Tokyo Olympiad (1965) [Documentary Review]

Tokyo Olympiad or, Faster, Higher, Stronger
     The Olympics are a symbol of human aspiration
When it comes to sports-oriented movies, there are three titles which immediately come to my mind: Hoosiers (1986), Chariots of Fire (1981), and Tokyo Olympiad (1964). Indeed, the last picture is primarily a documentary, but in my opinion, it is so much more than a record of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. To be specific, this film is also a record of human society from another period, from a different geo-political and cultural climate.

Release Info

Directed by: Kon Ichikawa Language: Japanese

Original Title: 東京オリンピック Runtime: 169 min 

A New Beginning
It goes without saying that ever since its inception, the Olympics constitute a prestigious promotional opportunity for a country hosting the games. Japan understood and took great advantage of that chance. After the horrible period of WWII, the country sought to reform and reintroduce itself into the public spotlight. The 1964 Olympics were exactly the boost they needed. For this occasion, the Japanese government commissioned the making of a documentary that would serve as a special memorandum of this grand event.

Originally, the authorities reached out to the legend himself, Akira Kurosawa, but getting the director in the saddle proved too cumbersome. Allegedly, Kurosawa demanded full control over the opening as well as the closing ceremony of the Olympics in order to fully realise his directorial vision. Consequently, Kon Ichikawa was brought in as a replacement.

From the opening moments, you know that Tokyo Olympiad is more than just another documentary. It is an artistic reflection on sportsmanship, fair play, new Japan, and (most importantly) world peace. Ichikawa’s cinematic approach to the strictly journalistic subject matter creates an image of people locked in time: an image of athletes competing against each other and an image of spectators, Japanese citizens, cheering for those striving to win.

I think one has to be in the right state of mind to fully appreciate Tokyo Olympiad. This documentary is especially important today in view of many changes on the international stage. Evidently, Japan tried to catch lighting in a bottle for the second time in 2020 when they were supposed to organise the new Summer Olympics. Nevertheless, the pandemic struck and the whole preparation turned into a mess that was accompanied by a re-enactment of one scene from Akira (1988).

Ichikawa’s picture shows that the 1964 event was a one-shot deal for Japan to show the world how cool it was. Without a doubt, it was a unique occasion, made exciting by unique sportswomen and sportsmen, which could not have been repeated decades later.

There exist multiple cuts of the documentary, but the one which bears Ichikawa’s seal of approval is the 169 minutes cut released by The Criterion Collection and Tartan Video. Luckly, you can check out Tokyo Olympiad fair and square on the official Olympics Channel website. Please refer here.

Recommendations
All things considered, with its depth and brisk pace Tokyo Olympiad is one of the best documentaries out there. It comes as no surprise that Tokyo Olympiad was the highest grossing film in the Japanese box office until the release of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away in 2001. The closing credits of the documentary are especially chilling and touching in view of the modern-day context.

Overall score: 9/10

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