Underplayed Gems

Itazu (1987)

Itazu poster
Original title
イタズ　－熊－
Directed by
Toshio Gotō
Genre
drama film
Country
Japan
Runtime
1h 57m
Rating
10.0 of 10 from 1 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A hunter in 1920s Japan kills a mother bear and takes her cub to raise. The cub grows up and begins to cause problems in his village.

earthytenderbittersweetslow-pacedmelancholicnaturalisticgentlepoignant

What happens

Itazu Kuma (Japanese: イタズ 熊), also known as Born Wild, Run Free and The Forest of the Little Bear, is a 1987 Japanese drama film directed by Toshio Gotō. Set at the end of the Taishō era, the film depicts the story of a hunter who raises a bear cub after killing its mother. As the cub grows, it comes into conflict with the hunter's village. The film stars Takahiro Tamura as Ginzō the hunter, in addition to Junko Sakurada, Hiroshi Miyata, Ryutaro Tatsumi and Nijiko Kiyokawa. Itazu Kuma was theatrically released by Toei Company on September 5, 1987, in Japan. It was acclaimed and nominated for several awards, winning the Kinema Junpo Best Supporting Actress award for Junko Sakurada's performance. Itazu Kuma was also shown at the 15th Moscow International Film Festival. The film's score was composed by Masaru Sato, while its theme song "Itazu" was performed by Iruka. Itazu is the word for bear in the Ani branch of the Matagi dialect. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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