{"id":83316,"date":"2022-04-24T10:41:50","date_gmt":"2022-04-24T17:41:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=83316"},"modified":"2022-04-24T10:41:50","modified_gmt":"2022-04-24T17:41:50","slug":"fires-on-the-plain-1959","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=83316","title":{"rendered":"Fires On the Plain (1959)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I was told to die, and I intend to.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Poster-218x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"218\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-83317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Poster-218x300.png 218w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Poster-93x128.png 93w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Poster-197x270.png 197w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Poster.png 605w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA tuberculosis-ridden Japanese soldier (Eiji Funakoshi) rejected by both his platoon and the local hospital wanders the desolate plains of the Philippines near the end of World War II, attempting to survive.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cannibalism<\/li>\n<li>Japanese Films<\/li>\n<li>Kon Ichikawa Films<\/li>\n<li>Soldiers<\/li>\n<li>Survival<\/li>\n<li>World War Two<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary writes, this &#8220;shocking vision of war by Kon Ichikawa, adapted by his wife, Natto Wada, from <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fires_on_the_Plain_(novel)\">Shohei Ooka&#8217;s novel<\/a>,&#8221; is a &#8220;unique, unforgettable anti-war film,&#8221; focused on the &#8220;defeated, retreating Japanese&#8221; soldiers &#8220;scattered about&#8221; the island of Leyte (in the Philippines) who are &#8220;awaiting death from starvation, disease, the Americans, or Filipino guerillas who are lighting signal fires off in the wilderness.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Smoke.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Smoke-1024x443.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"277\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-83327\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Smoke-1024x443.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Smoke-300x130.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Smoke-128x55.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Smoke-768x332.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Smoke-604x261.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Smoke.png 1181w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We follow the simple yet horrifying tale of a soldier (Funakoshi) who &#8220;wanders deliriously around the island, willing to kill for food, encountering depravity and madness everywhere he goes.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Madness.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Madness-1024x434.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"271\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-83322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Madness-1024x434.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Madness-300x127.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Madness-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Madness-768x325.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Madness-604x256.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Madness.png 1183w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As Peary writes, &#8220;The island becomes a graveyard, with the corpses of the invaders rotting in the mud&#8221; and &#8220;the survivors hav[ing] become ghouls, cannibalizing their fellow soldiers&#8221;: yet &#8220;our soldier is a <em>lost<\/em> soul &#8212; his rotting teeth prevent him from eating human meat, his tubercular condition prevents others from eating his flesh, so his misery will not end.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Shadowy-Fire.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Shadowy-Fire-1024x458.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"286\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-83326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Shadowy-Fire-1024x458.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Shadowy-Fire-300x134.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Shadowy-Fire-128x57.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Shadowy-Fire-768x344.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Shadowy-Fire-604x270.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-on-the-Plain-Shadowy-Fire.png 1169w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Yes, this film is exactly as bleak as it sounds, with no reprieve other than glimpses of Funakoshi&#8217;s enduring humanity, and the beauty of cinematographer Setsuo Kobayahi&#8217;s landscapes. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Lonely.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Lonely-1024x438.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"274\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-83324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Lonely-1024x438.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Lonely-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Lonely-128x55.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Lonely-768x329.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Lonely-604x258.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Lonely.png 1185w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Alongside Ichikawa&#8217;s earlier, more hopeful anti-war film <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2254\"><em>Harp of Burma<\/em> (1956)<\/a>, this film remains essential if brutal one-time viewing. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Eiji Funakoshi as Tamura<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plains-Funakoshi.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plains-Funakoshi-1024x461.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-83318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plains-Funakoshi-1024x461.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plains-Funakoshi-300x135.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plains-Funakoshi-128x58.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plains-Funakoshi-768x346.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plains-Funakoshi-600x270.png 600w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plains-Funakoshi.png 1171w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Setsuo Kobayashi&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Hand-Up.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Hand-Up-1024x441.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"276\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-83319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Hand-Up-1024x441.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Hand-Up-300x129.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Hand-Up-128x55.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Hand-Up-768x331.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Hand-Up-604x260.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Fires-On-the-Plain-Hand-Up.png 1181w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a horrifying yet essential entry in Japanese cinema. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Foreign Gem<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0053121\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/fires-on-the-plain\/review\/2000031314\/\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.criterion.com\/current\/posts\/797-fires-on-the-plain\">Criterion Essay (Terrence Rafferty)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.criterion.com\/current\/posts\/473-fires-on-the-plain-both-ends-burning\">Criterion Essay (Chuck Stephens) <\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/557368\/fires-on-the-plain#articles-reviews?articleId=241704\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I was told to die, and I intend to.&#8221; Synopsis: A tuberculosis-ridden Japanese soldier (Eiji Funakoshi) rejected by both his platoon and the local hospital wanders the desolate plains of the Philippines near the end of World War II, attempting to survive. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Cannibalism Japanese Films Kon Ichikawa Films Soldiers Survival World War Two Response to Peary\u2019s Review: As Peary writes, this &#8220;shocking vision of war by Kon Ichikawa, adapted by his wife, Natto Wada, from&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=83316\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-83316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=83316"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83330,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83316\/revisions\/83330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=83316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=83316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=83316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}