On Takeshi Kitano’s Aesthetics of Violence скачать в хорошем качестве

On Takeshi Kitano’s Aesthetics of Violence

On Takeshi Kitano’s Aesthetics of Violence Takeshi Kitano has a particular fondness for fixed camera angles and long takes, but his use of them differs from that of Taiwanese directors. In Kitano’s films, these long takes often contain poetic stillness—empty, lingering shots that feel like quiet intervals of contemplation. His depiction of violence, on the other hand, resembles the precision of a samurai duel: direct, swift, and inevitable. Once the blade is drawn, blood must be shed. His violence is clean and decisive, never indulgent, forming a rhythm and aesthetic that are uniquely his own. Before the 1990s, Kitano’s works were characterized by a cool, restrained tone—a fusion of Eastern wabi-sabi sensibility and raw, unflinching violence. During this period, he received overwhelming international acclaim—winning award after award—which ironically led him into self-doubt. He began to question the very idea of “being understood,” and whether cinema as a medium could still convey the chaos within him. In his later years, his films began to exhibit a kind of “creative release,” a more liberated narrative style that was playful, self-referential, and even self-mocking at times. Interestingly, Kitano’s directorial career began almost by accident. Violent Cop was originally intended to be directed by Kinji Fukasaku, with Kitano only starring in it. When Fukasaku suddenly fell ill and withdrew, Kitano stepped in to direct—and unexpectedly created his first film. After shooting, he realized the runtime was too short, so he added several shots of empty streets and people walking to fill the gaps. Ironically, this improvisation worked beautifully, becoming the foundation of the long-take, meditative style that would later define his filmmaking. Which Takeshi Kitano film is your favorite?