Recent orders
Evaluation program
Evaluation program
The evaluation proposed by the Chief Probation Officer was properly conducted and became successful in the long run. The youths were first removed from the normal processing system and thus shame associated with crime was reduced. The dishonor was reduced. The separation of the violent and nonviolent ensured that the weak ones were protected and the violent monitored. The separation as well reduced juvenile delinquency that might have existed among the offenders. This improved the images of the youths (self seen), social skills and the attitude that they had formerly. The random placement reduced the chances of interaction between close relatives or friends that could influence one another. This method yielded minimal result as the similar crimes were still being committed as far as in the detainment camps. The counseling program was effective as it ran for period of six months and this could ensure full counseling and guidance. This made sure that the offenders were monitored appropriately and were given counseling as required. When they were placed in probation for probation for two year, it is likely that the rate of crime reduced. The evaluation marked the standard procedure for handling juvenile criminals. The detainment made remarkably change in behavior and this aided in avoiding of further violations of law.
Offenders were treated in good and human way. The comparison with the control indicated the short comings of the system as well as the merits. The system was effective as when the two groups were compared, the success was evident. The number returned to the juvenile system was few as compared to the number detained. The control group was as a reference. It indicated the effectiveness of the program. Though successful, but the evaluation had some short comings. Convergent results that were taken thereafter stratifications revealed that the program had more but not 100% success. The original offenses are still committed even after detainment. The program did not well separate the closely related members and this increased the rate of crime. This was as a result of the random placement of the offenders. The close friends end up being together. The administrator then made up his mind not to separate them and all were assigned to the same place like treatment. The other limitation was the way they were returned home. All were removed within a day and then released to go home. The other disadvantage of this method was that, not all the youths committed similar offences. Some committed serious crimes but others and others little crimes and they may have not been appropriate to be diverted to the program.
A juvenile diversion program, originally proposed by the Chief Probation Officer, was evaluated. The objective was to remove the youths from processing by the official system and thereby decrease the stigma associated with the label of “juvenile delinquent.” The project administrators, who were two senior probation officers on the department’s promotion list for Assistant Chief, felt that the diversion program would ultimately result in decreased recidivism rates. All nonviolent juveniles, of both genders, who were detained by the police during a six-month period (about 300 juveniles), were placed either in the program (treatment) or in a control group. Placement was by random assignment to one of the two groups. In a substantial number of cases, the juveniles committed their original offenses with close friends who were also detained by the police. Project administrators decided not to split up these friends and, if any were assigned to the treatment group, all were assigned to treatment. The treatment group finished with 184 assignments and the control group with 117 assignments. Members of the treatment group were removed from the detention facility within one day, taken to a counseling center and then returned to their homes. They continued to receive counseling and other services for six months, at which point they were told to call the counseling center “if there were any problems.” The members of the control group received normal processing through the juvenile court system and, on average, were released from detention within 2 days, processed through the court within one month and placed on probation for two years. In order to assure that the controls were treated normally, the administrators briefed the supervising probation officers on the program so that they would be careful to treat the controls in the usual way. Data were collected on gender, age, race, and offense of the juveniles. After one year the evaluators compared the two groups and declared that the project had indeed been successful. Of the 184 juveniles who were diverted, 40 had been returned to the juvenile system. Of the 117 juveniles who were processed normally, 39 were returned to the system. When the evaluators looked at the experiences of the 21 females in the evaluation (spread across both treatment and control groups), they found that females were returned to the system by about 5 percent in the treatment group and by about 8 percent in the control group. With these results, the evaluators felt that the program would work particularly well for females.
Al Ali Stage Cultural Analysis
2.Cultural Analysis
I-Introduction:
In order to enter a global market, we need to have an idea about the country’s cultural background, which helps him or her to build up a good business. As was explained in Stage 1, Italy is one of the five largest industrialized economies in the world. It is the gateway to the world’s largest single market, the European Union. It enjoys excellent economic contacts with the new democracies in Central and Eastern Europe. The products to be marketed are trade “Camel leather” bags and accessories. The company started in 2010 and has currently gained business success to almost 800 million dollars in assets. The company started with only 5 employees but it is currently employing more than 500 employee. The turnover of the company started at 500 but currently is at 3000.
