The Inland Sea

Difficult to rate. Narrated by inspiration - Richie - and thus incl many of his thoughts so philisophical essay as well as travelogue in search of (but only finding in part?) "Old Japan", to me now this is 30+ years old it's become "Old Japan" - to fully enjoy you need to match Richie's mindset as it's what he feels is "the essence of Japan" as much as about The Inland Sea IMO. Tho US production heavily influenced by Japanophile & long term resident Richie. Commences in B&W but mostly colour.

Donald Richie - among my favorite film historians - dedicated so many words to the pictures of Japan, it seems only right that a few pictures should in turn be dedicated to his words. This is a rather direct representation of exactly what I love about cinema: a poetic means of education, more than mere documentarian exposure to other peoples and places, and at the risk of sounding like a weeb, there's nowhere else I romanticize more than Japan.