novelraw Chapter 146: Kurosawa Eiji Stepping Down! The True God! Nohara Hiroshi!
Chapter 146: Kurosawa Eiji Stepping Down! The True God! Nohara Hiroshi!
These words, like the last withered leaf in autumn, carrying a bit of self-mocking chill, fluttered down onto this desolate shooting location in the suburbs of Tokyo.
The wind carried the smell of dust and withered grass.
Those few rudimentary machiya full of the style of the era temporarily built for filming in the distance, under the somewhat bland sunlight in the afternoon, appeared somewhat unrealistically desolate.
A few plastic bags printed with convenience store logos tumbled in the autumn wind, crashing into the cold equipment boxes, emitting a soft rustling sound.
"Everyone cheer up!"
Assistant Director Soejima Shohei, a man approaching forty with deeply sunken eye sockets and a face written full of sleep deprivation, was currently holding a megaphone that had long been shouted until the sound broke, weakly shouting towards that group of staff members sitting paralyzed on the ground in twos and threes with numb expressions.
Beside him, Editor Watanabe Ichiro, a man wearing thick black-rimmed glasses looking quite refined, was currently using a glasses cloth, repeatedly, almost neurotically wiping his already spotless lenses.
"I really don't understand, what exactly is Director Kurosawa thinking?"
In the corner, a young assistant in charge of lighting lowered his voice, complaining to his companion beside him. That voice was full of irrepressible irritability: "Hasn't the film already wrapped up and entered the initial editing stage? Why did he suddenly call all of us back again? Saying... want to do reshoots? Does he know, that in order to catch up with that damn schedule of his, we have already pulled all-nighters for almost a month straight!"
"Who says it isn't so." Another guy in charge of props took a fierce drag of the cigarette in his hand, inhaling that spicy smoke deeply into his lungs, and then slowly exhaled it, as if to exhale all the resentment in his heart along with it: "I heard, it's the Board of Directors, cutting the director's budget again. This is already the third time. I reckon ah, it's the director unwilling to give up, wanting to use the least amount of money to toss out some new tricks again."
"Toss? He is tossing happily, but aren't we people at the bottom the ones suffering?"
The lighting assistant curled his lips, that look full of disdain and contempt towards the "artistic pursuits" of superiors: "I've seen it through, this industry of ours, is a bottomless pit. You can never satisfy those so-called 'great directors'. They say 'for art' on their lips, but in reality, they are just using our blood and sweat, to pile up that pitiful, long-outdated self-esteem of theirs."
The conversation full of resentment stirred up resonance in the crowd.
But everyone remained silent. Yet on those faces written full of exhaustion, all surfaced a kind of numbness named resignation.
But so what?
This was Director Kurosawa Eiji, who dared to offend him?
Soejima Shohei and Watanabe Ichiro looked at each other, both seeing a deep helplessness in each other's eyes.
Of course they knew that this "Samurai in the Blacksmith Shop" of Director Kurosawa had been full of twists and turns since the beginning of the project.
They had also seen that rough cut demo.
In all fairness, that was a samurai movie above the standard level.
Whether it was the composition, the soundtrack, or the actors' performances, all carried that signature unique mark of Kurosawa Eiji full of tragic aesthetics.
But...
It was merely "above the standard level".
It was too flat.
As flat as a cup of plain boiled water that had long gone cold. Although it quenched thirst, one could no longer taste the slightest surprise and sweet aftertaste.
Just like those samurai movies Kurosawa Eiji filmed in his later era.
What beginning, what process.
What ending.
All could be guessed!
Even if a small anti-trope was added, so what?
They knew, that golden age belonging to Kurosawa Eiji, where he could cleave open an entire era with a single katana, perhaps really had gone never to return.
Just in this atmosphere full of suppression and depression, a few seemingly familiar nanny vans, however, inappropriately slowly drove into this desolate shooting location.
The car doors opened. A few young actors wearing fashionable casual clothes, their faces carrying a bit of curiosity and confusion, walked off.
It was precisely Fujii Itsuki, Ko Kaoruhana, those few core actors of the Kanto Faction who shone brilliantly in "Tales of the Unusual".
"Soejima-san, Watanabe-san."
