plato's cave twelve (being a film journal)

kon ichikawa - fires on the plain (nobi) - 1959

 classic drone series & film journal series

sound, sound design, music in film

cinematography by setsuo kobayashi

music by yasushi akutagawa

sound design by ken'ichi nishii

the film was shot entirely in japan in gotenba, izu and hakone
visually not unlike the work of thomas joshua cooper

 water and birds
soldier discovers water at a church before finding dead comrades

kon ichikawa's the burmese harp & fires on the plain

images from 2 films by kon ichikawa. the burmese harp 1956 & fires on the plain 1959.

the landscape photography and music in these 2 films is stunning. photography and music work together in both films to such a degree that the dialogue becomes almost unnecessary (especially in fires on the plain).
there obviously is much more going on in these 2 works than the visuals, but for me they are the most striking element.
the cinematography in these films bring to mind many contemporary photographers, mainly thomas joshua cooper, hans danuser, emmet gowin, edward burtynsky, helene binet, elger esser, michael kenna, david maisel, olafur eliasson, axel hutte, and hiroshi sugimoto.

the burmese harp: cinematography by minoru yokoyama, music by akira ifukube.
fires on the plain: cinematography by setsuo kobayashi, music by yasushi akutagawa.

the burmese harp 1956:

fires on the plain 1959:

related photographic work:

hans danuser: landschaften, 1993-96

edward burtynsky: nickel tailings No. 35, 1996

helen binet: paysages en poésie

thomas joshua cooper: boca chica (little mouth), 1996-97