apt to lapse into candy-coated reverie as they are to stare down the demons of fiscal and moral poverty.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 17, 2009

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Daniel Barnes

Dare Daniel

It was his long-awaited return after a string of high-profile projects withered on the vine, and also his first film shot in color. A sense of release is evident from the opening shots, as Kurosawa splashes colors across the screen like an action painter.

Rated: 3.5/5

Mar 25, 2020

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Lloyd Steele

Los Angeles Free Press

That so good a film is left intact bears witness to the success of the original.

Jan 10, 2020

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Christopher Lloyd

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

This was one of Kurosawa's rare films set in modern times - though it has a lyrical, almost fairy tale quality that makes it feel like it could have been plucked out of ancient mythology.

Rated: 4.5/5

Nov 22, 2010

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Audience Member

This is perhaps Kurosawa’s strangest film ever, and even so it is one of the best of his I’ve ever seen. He clearly spent a lot of time writing out these characters, because he definitely had a lot to say. He also didn’t stray away from showing terrible things, I can think of a few scenes that had me go “oh wow, that’s uhhhhhh wow”. Overall, I think the best story being told in this movie was the father and son. It has a very upsetting ending, but I also really liked Ocho and the old man. Kurosawa never disappoints. 4/5 stars.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/12/24

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geoffrey k

we're all just mentally-challenged children admiring an imaginary train.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/07/24

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Raymond V

The first time Kurosawa used color in a film and it is just eye-popping. It's also one of his most intimate films in the later years examining the underbelly of the inner-city. The father/son story is just heartbreaking to watch, and the swinging nature of some relationships is pure slapstick. An under-appreciated film by a master film-maker.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/13/23

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Audience Member

This is one of the few Kurosawa movies which I never got around to watching. It was a really different and special visual fantasy from Kurosawa. I couldnt find the usual depth and sanity of a Kurosawa movie.....maybe because the movie was much deeper than what I could actually comprehend

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

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william d

It took a long time before I got interested in the goings on here, but eventually I did. If you stick it out I think you eventually will too.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

There are 2 or 3 films rife with wholesomeness and promise within Kurosawa's first color feature. The problem is this film is messy and runs for at least 30 minutes too long.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

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Akira Kurosawa

Director

Yoshitaka Zushi

Rokkuchan

Kin Sugai

Okuni, Rokkuchan's Mother

Toshiyuki Tonomura

Taro Sawagami

Shinsuke Minami

Ryotaro Sawagami

Yûko Kusunoki

Misao Sawagami

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Synopsis

A group of impoverished misfits inhabiting a Japanese landfill have experiences that are alternately joyful and disheartening. Young, disabled Roku-chan (Yoshitaka Zushi) spends his days in a fantasy world where he is the captain of an imaginary train, while his mother, Okuni (Kin Sugai), remains in constant prayer, rarely venturing out of her shanty. A homeless man and his child lovingly envision every detail of the home they wish they had money to build, and a mute girl has a tragic encounter.

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Producer: Akira Kurosawa, Yoichi Matsue
Screenwriter: Shinobu Hashimoto, Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Shûgorô Yamamoto
Production Co: Toho Company Ltd.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (DVD): Mar 17, 2009
Runtime: 2h 20m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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