This 1987 film was in store for some time, but given the great amount of publicity generated from the film "Hachi," 2009, directed by Lasse Hallstrom and starring Richard Gere I thought it was appropriate to recover it. I have already talked about this story in this post nicolaingiappone of the blog, will reclaim a piece of that post here. "ハチ公 ( Hachiko) was a beautiful specimen of the breed 秋田 ( Akita ), belonged to a major university professor named 上 野 英 三郎 ( Ueno Hidesaburō ) in 1924 was transferred to the Department of Agriculture University of Tokyo. Hachiko had accompanied his master every morning at Shibuya station, and it waited until the evening when Professor Ueno returned to welcome him joyfully. Professor Ueno died a year later, in 1925. Hachiko, after the death of his master, he continued to reach the station every morning, and wait for his master until the evening, every single day of the year. Four years later, in 1928, was appointed a new station manager, who noticed the faithful tenant, let him run free in the station, and sleep in a closet near his shelter. Hachiko never ceased to respect the time of departure and arrival of the train used by his master. Transmission refreshment station began to feed him, and though many had doubts that he was there only for the food we gave him, remains the mystery, the fact that the dog was on the track at the same time in the morning and evening. Hachiko's devotion towards his master's touched many people, and that was how he was called 忠 犬 ハチ公 ( chūken Hachiko - The True Hachiko). In April 1934 it was erected in his honor a statue, cast by the sculptor Shou Ando, \u200b\u200bin front of Shibuya station at the western entrance, and Hachiko was there, present. On 8 March 1935, the dog did not show the usual appointment at 18:00. He died that day from a disease called filariasis. After the death of his master, for 10 years, never stopped one day to wait for the train to Shibuya. The major newspapers in Tokyo it gave notice, the funeral was celebrated in the presence of the authorities and Hachiko became the leading example cited by parents for the good upbringing of children, his devotion in fact fully reflects the spirit of sacrifice and devotion of which must 'be equipped with a good Japanese. The remains of Hachiko are kept in state in the embalming 国立 科学 博物馆 ( Kokuritsu Kagaku Hakubutsukan - National Museum of Science) in Ueno, Tokyo "..." Every year since then, March 7, a feast is celebrated Hachiko in the square, called 忠 犬 ハチ公 まつり ( Chūken Hachiko Matsuri - Festival in honor of Hachiko Devoto).
The film is quite slow, a sterile transposition of the dog's life, told from his birth to his death. The professor, his life and death are events such as marginal rightly, IMMULITE are marginal characters who take turns in the narrative. Speaking of rhythm: If you do not like the slow pace of Japanese films, hate this movie! Commendable sterility extended to moving scenes that are very pumped up, as it must be contrary to the films of 2009: Designed to make you cry. Here is one of the positive sides of ハチ公 物語 ( Hachiko Monogatari ) is that there does not tear tears, or almost.
I know nothing of how we behave in the 20s in the family, but family in Ueno, a bit 'as it happens today, women command! The poor teacher must master between the dictates of a oppressive and insistent wife and daughter on the whims of a capricious and spoiled. Quite the opposite in fact of the alleged male-dominated society, the Japanese, told and assumed by many. I have no benchmarks, relatives or friends in Japan can actually tell how life was in Japan in the '20s, but in some respects, this scenario seems so artificial and television. Then the whole film is shot in the set, of course it was impossible to reproduce the Shibuya station in those years, but eventually see the same tram pass, the walls of cardboard buildings, the setting makes it seem a little Disneyland.
The film was a huge success and withdraw the equivalent of $ 60 million, in addition to national film awards in various competitions.
ハチ公 物語 ( Hachiko Monogatari - The Story of Hachiko) Japan, 1987 - directed by Seijiro Koyama
