'' (花火; literally: Fireworks) is a
1997 Film Starring ,
Written ,
Directed and
Edited by
Japanese Filmmaker Takeshi Kitano . The film's
Score was composed by renowned Japanese
Composer ,
Joe Hisaishi . This would be their fourth collaboration. ''Hana-bi'' was released under the
English title ''Fireworks'' in the
United States , but with its original Japanese title in other English-speaking countries. The title is romanized with a hyphen as Kitano wanted to emphasize the duality of "flower" (''hana'') and "fire" (''bi''), the literal meanings of the characters that make up ''fireworks'' in
Japanese .
The unexpected international success of ''Hana-bi'', coupled with ''
Sonatine 's'' critical acclaim, established Kitano as a foremost Japanese filmmaker of his time.
Kitano's daughter and former singer
Shoko Kitano also made an appearance.
Kitano plays Nishi, a violent and unpredictable ex-police detective who quits the force after a terrible incident that results in his partner, Horibe (
Ren Osugi ), being confined to a
Wheelchair . After his retirement he spends much of his time looking after his wife Miyuki (
Kayoko Kishimoto ), who has
Leukemia . The film moves at a deliberate pace and devotes much time to exploring their relationship. Nishi has also borrowed money from the
Yakuza to pay for his wife's needs, and is having difficultly repaying them. Meanwhile, Horibe takes up painting and creates works of art that are
Surrealistic and beautiful. In reality, these paintings were painted by Kitano himself, whilst in recovery from an infamous motorcycle accident in August 1994 that left half of his face paralysed.
Most of the techniques used in the film are typical of Kitano - his deadpan demeanor, the stillness, the languid pace, the lengthy takes, the sudden ruthless violence, and the overall
Minimalism . In the very first scene, Nishi stands stock-still, looking at something, unwavering. Another character is also standing still and staring. This pattern is repeated throughout the film; it seems characters only move if they must.
Like most of Kitano's films, ''Hana-bi'' looks washed-out; it looks dreamy, and yet the violence is stark and abrupt. People are shot in the head and stabbed in the face. Blood is shed in liberal quantities. All this is contrasted by deep melancholy and tenderness, two qualities found similarly in Kitano's earlier effort, ''
Sonatine ''. An example of when violence and sadness clash is demonstrated in one of Kitano's trademarks, the gruesome,
Decelerated scene. The dialogue is sparse, more so than the rest of Kitano's films. Nishi is not the only non-conversationalist; a good few of the characters are taciturn. Nishi's wife, for example, has only two short lines in the entire film, while Nishi speaks only when it is essential.
Nishi's scenes are interspersed with Horibe's, who has taken up painting in order to compensate for his
Paralysis . Horibe, like Kitano, is a
Pointillist .
circles, and won numerous awards and nominations.
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