On March 21, 2019, after the screening of "Cut the Belly", the "Actor's Life - Dialogue with Tatsuya Nakadai" exchange meeting was held at the China Film Archive.
The following text is from my mobile phone recording, and some off-topic or too trivial content has been deleted.
Tatsuya Nakadai: Hello (Chinese)! My name is Tatsuya Nakadai, a Japanese actor. I am very excited to have so many enthusiastic audiences here today. Originally, it was embarrassing to talk about my own business, but when I had such a good opportunity, I would like to share my story with you. I was born in 1932. At the age of 17, in order to become an actor, I entered the actor school, where I studied for three years. So far, I have been engaged in acting career for 70 years and have participated in 110 films and more than 110 dramas. I'm still thinking about the drama next.
Tatsuya Nakadai: Speaking of the relationship with China, it was the first time I came to China as a representative of the Japanese film industry, and it was my first contact with China. The second time was to participate in the Japanese delegation's visit to China. The third time I went to China at my own expense to travel the Silk Road. The fourth time was to come to China in two separate trips to co-produce the TV series "Children of the Earth" between China and Japan. This time, China, which I love so much, has opened its heart to welcome me again, and I am very happy. For the sake of Sino-Japanese friendship, as an actor, I want to continue to play my role, and please continue to support and take care of me in this regard. I have never dreamed of having received such a warm reception from everyone, and I am very grateful. This is a rare opportunity. If everyone here and the guests on the stage have any questions about me, Japan, Sino-Japanese relations, and Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges, I will be happy to answer them.
Lu Chuan: How do you interpret these glittering images in film history in your performances? How do you "use" yourself and force yourself to show these things? How to create these characters with such master-level directors as Akira Kurosawa and Masaki Kobayashi?
Tatsuya Nakadai: Thank you for your question. The first time I met Director Akira Kurosawa was when I was in the second grade of the actor school. I was about eighteen or nineteen years old. Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune were all idols in our hearts. At that time, Director Akira Kurosawa was going to shoot "Seven Samurai", and he was looking for students to participate in our actor school. This gave me the first opportunity to contact Director Akira Kurosawa. Before that, I had been swiped for 9 movie auditions. Among the friends present, some of them must have seen "Seven Samurai". In the film, the evil bandits harassed the villagers, and the crops were burned. The village must send a person to ask the samurai to help the villagers organize a self-defense group and resist the bandits. In the play, the image I play has no lines, just walks, and looks like a weak existence. The filming of this scene started at 9:00 that morning, but the director never said ok, because I am indeed a young student who is just starting out. I neither know the walking pace of a samurai nor the rules of a samurai sword. It only passed once, so the director ordered "Don't feed this kid, let him practice his steps at the back of the village." The filming continued until 3 pm that day, and Director Akira Kurosawa didn't say "yes". At that time, he was very anxious and asked Me: "Where did you come from?" I said, "I'm from the actor's school Haiyuza." Director Akira Kurosawa was very angry when he heard this, and scolded: "Don't a school as famous as Haiyuza even have the basic steps of a samurai? Did I teach you?" Then he said helplessly: "Okay, let's go." This humiliation is still deeply in my mind. This is my first step as an actor. From this moment, I learned how to learn the basic steps as an actor.
Tatsuya Nakadai: Later, I received the filming of the film "Conditions of the World" directed by Masaki Kobayashi. At that time, I swore in my heart: I will never take another film directed by Akira Kurosawa in the future! After six years, finally, director Akira Kurosawa also recognized me, and I participated in his movie "Intentionally Stick" again. Later, after a long, long time, I finally had the courage to tell Director Akira Kurosawa about the story of the Seven Samurai, Director Akira Kurosawa said, "Because I saw you as a promising young man at the time, so I was strict. Ask you."
Tatsuya Nakadai: When I was 51 years old, I received Akira Kurosawa's very important work "Ran". In the film, I played an image of more than 80 years old. It took more than 4 hours a day just to put on makeup and hair. I think "Chaos" is an immortal masterpiece, depicting a war between a father and a son, the movie shows God, God in the sky watching how plundered human beings are an animal, the killing between the inside, father and son slaughter between. We can also think of it as an anti-war movie.
