In Memory of Masato Hara, Legend in Film Production

Masato Hara 原正人, the legendary film producer who worked with Akira Kurosawa, Nagisa Oshima and other renowned filmmakers in the 1970s, passed away from heart problems on March 17 at the age of 89.

Hara was a producer of big hit movies like Merry Christmas, Nagisa Oshima’s Mr. Lawrence , Akira Kurosawa’s Ran (1985) and Hideo Nakata’s Ring (1998). His works featured Japan’s best talents, touched on sensitive issues in society and greatly influenced film education around the world.

Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1931, Masato Hara entered the movie business after graduating from Waseda University. In 1958, he joined the ranks of the film distributor Nippon Herald, where he was in charge of marketing before focusing on distribution and production.

Among his early works is Dersu Uzala (1975), a pioneering Japanese-USSR co-production directed by Akira Kurosawa. Filmed almost entirely in the wilds of Russia’s far east, it tells the true story of a native hunter in his forest home, and the encounter between the “new” way of life that is destined to destroy the old.

Masato Hara continued his career by producing Nagisa Oshima’s Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983). Starring David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Takeshi ‘Beat’ Kitano, it follows the relationship between four men in a Japanese prisoner of war camp; a rebellious South African officer with a guilt-ridden secret from his youth, starring Bowie; the young camp commander, starring Sakamoto; and a British officer who has lived in Japan and can speak fluent Japanese, starring Tom Conti; and one of the camp commandant’s assistants, who is brutal and very human at the same time, with whom Lawrence develops an unexpected friendship, played by Kitano.

Hara also produced Akira Kurosawa’s last major epic, Ran (1985). With a budget of $11 million, it was the most expensive film to have been produced in Japan up to that point, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest cinematographic works ever created. Kurosawa liked to shoot in wide, sprawling locations, and most of Ran was shot on the slopes of Mount Aso, Japan’s largest active volcano. The 1,400 uniforms and armor worn by the extras were designed by Emi Wada, and handcrafted by expert tailors over a period of two years. In addition to the fabulous outfits, Ran features extraordinary music by renowned composer Toru Takemitsu.

Another of Hara’s great works was Ring (1998), a commentary on post-bubble Japan suffering from anxiety attacks. It tells us the story of a reporter who seeks to solve a mystery related to a video cassette that causes death in seven days to whoever sees it. In the form of Sadako, Ring brings to life the archetype of the revenge-seeking Japanese ghost, while signaling the danger implicit in our unquestioning celebration of high-tech. Ring was acclaimed by critics, being a worldwide box office success.

Besides Nagisa Oshima, another great talent that I used to work with frequently was Masahiro Shinoda. The high point of their joint work was Spy Sorge (2003), which tells the story of Richard Sorge, the German reporter who joined the Soviet Military Intelligence Agency, becoming the most renowned spy in the USSR. Forge is credited largely for his service in Japan during 1940 and 1941, in which he obtained information about Hitler’s plans to attack the Soviet Union. He was arrested, tortured, tried, and sentenced to death by the war provisional government at the end of 1944.

Masato Hara was a great exponent of the ambitions of his generation, which contrast sharply with the escapism and unbridled sentimentality of today’s filmmakers. His interest in history, his intention to deal with controversial issues and international vision, marked him as “son of the post-war years”, when the only way was upwards, to grow, to rise up, and “visionary” and “realist” were not They were exclusive terms. We will miss his talent, finding his legacy in each of his works.