III-Geographical setting:
Italy has very old history as a location and with the other countries, as Italy has experienced a tumultuous period that saw a mass exodus of her people and the disastrous consequences of two World Wars.
Yet over the past 60 years the country has reclaimed its position as a major social and cultural player in world affairs. Italian goods and services have excellent international reputations, and Italy remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe so far.
Location:
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia.
Climate:
Predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south.
Topography:
Italy is located in Southern Europe and comprises the boot-shaped Italian Peninsula and a number of islands including the two largest, Sicily and Sardinia. The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula’s backbone, the Alps form its northern boundary.
IV-Social Institutions:
Before Italian families seemed to be as extended families which includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins and parents. But the average Italian family today is made up of one or two children.
Family:
Typically, due to different cultural concepts of lifestyle and values, families in the South will have more children than those of the North of the country, often more than two. The family is the center of the social structure and provides a stabilizing influence for its members; the family provides both emotional and financial support to its members. Nowadays nuclear family style is more embraced, as it contains of parents and two children only, as there are only few left that live with extended family style which contains grandparents, parents, children, cousins, aunties, uncles.
4.Role of male & female:
As the culture is being changed in Italy time by time, so, the responsibilities are being more, this responsibilities before was taking cared by the male only, but after the development and education, women also playing a huge role. The role of being a traditional housewife to Italian women is no longer appealing. Young housewives see this job as more of a necessity than a choice. Working positions of women vary depending on their location in Italy. The majority of mothers who have a child from ages 0 to 2 are working mothers (47.4 percent) while 42.8 percent are housewives.
Education:
Free education is available to children of all nationalities who are residents of Italy. They start with nursery then primary school, middle school, high school, then professional institutions that include higher education. At present the Italian school system is divided into three parts:
Primary school (scuole elementare)
Lower secondary (scuola media)
Upper secondary school (scuola superiore)
Political System:
Independence Day of Italy is 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870).
Political structure: In June 1946, the Italian people voted to abolish the Monarchy and the country became a Democratic Republic. The Italian Parliament is made up of 946 elected members. There are two houses, both with equal rights and powers.
Political Parties: Also Italian voting system is based on a ‘Party List’ system, where each party’s candidates are ranked in order of priority.
Stability of Government:
Italian governments have been known to be unstable, and it has had a lot more general elections than other countries.
Taxes:
Taxation in Italy is levied at national, regional and municipal level. The Italian tax system is managed by the (Italian Inland Revenue). The Tax Year runs from 1st January to 31st December. All workers are subject to taxation of their income or other benefits, except for daily allowances paid for business trips and lunch tickets. The amount of tax to be paid depends on the type and duration of the contract. I have to keep in my mind about this point before opening a business over there, as a residence also I have to pay taxes, and it differs from business to business.
Role of Regional and local government:
The Italian constitution provides for four types of territorial bodies: regions, provinces, metropolitan cities and towns.
The republic is divided into regions, provinces, and communes. There are 15 ordinary regions and an additional 5 to which special autonomy has been granted. The organs of regional government are the regional council, a popularly elected deliberative body with power to pass laws and issue administrative regulations; the regional committee, an executive body elected by the council from among its own members; and the president of the regional committee. Type of government: republic, capital: Roma (Rome).
D- Legal System:
The Italian legal system is governed by the Constitution of the Italian Republic, promulgated in 1948. This is a fixed constitution, meaning that it cannot be amended by ordinary laws.; It can be amended or added to solely by means of a special procedure, which is highly complex and is laid down in the Constitution itself. And it’s based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
The legislative power of Parliament: The Constitution confers upon Parliament, which is made up of the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives the task of creating laws, which are the primary sources of the State’s legal order.
The company is a member of the intellectual property rights of Italy in order to protect its patent from competitive growing market.
In order to meet the current corporate responsibility, the company has registered several social organizations ranging from sports organizations to scholarship body that help the society.
V-Religion & Aesthetics:
A-Religion:
Includes: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim. Before Christianity gained a firm grip on the people of Italy, ancient Romans worshipped a series of gods and goddesses. In the Italy of today, the Roman Church still wields a powerful sword, and the people of the Church look to the Pope for guidance. Italy is a Christian country, some 88 per cent of the population belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.
B- Aesthetics:
Visual Arts
The country is a home for visual arts ranging from domestic and foreign visual arts. In order to promote this, the country organizes visual arts fairs to display their artistic works.
