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University of Laughs
In pre-war Japan, a government censor tries to make the writer for a theater troupe alter his comedic script. As they work with and against each other, the script ends up developing in unexpected ways.
Release : | 2004 |
Rating : | 7.4 |
Studio : | |
Crew : | Production Design, Director of Photography, |
Cast : | Koji Yakusho Goro Inagaki Masaya Takahashi Masao Komatsu Tae Kimura |
Genre : | Drama Comedy |
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Reviews
Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.
Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny
In Showa era, before the World War 2, a prosecutor named Sakisaka and a dramatist named Tsubaki meets in an investigation room of the metropolitan police department. At first Sakisaka tries to prevent Tsubaki's theatrical company "University of Laughs," but as they rewrite the script, Sakisaka comes to enjoy the rewriting with Tsubaki This movie is almost composed of the conversations of the two and the situation hardly changes from the investigation room. Thus, some people may think this movie do not have passionate scene and the images are boring. On the other hand, the two actors play the contrastive characterized men. I think it great that their conversations which draws the attentions of the audience. Tsubaki has a ready wit and promptly thinks of the lines which are full of humor. The humor which Tsubaki think every time made me laugh. I was also impressed with the set of the structure. Actually they are buildings now exist, they looks like the real Tokyo in the beginning of Showa era.
In World WarⅡ, Japanese government was controlling every entertainment. This is the story of director of comedy stage and sensor of government.This story's point of interest, the censor's thinking changes gradually, because of the eager director. At first, the censor tried to not forgive it hate even to laugh, but the director's avid attitude and his fascinating script made the censor change. The other key point is historical back ground. How do you expect the ending of this story?I like this movie so much. Koji Yakusyo acts the censor who don't have interest in entertainment, and too serious. In addition, he has never laughed anything so far. The other hand, Goro Inagaki acts the director who makes funny stories, and also he is earnest too. The both of actor's acting are wonderful and they matched their role.This film has so many points of laugh, and give us warm feeling after watch it. Especially, I was cried by last scene. This is one of the greatest film what I've ever seen. I want to recommend it to everyone.
Sakisaka, working as an inspector of comedy script, hardly laughs. One day, he meets a scriptwriter named Tsubaki Hajime. Tsubaki comes to him to get the script checked, then it can be on at his theater. However, Sakisaka doesn't say "ok", he asks him to rewrite and bring it the next day. Tsumaki follows his advice and the two come to make the script more interesting together. But it doesn't last so long. One day, Tsubaki brings a sad news with a great comedy script and then,,,I laughed a lot seeing this movie. Koji Yakusho, acted Sakisaka, is one of the greatest actors in Japan. I'm a big fan of him. Sakisaka is a serious person. He doesn't laugh and dislike comedy, but gradually changes. Yakusho expressed the small change faithfully in the film. And I'm also a fan of Koji Mitani. His movies are always funny and interesting.This movie must make you laugh and give you bravery to keep going what you like to do.
It is amazing and rare when a film manages to reach us and surprise us by succeeding our expectations. In my personal experience, THE UNIVERSITY OF LAUGHS is one of such films. What I loved the most about this particular film is how complex issues which throughout history have affected cultural expression can be represented and illustrated in such a fine and simple fashion.Sakisaka, a government official entrusted with creating favorable conditions for the maximum expansion of the ruling ideology, through the censorship and manipulation of messages in popular culture meets his counterpart in a humble theater script writer seeking approval for his latest project. The movie evolves and progresses as both, censor and writer work together, with and against each other to achieve their individual interests.My favorite moment is that in which Hajime Tsubaki becomes aware that his interest and passion for comedy writing, transcends the personal and collective interests of his boss, his colleagues and even his nation. He can live with the criticism and punishment offered to him by friends, peers and society at large but he cannot live without being true to himself, therefore, he is left with no option but to follow his comic nature through his gift of writing. This is the most purely political phase in the film, and it marks the decisive passage of struggle from the individual structure, to the sphere of the complex superstructures.In all, this is a beautiful and clever display of Japanese culture and worldwide struggle for freedom of speech, and a subtle reminder of how far we have come to reach the stage of cultural freedom that many of us enjoy today.