Actors follow ‘subconscious’ to play young, oldHokusai
Japanese actorsMinTanaka, left, andYuyaYagira respectively portray olderand younger versions of the Edo-era painterand printer in“Hokusai.”
TOKYO — Anew film portraying the life of Edo-era painter and printerHokusai features the artistry of twomodernday Japanese actors.
YuyaYagira, whowon aCannesBestActor award for his role in HirokazuKoreeda’s “Nobody Knows,” plays the younger Hokusai. Internationally acclaimed dancerMin Tanaka portrays the older Hokusai.
AlthoughYagira and Tanaka don’t particularly look alike, their intense expressions are so similar, viewers will have no problems accepting they’re the same person.
“Hokusai” closed the Tokyo International Film Festival earlier thismonth.
Tanaka andYagira talked at length just once, and Tanaka had suggested they don’t try too hard towork at portraying the same character, and instead just followtheir own “subconscious.”
“I chose to believe in the script, the director and YuyaYagira the actor, and believe they have already prepared what is to be inside ofme. And that is enough,” Tanaka said, stressing that mimickingYagira’s portrayal of his character as a youth wouldn’t be particularly interesting.
Their interpretations ofHokusai underline the determination of artists to pursue their voice, a calling that appears to lie deeply inTanaka andYagira, as well as inHokusai.
Yagira seesHokusai as a feudal-eraBanksy, the British street artist, andwasexcitedtobe in a samurai film with no sword fighting scenes, featuring an artistwith whomhe could identify.
“There arecommon feelings, such aswanting to be recognized but not getting recognized, basic feelings like jealousyorenvy, orwewant to be better,” he said. “We decided to create our own Hokusai as a young man.”
The story tracesHokusai’s struggles, enduring economic, psychological and artistic hardships, amid the cruel, oppressive social backdrop of feudal Japan. The struggles culminate in his arriving at the spectacularwaves of his famouswoodblock print in the “36Views of Mount Fuji” series.
Yagira said he suggested the scene, inwhich a youthfulHokusai in despairwalks into the ocean, almost giving up, but returns and starts drawing in a frenzy on the sand.
“Why did he feel so muchforwaves?” he said. “I suggestedmaybe he had once given up on life. If you had that kind of extreme passion, then you will find the energy to create such a world-famous painting.”
The scene that’s key for Tanaka iswhen the older Hokusai revels in arriving at his ownshade of blue.
“That scene is about achieving that blue, the color that I love, and so it is with sheer joy I go into the rain. And Iwant to become that color, making my whole body that color,” Tanaka said.
HajimeHashimoto, the director, believes movies have long lived in “theworld of darkness” — knownas theaters— despite the challenges of various times.
“That placewhere strangers huddle close, cry, laugh, get outraged and have fun together,” he said. “‘Hokusai’ brings together all our feelings for that place.”