Music:
Italy is the home of opera music. Opera music was created in Italy in the 17th Century by Italian music composer Claudio Monteverdi. He wrote his first opera, named L’Orfeo, in 1607 which was composed to commemorate the annual festival of Mantua.
Italy has produced a few very significant names in the world of classical music over the past few hundred years. The most prevalent form of popular music in Italy during the past few decades has been rock music as well.
Drama:
Italian rulers began in 1485 to finance productions of Roman plays and imitations of them. This prompted interest in rewriting Roman plays into Italian as well as the writing of new plays. One of first important vernacular tragedy was Sofonisha by Giangiorgio Trissino.
National Holidays & Events:
There are a few major religious and historical celebrations, which are National Public Holidays and are celebrated all over Italy. On these days the shops, businesses, museums and other attractions tend to be closed. Festivals form a large part of life in Italy and these celebrations are not just confined to religion, historical events, art and culture.
Famous Sports:
Football, Men’s tennis & Stadio Olympico.
Painting:
Leonardo da vinci is the most famous in Italy, Having shown an early talent for painting, he was apprenticed at the age of fourteen to the artist, Verrocchio, patron of one of the finest workshops in Florence.
Theater:
The Commedia dell’ Arte, or The Italian Comedy, as it is sometimes called, flourished all over Italy, and later in France, as a popular form of theatre in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The characters of the commedia fall into three classes: servants (zanni), older men, (vecchi) and young lovers.
Cinema:
Italian Cinema was not that much famous, as Italian Cinema has had its ups and downs, ranging from trashy, low budget films, local comedy. The foundations for this important industry were laid before the Second World War, when the Fascist Government set up a Board of Judgment for popular culture, and with Mussolini’s approval, they created some important structures for Italian Cinema.
VI-Living Conditions
With high per capita and income rate the people of Italy enjoy outstanding living standards. This is also contributed with growing GDP.
VII-Language:
The Italian language is a member of the Romance group of the Italic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages. During the long period of the evolution of Italian, many dialects sprang up. 93% of population is native Italian speakers. Around 50% of population speaks a regional dialect as mother tongue. Italian (official) 94%; Sardinian, Ladino, Friaul, German, French, Slovene
References:
HYPERLINK “http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcitaly.htm” http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcitaly.htm
HYPERLINK “http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/297474/Italy/258797/Regional-and-local-government” http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/297474/Italy/258797/Regional-and-local-government
HYPERLINK “http://www.infoplease.com/country/italy.html” http://www.infoplease.com/country/italy.html
3.Economic Analysis
I-Introduction:
Italy’s economy in the 21st Century has been mixed, experiencing both relative economic growth and stagnation, recession and stability. Italy has a great industrial economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, welfare-dependent, agricultural south, with high unemployment. The Italian government has struggled to limit government spending, but Italy’s exceedingly high public debt remains above 115% of GDP.
II-Population:
Italy ended 2012 with a population of 59,685,227 people, which represents an increase of 291,020 people compared to 2011. The female population is greater, with 30,795,630 women, representing 51.59% of the total, compared to 28,889,597 or 48.40% men.
The current population of the Italian Republic is estimated to be about 61,470,336. The Italian population makes up only 0.85% of the total world population and ranks 23rd in the population rankings, behind the United Kingdom, but ahead of Myanmar. It is also the sixth-most populous country in Europe.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.8% (male 4,335,746/female 4,148,249) 15-24 years: 9.9% (male 3,059,140/female 3,035,991) 25-54 years: 43.2% (male 13,133,733/female 13,416,626) 55-64 years: 12.3% (male 3,675,324/female 3,913,918) 65 years and over: 20.8% (male 5,454,283/female 7,309,287) (2013 est.)
A.Total?
1. Growth Rates
The GDP of Italy has reduced by 0.2% in the first quarter of this year. The average Gross Domestic product of Italy is about 7% from 2012 to 2013 reaching 13% in 2014. A clear indication that the GDP will be 20 by 2015.
2. Number of Live Births
According to the last record as released by the Italian government statistically agency ISTAT in 20th, June, 2014 indicated that more 10,000 live births were evident in the first three months as compared to last year (2013)
3. Birthrates
The Italian birth rate is 8.9 births/1000 populations according to the 2013 population analysis. This indicated that the market has limited birth rate reducing the potentials of future target market.
