Why was Ikiru originally titled "Doomed" when released in the United States?
When Ikiru was first released to the USA (1956), its title was changed to "Doomed" (source).
To me, this is kind of like calling The Lord of the Rings, "The Letdown of Mankind" ... although technically true, it misses the entire point of the film, and ultimately, inappropriately contextualizes the actions of the protagonist.
So, what's up with the name change? Why not just leave it as is?
FYI, Ikiru translates to "to live" in Japanese, which pretty much has an opposite connotation to it, IMO.
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What is the meaning of Ikiru?
The word "Ikiru" has been translated as "To Live," and at some point on his long descent into despair, Mr. Watanabe determines to accomplish at least one worthwhile thing before he dies.Where is Ikiru located?
In contrast to the samurai films, Ikiru takes place in modern Japan. It tells the story of Mr Kanji Watanabe (Takashi Shimura), a senior public servant who finds out he has terminal cancer and only a short time left to live.Who wrote Ikiru?
Akira KurosawaShinobu HashimotoHideo OguniWhat year is Ikiru set in?
Ikiru (\u751f\u304d\u308b, "To Live") is a 1952 Japanese drama film directed and co-written by Akira Kurosawa. The film examines the struggles of a terminally ill Tokyo bureaucrat (played by Takashi Shimura) and his final quest for meaning....IkiruCountryJapanLanguageJapanese11 more rowsSources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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