http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/509995438

Ningen no jōken (Motion picture : [1958?])

A scathing, three part dramatization of the Japanese occupation of Manchuria and the dehumanization of the individual in war, The Human Condition was the project of Japan's master of socially critical cinema, Masaki Kobayashi. Adapted from the six volume novel by Jompei Komikawa, this epic film, almost nine and a half hours in length, is a pacifist's response to the militaristic ethos that dominated Japan during World War II. The film's production process was so daunting that the lead actor Tatsuya Nakadai made other films in between the three episodes, including the films Yojimbo and Sanjuro (both with director Akira Kurosawa). The Human Condition tells the story of Kaji, a young pacifist trying to maintain his ideals in the midst of Japan's war effort and its expansion into China and the Pacific. When Kaji tries to improve the lot of the Chinese laborers in his care, he is accused of conspiracy, tortured and forced into military service. "I had some of the same experiences during the war as Kaji. I wanted to bring to life some of the tragedies of men who are forced into war against their will." Masaki Kobayashi.

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