4.Migration rates and patterns
4.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.), the net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife.
5.Ethnic Groups:
Ethnic groups: Italian 94%; German, French, Greek, Albanian, Slovene, Ladino.
III.Economic Statistics and Activities:
Land use: arable land: 41% //; – grass land: 16% //; – wooded area: 23% //; – arid land and desert: %
Agriculture: labor force: 9% //; – part of agriculture in GDP: 3%- Agricultural products: wheat, barley, vegetables, grapes, fruit, olives, fish Energy use (kg per capita): 2932
GNP (This is the Gross National Product of Italy as per 2013)
Total: The total GNP for Italy is 1756. 8 billion Euros in 2013. This indicates a potentials target market opportunity.
Rate of Growth. According to Italy’s statistics for 2013, the GNP for the country is 23%.
Personal Income per capita
The per capita income for Italy as per 2013 statistics is 250 euros, however the rate varies from place to place in the country. For example, those dwelling in the cities enjoy more per capita as compared to those in the rural areas.
C.Average family income:
The average income per person in Italy is $23,917 per year. They also spend almost a quarter of their disposable income.
D.Distribution of wealth:
As a result of Italy’s generous welfare state, the great majority of poor families do not live in extremes of squalor or deprivation. Essential needs provided by the state include basic health care and education, clean water supplies, and housing.
Income Classes
There are only two classes of income among the entire Italy’s population. The class is divided into high income earners and low income earners. These classes are noted to affect the rate of purchase.
Proportion of Population in Each Class
According to the national statistics, the low-income earners take 56% of the total population and 44 for the high-income earners
Is the distribution distorted
The best things with the country is that both the classes are evenly distributed in the all the localities.
Minerals and Resources
Italy was a reach country in the past in terms of minerals but the minerals capacity was exhausted after although resource such as fishing is abundant in the country.
Personal Income per capita
Modes
There are only two modes of earning income in the country. The first is from wages and salary from the government and the other is from private means such as businesses.
Availability
The availability of income in the country is uneven hence depends on other income modes for stable income expect for those getting from the government.
Usage Rates
The saving rate in the country (Italy) is only 25% hence meaning that the rate of use of the income in 75% mostly on medical bills and food.
Communications:
There are many types of media such as television, radio, newspapers, phone, fax and Internet. Italy is the fifth largest market in the world for communication services and television. Italy also has a good communication network to provide information to all Italian regions.
Types
There are two main types of communication in Italy that is oral and written means of communication. Written means found in letters, emails etc. and oral using cell phones and human oral communication.
Availability
The availability of means of communication in Italy is evenly distributed hence communication is easy to access.
Usage Rates
The rate of usage of the two means of communication is Italy is 99% meaning all people communicate effectively.
H. Working conditions:
The normal working day is set at 40 hours per week, not necessarily calculated on the basis of a working week but for each seven-day period. Collective contracts may agree a normal working period of less than 40 hours.
Employer-Employee Relations
Italy has a very good employee-to-employee relationship because of excellent employees’ unions in the country.
Employee Participation
The rate of employee participation in the country is 98% meaning that employees have Job satisfaction.
Salaries and Benefits
Employees are heavily remunerated in Italy leading to increased employee retention and motivation.
I. Principal Industries
Proportion
The main industries in the country and privately owned however the government also has some industries in manages
Ratio
The rate of private to government principles industries is 8: 2
J.Foreign Investment:
Compared to its European neighbors, Italy attracts little foreign direct investment (FDI) but nevertheless ranks 14th among global investors. As FDI flows are highly volatile and fall and rise in reaction to the opportunities created by the crises of the Italian economy. After recovering in 2011, they have now again fallen sharply. A recovery of the FDIs is expected in this year if the country becomes more politically and economically stable.
Opportunities
Several business opportunities in the Italian market that has a population demand Camel leather bags.
Which Industries
There are several leather bag industries in Italy that bring competition to camel leather bags hence the target market is expected to have a stiff competition.
K.International Trade Statistics
Major Exports
Dollar Value
Italy offers export market for its products in more than 100 countries, however its main products is its domestic market more than 1700.6 billion dollars are sold as exports.