Fujii Itsuki, this actor who was currently quite popular among the younger generation, stepped forward, respectfully bowing and saluting towards the two seniors. That handsome face carried a bit of puzzlement: "Director Kurosawa suddenly calling us over, is there... some new arrangement? I remember, this play 'Samurai in the Blacksmith Shop', we... don't seem to have participated in it right?"
"I don't know either."
Soejima Shohei smiled bitterly and shook his head. That exhausted face was written full of the same confusion as the other party: "The director just told me to call all the Kanto Faction actors I could contact over, saying... want to film a brand new scene."
"A brand new scene?"
Everyone was stunned.
They looked at this set full of "samurai style" before them, then looked at this set of casual clothes full of modern breath on themselves, those faces all written full of unbelievable absurdity.
Just at this time, a steady roar similar to a top-tier sports car engine, came from far to near.
Everyone's gazes, like iron filings attracted by a magnet, in unison, focused onto that slowly arriving, pitch-black commercial vehicle with smooth and elegant lines.
The car door slid open silently.
That figure of Kurosawa Eiji analogous to an unsheathed katana, carrying a stubborn character belonging to an old-era craftsman, appeared at the doorway.
The scene instantly quieted down.
Everyone subconsciously stood up straight. On those faces surfaced an instinctive awe.
However, before their respectful greeting could be uttered, another figure, closely followed, unhurriedly walking down from that commercial vehicle full of oppressive feeling.
That was a young man wearing simple casual clothes, hanging that signature gentle smile on his face.
His entire person exuded a calmness and stability akin to the warm sun in autumn, as if right now he wasn't standing in a shooting location full of dust and exhaustion, but leisurely taking a walk in his own backyard.
It was Nohara Hiroshi.
"..."
The entire shooting location, instantly plunged into an eerie deathly silence where one could hear a pin drop.
Everyone blankly looked at that figure, those faces written full of unbelievable shock.
He... how could he be here?!
Soejima Shohei and Watanabe Ichiro were even more like two stone statues standing blankly on the spot.
Although they knew Director Kurosawa Eiji and this Department Manager Nohara Hiroshi who recently amazed the world at TV Tokyo had a very good relationship, but this was a movie set right now, what was the meaning of this Nohara Hiroshi who filmed anime, television dramas, and variety shows coming over?
One must know previously, Director Kurosawa Eiji even pleasantly surprised said over the phone he had invited a savior.
This savior... is Nohara Hiroshi!?
"Manager Nohara!"
Right amidst this deathly silence full of shock and absurdity, a cheer full of irrepressible near-fanaticism rumbled without any warning like a clap of thunder!
Fujii Itsuki, Ko Kaoruhana, those few actors of the Kanto Faction, like a group of travelers who had trekked in the desert for decades and finally saw an oasis, almost simultaneously rushed out from the crowd!
On those young faces of theirs, the curiosity and puzzlement from just now was long gone.
Replaced by an ecstasy produced after seeing their own pillar of support!
"Manager! Why are you here too!"
"Great! Knowing you are also here, we feel relieved!"
They were like a group of little birds that had found a sanctuary, chirping and surrounding Nohara Hiroshi. That heartfelt intimacy and trust was palpable.
That fanaticism, even infected those staff members around who originally belonged to the "Kurosawa Team".
They looked at that young man surrounded in the center like stars surrounding the moon, then looked at their own director, who although still majestic, but at this moment seemed like a forgotten isolated island, appearing somewhat desolate.
That heart originally full of resentment unexpectedly birthed a trace of complex emotion at this moment.
Kurosawa Eiji quietly watched this scene full of theatricality before him.
Joy or anger couldn't be discerned on his face.
But deep in his eyes, quietly surfaced a deep desolation akin to a hero in his twilight years.
The era belonging to him perhaps truly was already past.
"Alright."
Kurosawa Eiji slowly spoke. That voice was hoarse, yet still carried a weighty might, instantly suppressing that hubbub full of fanaticism.
He looked at this group of "Kanto Faction actors" before him who were rejuvenated with vigorous vitality due to the arrival of a young man, then looked at that group of "Kurosawa Team veterans" behind him whose edges had long been worn flat by reality.
He couldn't help but slowly sigh.
He turned around, and facing that group of filming teams looking over, he said in a deep voice: "From today onwards, this project 'Samurai in the Blacksmith Shop', is officially abandoned!"
"Boom——!"
These words exploded in everyone's mind like an atomic bomb!
