blue spring: akage no kelly

[@margaretclaureys7829]

"Blue Spring" is regarded as a minor classic in Japan, and for 3 good reasons. First, the director maintains a swift pace and holds your interest despite the absence of one overarching plot (instead, the plot's fueled by a number of different acts of alienation portrayed by an ensemble cast). Second, it features then unknown teenage actors who went on to have extremely successful careers -- eg, Matsuda Ryuhei, Arai Hirofumi and Nagayama Eita. Third, it is set in the late-90's, right when Japan's economic bubble had burst and the nation was reeling with unemployment, bankruptcy, crime and the inevitability of angry, futureless teens forming gangs. It's this third element more than anything else that accounts for the movie's fame, because this era looms so large in the Japanese psyche that they even refer to it as "The Lost Decade." And it was the teenagers of "The Lost Decade" who felt the brunt of economic despair the most because they were at what should've been the start of careers but were, instead, at the start of a road to nowhere. The movie conveys this hopelessness with excellent dialogue, such as the following exchange between a teen, and a teacher wherein the teen compares himself to a flower: -- "Teacher, aren’t there some flowers that never bloom?" -- "Flowers are meant to bloom, not to dry up. That’s what I choose to believe. It’s a very important thing.” The blooming of flowers is a recurring metaphor, which is also expressed with an inner monologue of a boy who's just dropped out of school. He has realized that his life will never bloom and that he is, as he calls himself, a "loser." -- "I staked my whole life on baseball. My only goal was the nationals. In this shithole of a school baseball was my only flower. I staked my life on my bat, my dreams on my pitches all to make the spirit of baseball bloom. In the midst of the roaring crowd, a glimpse of my mother's face. She's always there to love even a fool like me. Always ready to smile. I love you so much for that. Even if my body was broken and all my tears and sweat dried up, my dream remained the nationals. No regret for my youth. Loser." What's especially marvelous about "Blue Spring" is how the theme of teenage alienation is conveyed just as powerfully with a punk rock soundtrack as it is with such dialogue. That is to say, it's the nature of punk rock to speak of the same raw, angry nihilism of futureless youths. And the song "Drop" from the uber cool J-punk band "Thee Michelle Gun Elephant" is pitch perfect for the final plot point. Music, acting, setting, characters, and theme all converge seamlessly to create a movie that's just as compelling for contemporary audiences as it was to those actually experiencing "The Lost Decade" back then. You see, the movie succeeds as more than a cultural commentary about a specific era, and it does so by evoking a timeless, universal theme -- which is, of course, the timeless, universal theme of teenage alienation.

[@Thelastsamurai_7]

Great read

[@鬱苦しく生きる美しさ]

感動した。この歳になるまで知らぬ名作でした。 映画も音楽も儚くて素晴らしい。 アップ有難うございます。

[@captainmorgan5807]

The reason I found Michelle, Chiba Yusuke, Rosso and The Birthday was because of this film. RIP, thank you so much Chiba and Toyoda Toshiaki.

[@きよし-g2u]

映画と音楽のミックスまじ感謝です😂 ありがとうございます 2003年あたりの青年期世代にはささります。

[@zepperin4]

なぜ、このカッコよさがわかないのだろう？？ これが、青い青春なのに。

[@liloni444]

一番大好きの映画

[@todaiseafood]

RIP Yusuke Chiba.

[@kevinrivero9158]

beautiful movie

[@まこっち-g4z]

最後の方、夜から朝までワンカットで撮ったんか！？やべぇな

[@だこ-b8e]

答えはDVDの特典の服音声で

[@マーティサンズ]

青春は永遠じゃない

[@yoking1112]

モロ地元のここで撮影が行われたこと嬉しかったなぁ。 そしてこのオープニング。最高

[@うめゾーン]

もう１０年以上昔やけど、友人の自主映画の撮影でここ使用させてもらった。 初めて行った時は、ここがあの青い春のロケ地かぁ、、、って思って感慨深かった。 ってか、他県人の自分からすると多摩地域って映像映えする場所が沢山あってめちゃくちゃ好きやった。

[@ekayuda3434]

such a poetic movie for angst, i love to see blue spring in youtube algorithm soon

[@v.i.h]

Esse filme deveria ser mais conhecido no Brasil. Amo a trama e principalmente a trilha sonora ♡

[@kaybbi5me]

I love blue spring

[@greymatter6406]

Love this film

[@aaaaa-fs3ht]

Ah, finally this version is back up... Thanks.

[@enzzzzzzzzzzz]

Ugh so good

[@y4kstr]

dare accepted!!! all about lily chou-chou

[@春小鳥遊]

個人的には、『青い春』好きな作品。

[@wuhulioma]

ahh love it

[@gunoe7285]

水牛の角で つくられた街で 焼かれた森の 運命を知った 赤毛のケリー 赤毛のケリー 赤毛のケリー 赤毛のケリー 針の錆びている 欠けたブローチには 月から来た石とだけ 書かれていた 太陽と道が溶け合う場所の 先に広がるのは凍りついた海 あの娘描くのは そこに住む魚 タツノオトシゴ アザラシの悲鳴 赤毛のケリー 赤毛のケリー あの娘描くのは 底に住む魚 タツノオトシゴ アザラシの悲鳴 ケリーの赤毛が 西風に浮かぶ 湖の化粧して 月の石をつける ウインカーの 出ない車には ラムのブランケットが 一枚まるまっている あの娘描くのは 砂漠に降る雪 ゆらいで光る オアシス・アイス 赤毛のケリー 赤毛のケリー あの娘描くのは 砂漠に降る雪 ゆらいで光る オアシス・アイス

[@永島花菜]

青い春映画私は1歳でした。 山崎裕太と高岡蒼佑(高岡蒼甫)