Trends
Most of the exports are taken to European countries accounting for 54% all the exports and 30% to Asia and the rest to Africa. Rarely does their product go to United States.
Major Imports
a.Dollar Value
Italy offers import market for its products in more than 10 countries, however its main products is its domestic market more than 1250 billion dollars are bought as imports.
Trends
Most of the imports are taken to European countries accounting for 34% all the exports and 50% to Asia and the rest to Africa. Rarely does their product move from the United States.
Balance-of-payments Situation
Surplus or deficit
The UK current record deficiency wa s£10.7 billion in Quarter 4 2014, up from an updated setback of £3.2 billion in Quarter 3 2013. The deficiency in Quarter 3 2013 likened to 5.1% of GDP at current business sector costs, up from 2.5% in Quarter 2 2013
Trends
The UK has had a relentless deficiency since the mid-1980s. Nations with expansive current record surplus have not so much improved, e.g. Japan had a long time of stagnation
Exchange Rates
Single or Multiple
The country uses multiple rates to do its national business and other foreign business, including dollars, euros, and pounds
Current Rate
The current rate is 1 usd= 0,73 Euro and 1 GBP = 1.25657 EUR
Trends
The current exchange rate trend in Italy is diverse since the country is at its peak of financial growth.
L-Trade Restrictions:
Embargoes
Embargoes are viewed as solid conciliatory measures forced in an exertion, by the forcing nation, to inspire a given national-investment result from the nation on which it is forced. Embargoes are like monetary endorses and are for the most part considered lawful boundaries to exchange, not to be befuddled with barricade which does not exist in Italy
Quotas
Italy has no current trade bans hence the country is open for the camel leather bagd business.
Import Taxes: Import duty and taxes are due when importing goods into Italy from outside of the EU whether by a private individual or a commercial entity. Excise duty is payable on for example tobacco and alcohol. Additional customs fees can be charged to cover the expense of performing any required examinations, verification and or testing of the imported goods.
Tariffs: Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, manufactured products (%) in Italy was 1.42 as of 2011. Its highest value over the past 23 years was 5.86 in 1990, while its lowest value was 1.42 in 2011.
Licensing
The country has several licensing platform in both imports and exports and it considers low licensing fee for potentials investors
Customs Duties
The Italy has several Customs fee platform in both imports and exports and it considers low licensing fee for potentials investors
M.Extent of Economic Activity not included
Major Exports
Dollar Value
Italy offers economic growth for its products in more than 100 countries, however its main products is its domestic market more than 1330 billion dollars of economic activity.
Trends
Most of the economic activity is taken with other European countries accounting for 54%
Major Imports
Dollar Value
The main product is its domestic market more than 1050 billion dollars are bought as imports.
Trends
20 percent to Asia and the rest to Africa. Rarely does their imports come from US.
Balance-of-payments Situation
Surplus or deficit
The deficiency in Quarter 1 2014 likened to 2.1% of GDP at current business sector costs, up from 3.5% in Quarter 1 2014
Trends
The UK has had a relentless deficiency since the mid-1980s. Nations with expansive current record surplus have not so much improved, e.g. Japan had a long time of stagnation
Exchange Rates
Single or Multiple
The country uses multiple rates to do its national business and other foreign business, including dollars, euros, and pounds
Current Rate
The current rate is 1 usd= 0,73 Euro and 1 GBP = 1.25657 EUR
Trends
The current exchange rate trend in Italy is diverse since the country is at its peak of financial growth
Government: There is hardly any assistance in Italy for promoting foreign investment. This trend is reinforced by the European Union which wants Italy to harmonize its tax incentives with the Community regulations.
-Media:
Radio television Italiana (RAI) is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster. RAI is the biggest television company in Italy. It is funded by a mixture of license fee and advertising.
-Shopping:
Shopping in Italy is an amazing experience. The high level of fashion, the beautiful colors, and the high end designers that are offered throughout the country make shopping in Italy one of the finest experiences. Famous shops such as (Andrea Morando, Babylon Bus, Bernardelli, Russo Capri, Spinnaker 101).
