The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On

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The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On

Released Nov 15, 1988

2h 2m

Documentary

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100%

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6 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Filmmaker Kazuo Hara follows Kenzo Okuzaki, a World War II soldier seeking the fates of others in his unit.

Wael Khairy

RogerEbert.com

“The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On” is fearless and fascinating cinema that forces you to think, and makes you ask questions about how we experience and record history.

Sep 23, 2022

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

Hara calmly observes the compromised yet fanatically dedicated inquisitor on his mission, parsing the chaotic events with a visual clarity that illuminates the story's complexities and raises the drama to a high aesthetic order.

Jun 16, 2021

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Donald J. Levit

ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Director Hara does not intrude; he merely records as sixty-two-year-old Kenzo Okuzaki relentlessly pursues his campaign to expose dark secrets and discredit the Emperor.

Apr 2, 2014

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

It's meant to offend the Japanese establishment for their silence over Emperor Hirohito's failure to accept responsibility for the war, and does so with relish.

Rated: A

May 5, 2010

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Here's a nasty little piece of work that's both shocking and heroic in its audacity.

Apr 12, 2007

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Doug Cummings

Filmjourney

One of the more astonishing aspects of the film (one that also incriminates the viewer) is [its] shocking moral fury.

Mar 8, 2007

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acsdoug D

Riveting and remarkable, an interesting juxtaposition of a crazy man and a just cause.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/10/23

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Audience Member

This documentary isn't as entertaining as it is interesting. It is the story of a Japanese WWII veteran who investigates the murder/execution of 2 alleged Japanese deserters who were killed after the war ended. More interesting than the investigation are the people who are interviewed and their reactions. The people who are interviewed are haunted by there past, most of them are very reluctant to talk. When some of them finely do talk, it is chilling to see their emotion and to hear the gruesome things they have to say. I recommend this documentary because it shows emotions and reactions I have never sen before. Nothing is dramatized, it is a cold and honest. It is a testimony of the horrible things people have to live with and how they deal with it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

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Audience Member

Frighteningly real, it never ceases to amaze. I'll never forget it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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Audience Member

I wanna watch this again. so funny and intense movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Audience Member

It's easy to see why Errol Morris calls this one of his top five favorite films. There's so much here, both spoken and unspoken, that a film class could spend a whole term sorting it out. Absolutely riveting for those who like to draw their own conclusions, and probably boring as hell for those who merely wish to be entertained. I've never seen anything like this.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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Audience Member

Though there's a level of repetitiveness to the movie, the first forty-five minutes or so unfolds at a blistering pace. To call it an expose might not do its visceral content justice.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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Kazuo Hara

Director

Kenzo Okuzaki

Self

Sachiko Kobayashi

Producer

Kazuo Hara

Cinematographer

Jun Nabeshima

Film Editing

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Kazuo Hara follows Kenzo Okuzaki, a World War II soldier seeking the fates of others in his unit.

Director: Kazuo Hara
Producer: Sachiko Kobayashi
Production Co: Imamura Productions, Zanzou-sha, Shisso Production
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 15, 1988, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 23, 2018
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Stereo