I LIVE IN FEAR: The Universally Shared Fear and Tension of Atomic Destruction
I LIVE IN FEAR - TOHOTime and time again, Japanese cinema reveals itself as a significant tool for the culture to confront their fears and emotions following major events that cause social diastrophism. From the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake to the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WW2, these are major events that left an impact not just on the physical country itself but the society also. It is this impact, and specifically, the fear from it that becomes the basis for Akira Kurosawa's I Live in Fear which follows an elderly man named Kiichi Nakajima (Toshiro Mifune) who out of fear for the destructive H-Bomb tries everything in his power to convince his family to move to Brazil.
With the release of the film coming only ten years after the horrific bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I Live in Fear nearly automatically becomes one of Kurosawa's most socially relevant and personal films going well above and beyond that of just a standard drama or action film. Whereas the center of the film lies a character greatly exaggerating the social fear and panic of the time facing real anxiety over the concern that war and nuclear destruction was right around the corner, so much so that the incredible performance by Mifune even starts to play into the realm of comedy. Never losing focus of the real world around itself, the film makes a point to express the universal shared fear and tension of the time making the public viewing the film at the time feel seen and acknowledged. Where part of the point in I Live in Fear clearly is to express the fear and dangers of letting it get the best of an individual, it also sets out on a quest to bring society together through those fears and anxieties which as a concept reigns true to today for various reasons. It is a film telling the importance of accepting fear in a way that is realistic and helpful rather than disabling and overall hurtful.
Where it is easy to view, it also is important to view the film under the lens of being a global release. By this point, Kurosawa had gained worldwide attention as a director who also brought his films to the global audience much quicker than other directors. As much as the film has the intent of bringing together Japan through its use of fear and pain, the film also looks to showcase that to the world as an often-unrealized consequence of these horrible actions. So many pieces of media focus on the bombings themselves missing the lasting and haunting effects the destruction had on the people who survived the attacks. In that way, I Live in Fear serves as almost an epilogue to the story of the bombings which effectively connects even in a modern context. Not only is this a unique part of the conflict rarely focused on, but even more so it is rare to see such a mature and well thought out take on the conflict especially for being not just so close to the actual events themselves but also due to the time it was made.
As mentioned previously, Japanese cinema has long been a place for exploration of difficult events with these bombings and the war being no exception. From large Kaijus being born from radiation to more metaphorical approaches to capturing the events of the war and their impact on Japan, it was rare to see someone be so open and honest in a film regarding these events with the story being so based in reality. Similar brutally honest takes can be found across the world at this point in cinema with one of the most famous being Charlie Chaplin's classic The Great Dictator. Similar to Kurosawa with I Live in Fear, Chaplin tried to unite the general public through an open dialogue regarding his fears of the war which brought him not just critical but financial success.
Sadly, for Kurosawa, the public he made his film for was not so ready to analyse their past. Still fresh from not just the horrific casualties and losses but also the acceptance of defeat by the county which felt embarrassed and shameful, the public was afraid and looked to distract themselves rather than confront the deeper emotions they were wrestling with. I Live in Fear became one of the worst-performing Kurosawa films struggling to find an audience willing to engage with its story. Where these emotions were still present in cinema and art of the time, such as with Godzilla. The loss of not just the war but the soul of the country proved to be too much. With a weak release in Japan and a delayed release in the West, I Live in Fear sadly became one of the lesser-known Kurosawa films despite still holding the same craft and talent as nearly any of his other films. Where Kurosawa'sexact fears of a nuclear war might not be as raw today, there still is plenty to learn from I Live in Fear.
At heart, I Live in Fear is an open hand trying to give some comfort to society's fears to keep everyone sane and safe even if those fears still live on in some form. It is a film without judgment trying to help the audience accept the fears caused by things out of their control which is something that couldn't be more relevant. Fear is something that everyone faces and open honest conversations like the one at the centre of I Live in Fear can be enough to help these fears feel seen and shared therefore also becoming more manageable. Where the public at the time chose not to engage these emotions, it actually can really help and be beneficial. Acknowledgement is the first part of healing, Kurosawa clearly knew this and embraced that idea and even if it didn't do much to help those around him, it has to be expected that the process of sharing these troubling emotions helped him move on.