Tatsuya Nakadai: The "Belly Cut" I just mentioned is the work of director Masaki Kobayashi. So in retrospect, I was fortunate enough to meet such excellent directors as Akira Kurosawa and Masaki Kobayashi. My feeling is that a good movie is not completed by the actors alone, but by the director and all the actors who perform together. , as well as the team, only when everyone is united can a good work be completed. I am a lucky person. I met excellent actors and acted in movies together. When I was in my 80s, I had made so many excellent movies. I have been to China twice and have had in-depth cooperation with Chinese colleagues. The Sino-Japanese co-produced TV series "Children of the Earth" is a very remarkable work.
Pu Cunxin: Why do you have such a soft spot for the stage? What kind of feelings do you have? For our young theatrical actors and actors who are making movies and plays at the same time, what advice should I give them in terms of acting skills and basic skills?
Tatsuya Nakadai: Originally, my original ambition in life was to be a stage actor, but due to chance, the films I participated in received very good reviews. Later, film invitations came to me one after another. The time for stage plays was crowded out, so later I set a rule that I would perform stage plays/plays at least half of the time every year. In the first half of the year, I will act in a movie, and in the second half of the year, I will be in a drama. Even if I play a role that is not a good thing, I will also participate in the drama, because I firmly believe that if an actor leaves the stage for a long time, his acting skills will be reduced. So when I made the rules, I definitely refused to act in the movie in the second half of the year, and between a very good movie role and a generally boring stage role, I also firmly chose the latter. As a result, some situations happened later. Some characters waited for me to wait until the first half of the next year to start filming. For me, the participation of film and television works and stage plays has achieved a perfect balance. I was asked just now what is the difference between a film performance and a stage performance, and in my opinion they are exactly the same. When I make a movie, I do it completely according to the director's request, and because the stage play is my own no-name school, it is more up to me to decide. Until now, I am very lucky that I have not stopped acting.
Wang Zhongyi: 1992-1995 was an important time period in the history of cultural exchanges between China and Japan. What are the differences between Chinese and Japanese actors in terms of stage plays and performance concepts? What are the anecdotes and anecdotes about the cooperation? You have experienced the era of film films and have made so many good works. In today's digital film era, what would you like to say to young Chinese actors, directors and audiences?
Tatsuya Nakadai: When it comes to this topic, it is inseparable from war and peace. I just introduced Haiyuza. The teacher who led me to the beginning was a person who served in prison during the war. The fate of Japanese drama during the war was very tragic. "Son of the Earth" is the first war-themed TV series co-operated by China and Japan. In this play, Mr. Zhu Xu and I play two roles, Mr. Zhu Xu plays the role of the Chinese adoptive father, and I play the role of the Japanese biological father. The filming of "Son of the Earth" is a very important driving force for me to work. Yes, I feel that I have met a very good Chinese actor. Mr. Zhu Xu is older than me, and I am his junior. When I played against him, I felt that his acting was very superb, and I admired his character very much. . He passed away last year and I am very sorry about that. When he visited Japan the year before last, I met him, shook hands with him, and communicated with him, which made me feel a little gratified.
Tatsuya Nakadai: I am indeed an actor who grew up in the heyday of Japanese cinema. I was very fortunate to live in such an era when directors were able to make the films they wanted to make and actors could play the roles they wanted to play. That's it. an era. For example, at that time director Akira Kurosawa, a reporter asked him, what is the theme of the movie you made? Director Akira Kurosawa said, I don't think about the theme, this is the movie I want to make... Now Japanese movies are a bit in a state of rock bottom, which is a downward state. I don't have any opinion on the current directors. I just talk about the phenomenon. At present, there is a phenomenon in Japanese movies: the director is worried about whether the audience will watch it, and his distractions have begun to increase, which is not like the director of the heyday. Of course, I am also very old now. Whether it is a stage play or a movie, my job as an actor should be handed over to future generations. Let me say something big and change it. As a human being, you are born, survived, and died. You need to choose how you live. It is very important for the actor and the director to live.
Question from the audience (actress): You founded Wuming School in 1975 with the slogan "Career Cultivation". What do you think of "Career Cultivation"? What is the most important practice?
Tatsuya Nakadai: For stage actors, nerves and physical strength are very important, and they must constantly hone their physical strength and practice. The reason why I insist on practicing every day until now is also based on this concept, I have to continue to perform tricks, because I am getting older and my physical strength has declined, I have to put more effort in this area than others, and I will continue to practice. Do it.
