Why Not?
The film depicts carnivalesque atmosphere summed up by the cry "Ei ja nai ka" ("Why not?") in Japan in 1867 and 1868 in the days leading to the Meiji Restoration. It examines the effects of the political and social upheaval of the time, and culminates in a revelrous march on the Tokyo Imperial Palace, which turns into a massacre. Characteristically, Imamura focuses not on the leaders of the country, but on characters in the lower classes and on the fringes of society.
- Overview
- Cast
- Crew
- Recommendations
Why Not?
- Overview
- Cast
- Crew
- Recommendations
Status
Released
Release Date
Jan 8, 1981
Runtime
2h 31m
Genres
Drama
User Score
64%
Original Title
ええじゃないか
Production Companies
Imamura Productions, Shochiku
Director
Shōhei Imamura
Description
The film depicts carnivalesque atmosphere summed up by the cry "Ei ja nai ka" ("Why not?") in Japan in 1867 and 1868 in the days leading to the Meiji Restoration. It examines the effects of the political and social upheaval of the time, and culminates in a revelrous march on the Tokyo Imperial Palace, which turns into a massacre. Characteristically, Imamura focuses not on the leaders of the country, but on characters in the lower classes and on the fringes of society.