-References:
HYPERLINK “http://www.populstat.info/Europe/italyg.htm” http://www.populstat.info/Europe/italyg.htm
HYPERLINK “http://internationalliving.com/countries/italy/the-economy-in-italy/” http://internationalliving.com/countries/italy/the-economy-in-italy/
HYPERLINK “http://goitaly.about.com/od/shoppinginitaly/” http://goitaly.about.com/od/shoppinginitaly/
HYPERLINK “http://www.ajob.cz/en/about-countries-at5/italy-living-and-working-conditions-a563” http://www.ajob.cz/en/about-countries-at5/italy-living-and-working-conditions-a563
Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
Introduction
Akira Kurosawa, a man who would have turned one hundred years old in September 1998, will always be considered as one of the influential moviemakers in cinema history. In his entire filmmaking career that spanned fifty seven years, he made and directed thirty one movies earning him the Lifetime Achievement Oscar Award for his efforts in 1989. Among his many other awards is a 1975 Best Foreign Film Oscar for the movie Dersu Uzala and a Moscow gold medal for the same movie. His muscular storytelling and moral curiosity were quite influential in the film making industry. Some of his memorable trademarks include the wipe effect in the fading transition between scenes which was later used in making the Star Wars trilogy. He was also famous for his use of weather, for instance rain or heavy wind, to amplify mood.
In his entire career, beginning with his first movie in 1943, Akira Kurosawa left many of his audiences in the West entertained and informed about the Japanese culture. He has been hailed as a timeless inspiration to many of the modern day Hollywood film directors. Phenomenal Hollywood directors like Martin Scorsese and George Lucas have named Akira Kurosawa as having greatly influenced them in their careers. This paper discusses the relevance of Akira Kurosawa’s life and filmmaking career as well as some of his works to the Japanese culture and civilization.
His Early Life
Akira Kurosawa was born in Oimachi near Tokyo on March 23 1910. His father was known as Isamu Kurosawa who belonged to the Samurai family of the Aikita Prefecture (Galbraith 14). His mother was from a merchant family in Osaka. Akira was the eighth child in the moderately well to do family. He grew up with three sisters and one brother after his elder siblings left home. His father was a director at the Physical Education Institute of the Army (Galbraith 15).
The senior Kurosawa was a man who understood the value of theatre and motion pictures as an educational medium and viewed Western traditions with an open mind. He raised his children with the same principles which significantly influenced young Akira in his love for education, drawing, and movies. At the age of six, Akira Kurosawa was studying calligraphy and swordsmanship in the kendo discipline (Galbraith 16).
Besides his father, Akira’s older brother Heigo was also a major influence in the young man’s early life. Akira was only thirteen when Heigo took him to view the aftermath of the 1923 Kanto earthquake which is an experience that opened Akira’s eyes to the realities of devastation and dark side of nature. This experience influenced his later artistic work and his career as a movie director (Kurosawa 52). Heigo later went on to become a famous narrator for silent films. At this time Akira had become a painter while living with his brother. He, however, was not able to eke a decent living from his paintings due to his philosophical ideals that were not very popular with art collectors. His loss of enthusiasm with art coupled with his brother’s suicide left devastated and he moved back to his parents. In his autobiography, he talks about this phase in his life in a chapter aptly titled “A Story I Don’t Want to Tell” (Kurosawa 84).
He made his entry into the film industry as an inexperienced 25 year old assistant director at Photo Chemical Laboratories studio on February 1936. Photo Chemical Laboratories was later to change its name to Toho. In his five years as an assistant director at Toho, Kurosawa built his knowledge and experience under famous directors like Kajiro Yamamoto whom he worked under in 17 of his 24 movies as assistant director. Most of these movies were comedies in which the leading character was the famous actor Kenichi Enomoto (Galbraith 30). His major tasks included stage construction, film development and other activities like location scouting, lighting and editing among many others. His last film as an assistant director was Horse in 1941 (Cowie 68). Afterwards, Kurosawa took over the production of subsequent movies as a director.
One of the lessons Akira Kurosawa claimed to have learnt from Yamamoto was the importance and value of mastering screenwriting (Kurosawa 103). Writing scripts was more lucrative and paid higher than an assistant director’s salary. This prompted Kurosawa to either write or co-write all the movies he later produced. He even wrote screenplays for many other directors earning him a lucrative income on the side even after he had become famous in the 1960s (Martinez 47).
After releasing Horse in 1941, Akira Kurosawa spent the next two years seeking for a story to launch his career as a director with. This was a time of turmoil as Japan entered the Second World War against the United States. It was also a time when author Tsuneo Tomita published his book Sanshiro Sugata. The book had such a great impact on Kurosawa that he was able to convince Toho to secure its film rights.
