Tokyo orimpikku 1965

Bosley Crowther, New York Times: It is as welcome -- even if mainly to track and movie buffs -- as the finish line is to a marathon runner. Read more

Fred Camper, Chicago Reader: Though it's visually choppy, with some disruptive zooms, the 'Scope format matches the subject's scale, and Ichikawa's emphasis on shared human experience is compelling. Read more

Hal Hinson, Washington Post: By plunging us into the action, Ichikawa creates a unique intimacy between athlete and audience. Even after countless hours of watching televised sports, the effect is revelatory. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: An epic study of athletes struggling, against their own bodies and each other, to excel. But it reaches even further, as a stirring portrait of fleeting human hopes. Read more