Tatsuya Nakadai: On the first day of the performance, when we faced the audience on stage, we were most worried about how the audience would see us and think. But precisely because of this, having this kind of tension will actually make you perform with all your strength. So there is a phenomenon that the performance is particularly good in the first few shows, and the more it goes on, the looser it becomes. Attention and concentration are very important as an actor, especially for stage actors, but also for movies. So I think in order to maintain that kind of undivided attention, every time the actor is dealing with the audience, it has to be as intense and intense as it was during the first performance. Vigorous, intense practice and training are required.
Question from the audience (actor): (expressed some of his views on excellent drama actors) Do you agree with my opinion?
Tatsuya Nakadai: A good actor must be a very good person. Just now you mentioned the similarities and differences between drama actors and movie actors. I completely agree with your statement. I think that for the audience sitting in the 10th row or so of the theater, when they watch the actors perform on the stage, it is impossible to have the effect of close-up in the movie. . Then, as a drama actor on the stage, he needs to convey the impact of the close-up effects in the movie to the audience sitting in 10 rows in the theater. He must have a unique stage performance method, and he must realize and practice by himself. Actors may not be able to master it. Actors need to work hard. For those who are far away from the audience, they must effectively convey their voices. Even if they are whispering on the stage, they should be heard by the audience who sit farthest. This is the uniqueness of drama actors. Kung fu, and also, the actor can't always look at the audience with his face in one direction, so the audience will feel bored, so he will have many ways, such as he uses the method of suddenly turning around in the performance to attract the audience and stimulate the audience's attention. force, to achieve a similar effect on stage and film close-up. Seriously, I would love to have a chance to see you in Death of a Salesman. To be honest, this role is very challenging, and it took a lot of effort for me to figure out this role myself.
Audience question: Was there a film censorship mechanism in your day?
Tatsuya Nakadai: In the era of the Japanese war, even if you say the word "freedom", you will be thrown into prison. But in post-war Japan, this was rare. I mentioned director Saf Yamamoto just now, and I acted in his "Gorgeous Family," "Golden Eclipse," and "The Barren Zone." Director Yamamoto told me that when he was making a movie, there was a censorship factor against him. Films critical of the current political system, even in postwar Japan, had some invisible distractions.
Audience: I didn't recognize you several times while watching "Cut the Belly". When you play a role, what preparations do you have for yourself besides makeup? Status preparation?
Tatsuya Nakadai: This is a very complex and weighty issue. It is really hard work to be an actor. Every time you receive a role, read a book, and read a script, you have to understand the inner world of the character, and then extract his inner human nature, combine it with yourself, and express it. , this is a point that actors should pay special attention to when performing. For example, in the "Cut of the Belly" that everyone saw today, there is a specific Japanese saying that it is called a sword film, a film about killing with a samurai sword. This kind of film has one thing in common. When fighting, it must be moving from the waist down. , (above the waist) the top is still. This is a rule of armed drama. If you want to play this role, you must find the feeling of this role. Not sure if I answered your question like this.
Lu Chuan: I especially hope to sum up a few words, the performance spirit you have pursued in your life has brought some gains to young Chinese actors.
Tatsuya Nakadai: It seems that the more the discussion, the more complicated it becomes. There is a word in Japanese called disorganized (Chinese: absurd). The profession of an actor is full of absurdities, and sometimes he feels complete, as if baseball had hit a home run, but to the audience it is boring. So until now I'm still thinking that I should practice my whole life to find the best and most authentic feeling.
Tatsuya Nakadai: Maybe as an actor, I think too much. Actors have three mysteries to discuss. First, as an actor, do you have an innate acting talent/talent? Some people have great talent but don't have the chance to bloom because of bad luck. Second, do you know if your talent is a talent? Actually, you don't know. I haven't confirmed whether I have it or not, but maybe I'm lucky. Third, if you have such an opportunity, can you maintain your love for your career from beginning to end and devote your physical strength to sprinting your career? This is also a crucial factor in determining your success.
Tatsuya Nakadai: Also, you have to have feelings for people, you have to have feelings for human beings and human nature, you have to love people, like people. You have to stand in the character's shoes and understand him as a person, so that when you understand his lines, understand his plot, he can float with you. The famous actor Yamada Isuzu once told me, Nakayo, you have to remember that after you get the script, you must first turn the other party's lines into your own. There must be such a process. You have to deeply experience and understand the character's line before you can turn it into your own. For a period of time, I have been strictly following this principle, but recently I have become older, and maybe my efforts in this area are not as good as before. Mizoguchi Kenji once famously said that the reflection must be reflected on the character like a reflection, and then return to you, so that the effect can come out. So, being an actor is not an easy job.
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