"Di... Director! You... what did you say?!" Soejima Shohei's voice was full of an unbelievable shudder.
"Abandoned? Then... then all our hard work these few months, isn't it... all completely wasted?!" On Watanabe Ichiro's face was also written full of shock.
However, Kurosawa Eiji merely waved his hand calmly, turned around, and amidst those countless gazes full of shock and puzzlement, slowly cast his gaze onto that young man who had merely smiled calmly from beginning to end.
He spoke lightly:
"From today onwards, we, will commence a, brand new project."
He paused, and amidst those countless gazes that had long been shocked beyond measure by his words, slowly said:
"Its name, is called ——"
"—— 'Seven Samurai'!"
"And this movie's, General Planner, Chief Screenwriter, and... Co-Director."
In Kurosawa Eiji's eyes, burned a madness of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats sufficient to put the entire old era to the torch!
Kurosawa Eiji directly pointed at Nohara Hiroshi.
Loudly saying:
"—— Is him, Nohara Hiroshi!"
"..."
The entire world seemed to have been pressed on the mute button.
Everyone blankly looked at Kurosawa Eiji and Nohara Hiroshi, their gazes couldn't help but rapidly drift between the two people.
On those faces, remained only undisguised sluggishness.
Sluggishness from being shocked.
A Level 1 Director who had been famous for a long time, unexpectedly said he wanted to put his own painstaking efforts to the torch, and then let everyone listen to the command of this young man who hadn't graduated from university for long, and had just come to TV Tokyo for less than half a year.
To continue filming a samurai movie that made Kurosawa Eiji, a giant-level figure of samurai movies, willing to cooperate with!?
This fucking... what kind of logic is this?!
What exactly is wrong with this world?!
Assistant Director Soejima Shohei felt his brain had completely crashed.
With his mouth open, on that face written full of exhaustion, at this moment only remained a blankness after his worldview had been smashed to pieces by a heavy hammer.
He even suspected, if it was because he stayed up too late recently, that he was having auditory hallucinations.
"What are you all standing around for?!"
That roar of Kurosawa Eiji full of impatience, akin to an unexpected clap of thunder, finally thoroughly tore this eerie deathly silence to shreds!
Those sharp eyes of his swept across the entire scene. That look, like a male lion completely enraged, was full of unquestionable majesty: "Didn't you hear my words?! Set up the scenery! Props! Wardrobe! All get moving! Also, set up the meeting tent over there for me immediately!"
He pointed to a relatively open flat ground not far away. That posture, was like a Sengoku daimyo issuing orders.
Only this time all his instructions pointed to an ultimate core.
He turned around to that young man who had merely been smiling calmly from beginning to end, and made a "please" gesture.
"General Director... Nohara, can we... start?"
General Director Nohara?!
These three words, like three of the heaviest siege rams, once again fiercely crashed into the mental defenses of everyone present!
If just now, they still harbored a trace of fluke, thinking this was merely a sudden whim of a joke by Director Kurosawa.
Then now, when these three words, were spoken from the mouth of this master who had been aloof for a lifetime, using a tone almost akin to a "subordinate reporting work", everyone knew...
The sky really had changed.
"Okay, Director Kurosawa." Nohara Hiroshi smiled and nodded.
He ignored those shocked gazes around him sufficient to burn him alive, merely taking calm steps, and under the personal guidance of that legendary director, walked into that rudimentary meeting tent that had just been hurriedly put up by a few staff members.
Inside the tent, a folding long table, a few plastic chairs, was the entire inventory.
Nohara Hiroshi frankly sat down on that chair symbolizing the main seat, his gaze calmly sweeping across those core members of the crew who were pushed and shoved in by Soejima Shohei like marionettes, already at a loss of what to do.
"Everyone, I know you have many questions right now."
Nohara Hiroshi directly said: "However, before answering your questions, I want to first tell you all, a story."
As he spoke, amidst those countless gazes full of confusion, doubt, puzzlement, and curiosity, he unhurriedly began to construct that movie world.
"The story takes place in the Warring States period of Japan, in a poor mountain village that suffered constant harassment from mountain bandits..."
His voice was very calm, without the slightest cadence. Like a brilliant storyteller, using the flattest tone, slowly unrolling a grand scroll full of blood and fire.
He spoke of those seven samurai with wildly different personalities, yet equally full of tragic colors.
