Hiroshima mon amour [Blu-ray]

The great French/Japanese classic concerning a love affair between a French actor (Emmanuèle Riva) on a shoot in Hiroshima, and a Japanese architect (Eiji Okada). The movie is enriched by a series of voiceovers that evoke past traumas — the film’s great themes are memory and identity, and the horror and beauty which trauma exacts from these.“A cornerstone film of the French New Wave, Resnais’s first feature is one of the most influential films of all time” (Criterion).The film opens with the experiences of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. As their brief relationship deepens, the story of the actor’s life in occupied France as the lover of a German soldier, as well as her later punishment as a collaborator, is interwoven into the horrors of the bombing:“Director Alain Resnais's images and screenwriter Marguerite Duras's words present the story in a series of searing flashbacks, brief vignettes that sometimes leave the viewer unsure whether the date is 1959 or 1945. This jumbling of time produces a sense of timelessness, of course, but it also impresses one with the contingent nature of reality and, most importantly, truth. The two lovers, knowing their relationship is fleeting, challenge and soothe each other in equal measure, so as to savor every moment they have together” (MOMA).

This is a poetic film that has to be classified as cinematic art, perhaps the greatest pure art film ever made. It intertwines two love stories, one in the present and one in the past, with the devastation caused by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Originally conceived as a documentary, it was transformed into an feature film through the poetry of the screenplay by French novelist, playwright, screenwriter and essayist, Marguerite Duras and the aesthetic structure imposed on the material by the director, Alain Resnais. Without doubt, this is a masterpiece of French and world cinema.

It is probably the most unforgettable movie I have ever seen; the historical background, the excellent acting, the surrounding atmosphere, the intriguing and pulsating pace, the great cinematography and direction, all came together as if by magic except we all know that great work and effort created that magic, without doubt, a masterpiece.

The Blu Ray print really makes the movie enjoyable. The scenes of the devastation of Hiroshima are particularly good. The two leads are charismatic and the rapport between them comes across.

good but a little strange film...

A gem..one of my faves!

One of the great films of all time. Unfortunately the snap-case was cracked when the dvd was delivered.

excellent item