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Conflagration

Play trailer Conflagration 1958 1h 36m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
As a youth, Goichi Mizoguchi is tormented by his adulterous mother but soothed by his father's stories of the Golden Pavilion, an ancient Buddhist temple. Later, the shy and stuttering Goichi studies to become a monk and befriends the wild Tokari, also a student. Finding himself at the Golden Pavilion, Goichi is disgusted by how debased the temple has become and feels the only pure action left is to destroy the beautiful building.

Critics Reviews

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Howard Thompson New York Times 10/23/2007
4/5
This dignified, purposeful film is often touching as a case history of doomed innocense at bay. But its coils of compromise and corruption are even more credible and haunting. Go to Full Review Trevor Johnston Time Out 10/23/2007
The director's favourite among his own films. Go to Full Review Elliott Stein Village Voice 08/28/2006
A devastating critique of postwar Japanese society; it signaled Ichikawa's emergence as a mature director. Go to Full Review Pieter-Jan Van Haecke Psychocinematography 07/13/2023
Ichikawa succeeds in echoing how the crumbling of the imperialistic dream played its role in making the father – imaginary as well as symbolically – malfunction for many subjects. Go to Full Review TV Guide 08/28/2006
3/4
Brilliant in detailing the events which lead up to this youth's final experience. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Scott R @ScottR 02/06/2024 Some powerful symbolism, but the sombre tone and plot were such a downer that I struggled through it. Saw on TCM. See more 05/30/2012 Too many overriding. I love the novel a lot more. See more Read all reviews
Conflagration

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Kon Ichikawa

Director

Raizô Ichikawa

Goichi Mizoguchi

Tatsuya Nakadai

Tokari

Ganjirô Nakamura

Tayama Dosen

Yoko Uraji

Actor

Michiyo Aratama

Mistress of the floral art
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Conflagration

Conflagration (1958) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis As a youth, Goichi Mizoguchi is tormented by his adulterous mother but soothed by his father's stories of the Golden Pavilion, an ancient Buddhist temple. Later, the shy and stuttering Goichi studies to become a monk and befriends the wild Tokari, also a student. Finding himself at the Golden Pavilion, Goichi is disgusted by how debased the temple has become and feels the only pure action left is to destroy the beautiful building.
Director
Kon Ichikawa
Screenwriter
Natto Wada, Keiji Hasebe, Kon Ichikawa, Yukio Mishima
Production Co
Daiei Kyoto
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
Japanese
Runtime
1h 36m