In 1942, Kurosawa launched his career as a director with the movie version of Sanshiro Sugata (Kurosawa 123). His contribution to the movie industry and the effect it had on the promotion of Japanese culture and civilization can be best understood through a detailed analysis of the films he directed. His three significant films are Sanshiro Sugata, Seven Samurai, and Ran.
Sanshiro Sugata
Sanshiro Sugata, translated as ‘Judo Saga,’ was Akira Kurosawa’s directorial debut movie that Toho Studios released on March 25, 1943. It was eventually shown for the first time in the United States in April 1974. The movie was adapted from a book of the same title by Tsuneo Tomita. It depicts the life of Sugata, a young man whose search for mastery of jujitsu lands him in a self-defence discipline called Judo under the tutelage of a master judoka Shiro Saigo. The movie details the emergence of judo in the 19th century Japan. Sugata’s quest to learn is prompted by an incidence where he witnesses a man being bullied by a gang that is adept in the jujitsu fighting style. He eventually learns that before he can master any fighting style, he has to learn to wage a battle against his inner self (IMDB).
The theme of the movie revolves around the education, initiation, and self discovery of Sugata which he does in the process of learning judo. The theme is well depicted in a scene where Sugata leaps into cold water to prove to his master Yano his dedication after being involved in a street fight.
The movie also depicts two overtly religious concepts. The first one is the location of the judo facilities inside a Buddhist temple and the second one being Sayo, the love of Sugata’s heart, offering prayers at a Shinto shrine. It shows the Buddhist monk who lives in the temple as Sugata’s voice of wisdom who translates the leading character’s experiences into words. It is the monk who directs Sugata in his journey towards self-discovery. The monk’s words provide a connection between Sugata and Sayo and consequently between the two religions namely Buddhism and Shintoism (Chris).
The movie Sanshiro Sugata shows Kurosawa’s mastery of the process of making movies and depicts some of his trademark techniques like the use of wipes, camera speeds, and weather in reflecting character moods. The movie was such a great success that it has been remade five times. Its sequel Sanshiro Sugata Part II released in 1945 was also directed by Kurosawa.
In making the movie, Kurosawa was able to depict the importance of martial arts, which is a trademark of Japanese culture, as a discipline that went beyond mere fighting to mastery of the self and conquest of self-doubts and limitations. In the movie, Kurosawa was also able to show the interconnectedness between the two dominant religions in Japan namely Buddhism and Shintoism. The movie became a major box office release in the United States years later opening the world to the rich culture and religion of Japanese people.
Ran
The phenomenal movie Ran was produced and released by Akira Kurosawa in 1985. It is a Japanese period drama which portrays the fall of a ‘Sengoku-era’ warlord called Hidetora Ichimonji in a similar fashion to Shakespeare’s King Lear. The movie was Kurosawa’s last major epic production in which he portrayed the richness of Japanese culture albeit at turbulent times of the Empire’s history. It was a heavy budget movie which ran into an estimated $12 million. At the time of its release it was the most expensive Japanese movie ever made (Hagopian). It won praise the world over especially due to its powerful use of Japanese cultural images and color. Emi Wada, the movie’s costume designer, was awarded the “Academy Award for Costume Design” (Hagopian). Stephen Prince referred to Ran as “a relentless chronicle of base lust for power, betrayal of the father by his sons, and pervasive wars and murders that destroy all the main characters” (284).
The first part of its story line involving the warlord dividing his castles among his sons takes a slow pace characterized with soft spoken dialogues but as the action builds up, the movie takes a fast paced speed culminating in a fierce battle scene. It is a compelling movie that explores Japanese culture from a political view down to the material culture and wartime philosophy. The film undisputedly puts Akira Kurosawa on the forefront of movie directors who successfully elevated Japanese cinema to a global level.
The movie tells a story of greed, obsession with power, and finally revenge. It begins with the great warlord Hidetora retiring from the throne and dividing the empire between his three sons namely Taro, Jiro, and the youngest son Saburo. Hidetora’s wish at this advanced stage of his life is to live in peace in each of his son’s castles. Before the empire is divided, the younger son learns of his two elder brothers’ ulterior motives and goes ahead to pint this fact to his father. However, Hidetora perceives his youngest son’s warning as a divisive attempt and banishes him. In confirmation with the banished son’s claims, the oldest son conspires with the second one and together they take over the empire, stripping their father off everything including his title in the process.
