The Life of Buddha (1961)

Overview

A re-edited, feature length compilation of the two parts of Ôfuji's The Great Sage Shakyamuni Buddha - the culmination of Noburô Ôfuji's monochrome silhouette films. After a portentous dream about a white elephant, the ancient Hindu princess Maya gives birth to a prince. Reared in seclusion from the troubles of the world, Prince Siddhartha is troubled by sights of poverty and deprivation when he is 12 years old. He is married to a beautiful wife, but he is unable to bear the thought of others suffering, and leaves the palace in search of an answer. While sitting beneath a tree, he achieves enlightenment. Planned as a nine-reel life of Buddha, but exhibited in Cannes as ‘Part One’ with only 6 reels completed, this late work by Noburô Ôfuji was not completed until after his death. It was only in 1961 that it was finally exhibited as a full 72-minute film (comprising 10 reels).