Thursday, October 18, 2012

Hachi: A Dog's Tale


For those who are dog lovers will bring to mind on this 2009 film directed by Lasse Hallstrom based on a true life dog story of a remarkable loyalty of a Aikta in Japan, Hachiko to his owner even many years after his owner's death.

The film begins in a class with full of young students who are giving oral presentations about their personal heroes. One of the boy named Ronnie (Kevin DeCoste) stands up and begins to tell of his grandfather's dog, 'Hachiko'.

In Bedridge, Professor Parker Wilson (Richard Gere) finds an abandoned dog at the train station and is instantly captivated by the dog. When the station controller Carl Boilins (Jason Alexander) refuses to take him, Parker takes the puppy home overnight with the intention of returning the dog to its owner the next day. But no one has and Parker convinces his wife, Cate (Joan Allen) to welcome him as part of the family. A Japanese friend Ken Fujiyoshi (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawareads) translates the symbol on the pup's collar as 'Hachi', Japanese for 'good fortune' and the number eight. Hence, Parker decides to call the dog 'Hachi'.

SHIBUYA STATION (1912-1945)
Hachi is a somewhat peculiar dog that refuses to learn normal, dog-like things like chase and retrieve a ball but he is a faithful companion and friend to Parker, alerting him of potential dangers and accompanying him to the train station each morning and meeting him there after his return trip each evening. This continues for some time, until one afternoon Parker attempts to leave but Hachi barks and refuses to go with him. Parker eventually leaves without him but Hachi chases him, holding his ball. Parker is surprised but pleased that Hachi is finally willing to play fetch the ball with him. Worried that he will be late for the college, Parker leaves on the train despite Hachi barking at him. At work that day, Parker still holding Hachi's ball is teaching his music class when he suddenly suffers a fatal heart attack.

HIDESABURO UENO
(May 1871-May 21, 1925)
HACHIKO
(Nov 10, 1923-Mar 8, 1935)
At the train station, Hachi waits patiently as the train arrives but there is no sign of Parker. He remains, lying in the snow for several hours until Parker's son-in-law comes to collect him. The next day, Hachi returns to the station and waits, remaining all day and all night. For the next nine years, Hachi is old and achy, waiting at the station for his owner. Late at night, Hachi returns to the train station and closes his eyes for the last time. Then, Parker walks out of the station and greets him as if nothing has changed at all and the two reunite as their spirits rise up to Heaven to be together forever.

A moving sad true story about loyalty and the rare, invincible bonds that occasionally form almost instantaneously in the most unlikely places. In real life, Professor Ueno took Hachiko in 1924 and the pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage and died, never returning to the train station where Hachiko was waiting. Every day for the next nine years, Hachiko waited at Shibuya station and his legendary faithfulness became a national symbol of loyalty in Japan till today.

On April 8 each year, Hachi's devotion is honored with a solemn
ceremony of remembrance at Tokyo's Shibuya railroad station with
hundreds of dog lovers often turn out to honor his memory and loyalty.
Movie Trailer:

   

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