He spoke of those peasants who seemingly simple, but in reality more cunning, and also more pitiful than mountain bandits.
Outside the tent, the autumn wind howled.
Inside the tent, it was a deathly silence.
Everyone held their breath, those faces having long lost the initial numbness and contempt.
Replaced by a deep shock after being thoroughly conquered by an absolutely genius concept!
That young screenwriter responsible for recording, had even long stopped the pen in his hand. He listened blankly, in those eyes hidden behind the thick lenses, burning two raging fires of pilgrimage!
"...Ultimately, the mountain bandits were wiped out, the village was saved. The peasants sang and danced, celebrating the harvest. The three surviving samurai, looking at those joyous fields, one of them, spoke such a sentence —— 'In the end we lost this battle too. The victory belongs to those peasants. Not to us'."
When Nohara Hiroshi finished the last word, he picked up that cup of barley tea that had long gone cold before him, gently taking a sip.
Inside the entire tent, one could still hear a pin drop.
Only after a long while did an irrepressible sound of gasping for cold air sound out!
"This... this... this is simply... divine!" The young screenwriter muttered to himself, in that voice, carrying a shudder after being thoroughly crushed.
He never thought, a story about samurai, could actually be told so magnificently, and point directly to the human heart!
"Alright, the story is finished."
Nohara Hiroshi put down the teacup, and amidst those countless gazes that had already been thoroughly won over by him, slowly placed that folder that had long been prepared, thick like a brick, in the center of the table.
"These are some immature thoughts of my individual self, some storyboard drafts I drew. You guys can... use it as a reference."
Reference?
Soejima Shohei, this veteran assistant director who had steeped in the Kurosawa Team for almost ten years, flipped open that folder.
And then, his pupils violently shrank into a most dangerous pinprick!
On it, where was there any "draft"?!
It was clearly god-tier storyboard drafts completed to an outrageous degree, precise to every camera angle, every character expression, all being able to be called perfect!
Those smooth lines, that composition full of tension, that unique rhythm full of cinematic feel that had long surpassed the aesthetics of this era revealed between the lines...
Acted like the sharpest katana, fiercely cleaving open his shackles of thought that had long been imprisoned by traditional movie shooting procedures!
"This... this..." In his voice, was a trace of irrepressible shudder.
He originally thought this young man, was only a genius who knew how to tell stories.
But he absolutely did not expect, the other party unexpectedly... unexpectedly used this kind of manga style, bringing an unfilmed movie, every frame, to life before his eyes!
"Now, are there any more questions?" Nohara Hiroshi's voice rang out calmly.
"No... none!"
Soejima Shohei abruptly stood up, heavily, heavily, bowing his waist towards that young man.
A standard ninety-degree bow full of awe and conviction!
"General Director Nohara! Please... please be sure to, let us follow you! Bring this great work, to this world!"
"Please be sure to let us follow you!"
Inside the tent, all the core members of the crew at this moment seemed to be pulled by an invisible gravity, standing up in unison, and giving a solemn bow to that young man!
And looking at all this, Kurosawa Eiji slowly revealed a smile, without any desolation, only the happiness of receiving recognition.
...
On the open ground outside the tent, the atmosphere still felt a subtle sense of fragmentation.
Those Kanto Faction actors who had been temporarily summoned here were clustered in twos and threes, their faces written full of excitement and anticipation.
Whereas those veterans belonging to the "Kurosawa Team" still maintained an innate sense of distance, observing all of this coldly.
"Fujii-san, you say, what is the Manager... going to film this time? How did he even manage to move Director Kurosawa?" Ko Kaoruhana, this young actress with a stunning performance in "Tales of the Unusual", was asking curiously to the person beside her, who was already the leading figure of the younger generation of the Kanto Faction, Fujii Itsuki.
"Who knows." Fujii Itsuki shrugged his shoulders, but on that handsome face, carried an almost blind confidence: "However, since it's the Manager personally taking charge, then it absolutely won't be bad! We ah, just wait for a good show."
"Tch, easier said than done."
Not far away, a master worker in charge of lighting, who had worked in the Kurosawa Team for almost twenty years, unable to hold back, issued a cold snort full of contempt from his nose upon hearing this.
He spat out the cigarette butt in his mouth, crushing it fiercely with the sole of his shoe. That look, was like looking at a group of young brats who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth.
