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TAIHEIYO HITORIBOTCHI (1963)

Film details

Alternative titles

  • HORIE Alternative
  • MY ENEMY THE SEA Alternative
  • ALONE ON THE PACIFIC Alternative
  • ALONE ACROSS THE PACIFIC Alternative

Synopsis

Based on the real-life saga of a Japanese yachtsman who attempted to cross the Pacific single-handedly on a 19-foot sailboat in 1962, this elemental drama reduces to their purest essence some of Ichikawa's most basic themes: rugged individualim, physical and spiritual isolation, obsession and transcendence. Beautifully shot (Yoshihiro Yamazaki's widescreen photography either frames the protagonist in tight confines, or as a tiny speck on a vast ocean), it's also ingeniously structured, its intricate flashbacks drawing parallels between the hero's contest with nature and his struggle to escape his imperious father.

Cast & Credits

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