Donald Richie – After Life

Obit from Guardian

For generations of scholars, critics and artists who have made Japan their field, Richie was a hugely influential and inspirational presence, opening a window on a ceaselessly fascinating world. Those who knew him personally will remember him for his endless approachability, enthusiasm, energy and generosity with his time, even in his final years of illness.

Richie suggested a title change to Kore eda’s wonderful life to After Life. (Japan times – Master Critic)
Donald R had a high praise for Still Walking calling the film..a staggering achievement..(previous post – Still Walking)

Lafcadio Hearn of our time?
Image via
Kafu was his favorite authors among others Kawabata Yasunari and Junichiro Tanizaki.

  • Japanese Portraits, picture of different people..

  • Donald Richtie 1924- 2013 (Diplomat obit)

    “It is, in fact, an injustice to call Richie a writer on Japan; really, he is a writer on artifice and time and death, on being human. And most of all he’s a writer on the particularly modern art of learning how to be a foreigner.”

    In the introduction, Iyer goes on to place Richie in the company of literary figures such as Graham Greene, Jan Morris, Paul Bowles and Somerset Maugham.

    Donald Ritchie at his best talking about Bresson

  • A Film by Donald Richie

  • Freedom within bounds (kyoto journal)

    Donald Richie and Kawabata.Richie and Kawabata

    Paul Schrader says “Whatever we in the West know about Japanese film, and how we know it, we most likely owe to Donald Richie.” Richie also penned analyses of two of Japan’s best known filmmakers: Yasujiro Ozu and Akira Kurosawa.

    via his wiki

    Richie wrote the English subtitles for Akira Kurosawa’s films Kagemusha (1980), Red Beard, and Dreams

    Among those he counted as his friends and intimates were the writers Marguerite Yourcenar, Susan Sontag, Christopher Isherwood, Anthony Thwaite, and Angela Carter. (Inclined View – Japan times)

    Watch viedo here..Life in Japanese film Donald Richie
    Citizen Kane opend his eyes.. he got a camera.
    On Mishima was still taboo in Japan according to Donald R.
    Yamato damashi – religion of Japan.. they believe in themselves.
    Drunken Angel was his first introduction to Japanese film.
    Individuality in Kurosawa. (Dostoevsky in Kurosawa).
    On Kagemusha.
    Katsu Shintaro..was considered – Shintaro brought his own camera crew..the fight erupted.
    the part went to Nakadai Tatsuya..Richie saw it as a mistake..
    (miscast).

    Why women are great actresses .. they practice duplucity in Japanese culture.
    Women in Ozu real woman
    Women in mizoguchi.. women as victims..
    Naruse has a dark view of women
    Strong women in Imamura they do whatever…

    Ozu Menekata sisters not a good film according to Ritchie..
    He also said Simone Beauvoir was better philosopher than Sartre, Colette better writer than Scott Fitzgerald.

    Update: Remembering Donald (No1 Shinbun)