Kurosawa’s inspiration for Ran came from a parable on Mori Montonari, a warlord during the Sengoku-era, and Shakespearean famous tragedy King Lear (Peary). The movie was also significant to the Japanese civilization as it highlighted lush and expansive Japanese sceneries in its locations which included Mount Aso plains and great castles in Kumamoto and Azusa as well as Himeji.
Seven Samurai
Set in the Warring States era in the 1580s Japan, the movie Seven Samurai is a story about a farming village that hires seven ‘ronin’ or samurais to protect it from bandits who steal and plunder their crops after every harvest. It is one of the most influential movies on Japanese samurai cultures ever made. Directed by Kurosawa, Seven Samurai became famous in the West for a long time and was even voted in Sight and Sounds ten greatest films in 1982 and 2002.
Released in 1954, the movie became an influence in the samurai class of movies that followed throughout the last century. Its success led to the remake known as the Magnificent Seven in Hollywood. Kurosawa’s main intention of making the movie was to have a movie that depicted the Japanese culture and at the same time show the existence of moral humanity in a place ruled by rigid traditions. For example, the hired samurai and the villagers belonged to two different castes that were never expected to mix by the existing traditions. The bandits on the other hand represented an even greater threat so much that the villagers were forced to seek the services of the samurai despite their traditional resentment of this fighting class of citizens.
Kurosawa used the movie to show the existence of moral standards in ancient Japan despite the warring and brutal depictions of this period favored by most historians. Some of the aspects of the movie like the love affair between one samurai, Katsushiro, and a farmer’s girl were meant to appeal to the modern audience as it would have appeared unrealistic in the 1600s (Ebert).
Conclusion
Like James Cameron and Steven Spielberg, Akira Kurosawa never attended any specific school of movie directors. He learned his ropes in the five years he spent as an assistant director at Toho under the tutelage of Kajiro Yamamoto, the famous Japanese director. However, his contribution in the movie world spearheaded the introduction of Japanese movies in the entire Western world.
His works were largely significant to the Japanese film industry because they portrayed the culture of Japan in the ancient period giving a visually informative view of the conditions as they existed as early as in the 1600s in the movie Seven Samurai and the political manipulations and battles after Hidetora’s reign in the movie Ran. In what historians and students of literature would refer to as preservation of oral and visual traditions, Akira Kurosawa used the art of film making to permanently preserve important aspects of Japanese culture through his movies.
Works Cited
Berardinelli, James. Review of Seven Samurai. 2003. Web. 17 April, 2011.<http://www.reelviews.net/movies/s/7samurai.html>.
Chris. Sanshiro Sugata: Instances of Buddhism and Shintoism. September 13th, 2010. Web. 17April, 2011. <http://akirakurosawa.info/forums/topic/sanshiro-sugata-instances-of-buddhism-and-shintoism>.
Cowie, Peter. Akira Kurosawa: Master of Cinema. New York, NY: Rizzoli Publications, 2010.Print.
Ebert, Rogert. The Seven Samurai. 19 August, 2001. Web. 17 April, 2011.<http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20010819/REVIEWS08/401010356/1023>.
Galbraith, Stuart, IV. The Emperor and the Wolf: The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa andToshiro Mifune. New York, NY: Faber and Faber, Inc., 2002. Print.
Hagopian, Kevin. New York State Writers Institute Film Notes – Ran. 12 March, 2007. Web. 17April, 2011.<http://web.archive.org/web/20070312000702/http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/fns98n7.html>.
Internet Movie Database. Sanshiro Sugata. 28 April, 1974. Web. 17 April, 2011.<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036400/>.
Kurosawa, Akira. Something like an Autobiography. New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1983.Print.
Martinez, Delores P. Remaking Kurosawa: Translations and Permutations in GlobalCinema.Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Print.
Peary, Gerald. Akira Kurosawa. Boston Herald. July, 1986. Web. 17 April, 2011.<http://www.geraldpeary.com/interviews/jkl/kurosawa.html>.
Prince, Stephen. The Warrior’s Camera. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1999. Print.