A propos du grand acteur japonais KEN TAKAKURA, décédé le 10 novembre, et qui était très apprécié en Chine également : ------ Wang Zhongyi, editor in chief of the People’s China magazine, who is well-versed in Japanese films, said, “He won the hearts of many Chinese because he presented such traits as reticence and patience that people in the East attribute to a cool man, different from the Hollywood stereotype.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chinese mourn death of actor Ken Takakura who brought Asian cool to the big screen November 20, 2014 By NANAE KURASHIGE/ Correspondent BEIJING--Chinese fans expressed an outpouring of sorrow for the death of veteran Japanese actor Ken Takakura, who rocketed to stardom here and became an icon who could bridge the icy relations that exist between the two nations. The state-run Xinhua News Agency on Nov. 18 carried a bulletin on Takakuras death, calling him a “legendary Japanese actor” and detailing his career. The People’s Daily Online, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, and other media outlets also announced his death. Japanese media on Nov. 18 reported that Takakura died of a malignant lymphoma in a Tokyo hospital on Nov. 10. He was 83. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said, “Ken Takakura is a well-known Japanese artist to the Chinese people who made important and positive contributions to cultural exchanges between China and Japan. We mourn his passing.” The actor, known for portraying tough guys, became an instant superstar in China after his movie “Kimi Yo Funnu no Kawa o Watare” was screened in Chinese cities in 1978. It was the first foreign film shown in China after the end of the Cultural Revolution, a decade of turmoil and political purges that began in the mid-1960s. “It caused a great sensation that led to Takakura soon becoming an idol among that generation of Chinese mainlanders,” the Global Times, a newspaper affiliated with the People’s Daily, said of the movie, called “Zhuibu” in Chinese. The film, featuring a plot centering around a false accusation, reportedly drew more than 100 million moviegoers, a phenomenal showing at the time. Chinese apparently saw a parallel in the movie after witnessing a large number of intellectuals executed under false charges brought against them during the Cultural Revolution. Clothing that Takakura wore in the movie spurred a fashion fad. A screening of “Zhuibu” was scheduled for Nov. 19 in Beijing. Takakura also starred in “Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles,” a film by famed Chinese director Zhang Yimou, which was released in Japan in 2006. Zhang’s production company said on the weibo microblogging site, “We still remember his voice and smile. It is deeply trying and sad to learn that our old friend passed away. May he rest in peace in heaven.” Many others lamented Takakura’s death on weibo, including a presenter with state-run China Central Television, a writer and Chinese movie fans. “He showed what manhood is to Chinese movies,” said one poster. “He is the only Japanese artist I liked,” wrote another. Wang Zhongyi, editor in chief of the People’s China magazine, who is well-versed in Japanese films, said, “He won the hearts of many Chinese because he presented such traits as reticence and patience that people in the East attribute to a cool man, different from the Hollywood stereotype.” ajw.asahi/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201411200004
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 16:13:22 +0000
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