"Movies, are not you kids playing house. That is an art that needs to be polished bit by bit using time and experience. Someone who films TV dramas, dares to run over to point fingers at Director Kurosawa? What an absolute joke!"
"Exactly!"
Another veteran in charge of props also nodded in agreement. In that voice, was full of the superiority belonging to seniority: "We've followed Director Kurosawa for almost thirty years, what kind of genius haven't we seen? But ultimately? Don't they still have to honestly follow the director's rules? The water in the movie industry is deep."
This speech carrying the meaning of flaunting seniority caused a look of displeasure to surface on Fujii Itsuki's handsome face as well.
He had just opened his mouth to retort, when the curtain of the meeting tent was violently lifted.
Kurosawa Eiji's figure, akin to an unsheathed katana, walked out with large strides.
His face carried majesty.
Instantly making everyone subconsciously stand up.
"Director Kurosawa!"
"Director!"
"What are your instructions, Director?"
Everyone looked towards Kurosawa Eiji.
But Kurosawa Eiji was merely holding a few simple line drawings with character portraits of the seven samurai, freshly torn off from that stack of god-tier storyboard drafts.
"Miyoshi Taiji!" And then he spoke, using his resounding voice, roaring across the entire set like a clap of thunder!
The one called out, was a middle-aged male actor approaching fifty, with a bit of having seen through the vicissitudes of the world in his eyes.
He paused for a moment, and hurriedly stepped out from the crowd.
"Here!"
"You, play Kambei!" Kurosawa Eiji heavily slapped a drawing covered in small text into his hand: "Go back! Memorize the character biography for me! I want you to act out that kind of compassion of having seen through life and death, yet still choosing to step forward!"
"Hai!" Miyoshi Taiji nodded heavily. On that steady face was written full of irrepressible excitement!
Although he hadn't figured out the situation.
But this was Director Kurosawa Eiji's drawing draft and biography for him!
"Makino Shunpei!" Kurosawa Eiji spoke again.
"Here!" A young actor with a bit of untamable wildness hidden in his eyes stepped forward in response.
"You, play Kikuchiyo!" Kurosawa Eiji handed over another drawing: "I want you to act out that beast-like vitality, and childish innocence! I want to let the audience see you, just like seeing a beast that could break free from its restraints at any moment!"
"Hai!"
"Fushimi Ryuji!"
"Here!"
"You, play Kyuzo! I want you to act out that absolute calmness of being able to forsake everything for Bushido!"
"Hai!"
...
One name after another, exploded from his mouth like a clap of thunder!
One drawing after another, was distributed by him like a military order, to those actors who had long been thoroughly stunned by his resolute and swift actions!
The entire casting process was neat and tidy, without the slightest dragging of mud and water!
That precise grasp of actor's temperament, and absolute control unique to a top-tier director, was fully manifested at this moment!
They watched as their director, who seemingly in an instant, regained his peak condition, equally full of doubts.
Logically speaking, did trivial matters like casting still require Director Kurosawa to act personally?
However, before they could recover from this shock, a voice full of confusion, yet carrying a bit of unwillingness, inappropriately sounded out.
"That... Director Kurosawa."
That veteran in charge of lighting from before, hesitated for a moment, but eventually still summoned his courage, stepped forward, and asked using a tone as tactful as possible: "Are we... really going to film a, brand new movie? Then... then this movie, exactly... who has the final say ah?"
This question asked the heartfelt voice of all the members of the "Kurosawa Team" present.
They looked at their director, majestic like a god, in those eyes carrying a trace of an ultimate small struggle.
However, Kurosawa Eiji merely looked at him calmly, that look like looking at an ignorant child: "Was I not clear enough before? Do you guys not know who the true actual general director is?"
But he still answered them: "I already said it! It's... Nohara Hiroshi!"
"..."
The entire world seemed to have been pressed on the mute button once again.
That lighting master, stood blankly on the spot. On that already somewhat tanned face, all blood color faded cleanly in an instant.
Including all the members of the Kurosawa Team's filming crew, all had expressions of being both wronged and at a loss on their faces.
In their hearts, Kurosawa Eiji... had always been a god-like existence!
"Wow!" However, those young artists of the Kanto Faction, each and every one let out expressions of pleasant surprise.
When looking towards the tent, the fanaticism within their eyes grew even more intense.
Because they knew.
Nohara Hiroshi.
Was the true, God!
(End of Chapter)