It consists of footage of horses in various settings: running through fields, being groomed by their owners, and participating in races and festivals. There are also interviews with trainers, breeders, and jockeys discussing their love for horses and the importance of these animals in Japanese culture. The score, composed by Toru Takemitsu, is a haunting blend of traditional Japanese music and modern avant-garde sounds.
Despite its simplicity, Song of the Horse is a visually stunning and emotionally resonant work. Kurosawa’s trademark attention to detail is evident in every frame, from the exquisite cinematography to the expressive editing. The director’s love for horses shines through in every shot, and his admiration for these magnificent creatures is palpable.
In many ways, Song of the Horse can be seen as a departure for Kurosawa—a departure from the epic samurai dramas and gritty crime thrillers that made him famous. But in its focus on the beauty and grace of horses, the film is a continuation of his lifelong exploration of humanity’s relationship with nature. As poet Kenji Miyazawa once said, “When I see horses running as fast as they can, tears well up in my eyes.” In Song of the Horse, Kurosawa captures that same sense of wonder and awe, inviting viewers to experience the magic of these majestic animals.
Song of the Horse may not have the same recognition as Kurosawa’s more celebrated works, but it remains a hidden gem in the director’s filmography. It is a testament to his versatility and his ability to find beauty and meaning in unexpected places. And for those who have the chance to see it, Song of the Horse is a reminder of the power of cinema to transport us to new worlds and open our eyes to the wonders of the natural world.
What is clear, however, is that Song of the Horse marked a turning point in Kurosawa’s career, as it was one of the few films that received lackluster reviews and failed to capture the essence of his usual filmmaking prowess. Despite its shortcomings, the film does offer some interesting insights into Kurosawa’s life, such as his collaboration with composer Masaru Sato and the events leading up to his suicide attempt in 1971.
Overall, Song of the Horse may not be remembered as one of Kurosawa’s best works, but it does provide a glimpse into the life and career of a legendary filmmaker who faced both triumphs and struggles throughout his journey in the world of cinema. En una entrevista con la Criterion Collection, la supervisora de guiones Teruyo Nogami recordó: “[W]cuando viajamos a la URSS [para Dersu Uzala], los reporteros extranjeros no dudaron en preguntarle directamente a Kurosawa por qué quería suicidarse. Siempre respondía lo mismo: ‘En ese momento, no podía soportar seguir viviendo, ni por un minuto más o un segundo’. Lo que hacía su vida tan insoportable nunca lo dijo.”
Notas y citas:
Solo estoy contando las películas en las que Kurosawa fue el único director y que consideraba parte de su filmografía oficial. No se tienen en cuenta películas basadas en sus guiones pero dirigidas por otros; tampoco se consideran imágenes de las que solo se encargó de segmentos, como Horse (1941) de Kajiro Yamamoto o la película del sindicato de Toho Those Who Make Tomorrow (1946).
Galbraith, Stuart, IV. The Emperor and the Wolf: The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune. Nueva York: Faber & Faber, 2002, p. 441
Ibid
Ibid, pp. 444-48
Ibid, pp. 449-58
En 1953, el televisor más barato en Japón costaba aproximadamente ¥175,000. Sin embargo, para 1958, el precio había bajado a ¥60,000 y el número de televisores en Japón había crecido de 866 a más de 1.5 millones. Fuente: Chun, Jayson Makoto. A Nation of a Hundred Million Idiots?: A Social History of Japanese Television, 1953 – 1973. Nueva York: Routledge, 2006
Galbraith, Stuart, IV. The Japanese Filmography: A Complete Reference Work to 209 Filmmakers and the More Than 1250 Films Released in the United States, 1900-1994. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1996, p. 471
Bock, Audie. Japanese Film Directors. Nueva York: Kodansha International, Ltd., 1978, p. 205
Ibid, p. 247
Galbraith, The Emperor and the Wolf, p. 487
Ibid, p. 474
Ibid, p. 486
Crist, Judith. “Uneasy Rider.” Nueva York vol. 4, no. 11, 11 de octubre de 1971, p. 67
En los créditos se menciona a la compañía de Kurosawa, Kurosawa Production, como coproductora.
Galbraith, The Emperor and the Wolf, p. 559
Ibid, p. 487
“Una conversación con Teruyo Nogami.” Traducido por Juliet Winters Carpenter. Dodes’ka-den, el folleto del DVD de The Criterion Collection, 2009, p. 18