The Camera's Gentle Lens: Miike Takashi's Intimate Portrait of Kabuki's Lasting Legacy The art of cinema has long been about capturing the essence of human experience on film, but when a director as versatile as Miike Takashi turns his lens towards kabuki theatre, something remarkable happens.
In "Shumei: The Living Legacy of Kabuki," Miike's debut documentary venture, he offers an intimate portrait of kabuki practitioners.
Miike's approach is marked by a hands off attitude to documenting kabuki performances. By eschewing traditional direction, he allows the raw energy of Ichikawa Danjūrō and his son to shine through on screen.