032 4 It was hard for me to decide which of Mizoguchi's 2 masterpieces UGETSU or SANSHO THE BAILIFF was the greater film . Let's just say they are 1 and 1A in that order . UGETSU monogatari is on many film critic's lists as one of the top 10 films ever made , and for good reason . The shear beauty of it is one thing . A while back I went to an exhibition of early 20th century Shin Hanga woodblock prints . Watching UGETSU is like seeing these marvelous works of art come to life . The scenes in the Wakasa manor between Genjuro and Lady Wakasa's spirit are some of the most gorgeous moments ever committed to celluloid . The whole movie is an eye pleasing treasure , but aside from the pure aesthetics , UGETSU is a wonderful fable , a moving allegory of Buddhist principles that has a timeless relevance found only in the greatest visions of the masters .
UGETSU or SANSHO ? Decisions , decisions . . both are true masterpieces . . movies that must be seen . . timeless art from one of the great directors at the height of his powers .
003 4 Profound in its sadness UGETSU is the heartbreaking story of two dirt poor villagers back in 16th century Japan . Both are married and have wives who love them just the way they are , but both men are blinded to their wives ' love by envy . One to be rich the other to be a great warrior . They think that if they attain these goals they will find happiness and their wives will love them more - but that is already impossible .
Both men are granted their wishes but it doesn't bring them happiness . In fact it brings them and their wives more pain and grief then they ever knew existed . In the end they realize the happiness they had to begin with , but is it too late ?
Perfect in every way , I consider this not only among the greatest films , but also one of the most important . There is a great lesson to learn here about appreciating the true happiness that might be right in front of you or already inside you .
Criterion : a Mizoguchi box set please .
033 4 Ugetsu ( Ugetsu monogatari ) , a 1953 film by Kenji Mizoguchi , which won the Venice Film Festival's top prize ( the Silver Lion Award for Best Direction ) that year , is one of the best films to ever deal with the subject of human desire , and not only the obvious sexual aspects of the emotion . While ostensibly it is labeled a ghost story , since its Japanese title means Tales Of The Pale And Silvery Moon After The Rain , the story is a complex one that hides behind its astonishingly simple narrative and revelation , and is based upon two tales from a 1776 book of tales by Ueda Akinari , and a third story from French writer Guy de Maupassant . Mizoguchi and screenwriter Yoshikata Yoda adapted elements from all three tales to create something new and relevant .
It follows the lives and desires of two couple who inhabit a small Japanese village during the 16th Century , when civil wars and ravaging bands of Samurai soldiered plundered the countryside near Lake Biwa in Omi province . The two male characters , who may be friends , or relatives , are Genjurô ( Masayuki Mori ) , a farmer and master potter , and Tobei ( Sakae Ozawa , aka Eitarô Ozawa ) . Tobei is a dimwit and the assistant potter to Genjurô , and he dreams of military glory as a samurai , but cannot even handle a sword properly . Genjurô has a wife , Miyagi ( Kinuyo Tanaka ) and young son Genichi ( Ikio Sawamura ) , and Tobei has a wife , as well . Her name is Ohama ( Mitsuko Mito ) , and they bicker in a very Ralph and Alice Kramden sort of way , while Genjurô and Miyagi seem to have a more overtly stable and loving relationship .
Technically , this film is not as overtly sophisticated as Rashomon , yet it does not suffer from the great dramatic letdown that film does . Kazuo Miyagawa's black and white cinematography is outstanding , especially in the studio shots of the river and the ghostly lady's mansion . The seduction scene , where Lady Wakasa is dancing and singing , is oddly hypnotic , and one of the most surreal moments in the film . Much of the night scenes in the film remind me of Carl Theodor Dreyer's great Vampyr , a film with darker similarities to this one . Also , the camera is almost always moving , in this film . Very few things are static , and long takes dominate the film , with very few cuts , and then only when needed to jar the viewer for a reason . Thus , when the film ends showing us that little has changed in the valley beyond the village , we are left with a disjunct feeling between the apparent stasis of life in that time and place , and the great changes we've seen take place . That we never see the Lady , nor her retinue , nor Miyagi at film's close , portrayed in a Hollywood ghostly fashion , can confuse , a bit , upon a first viewing , but on a second viewing all becomes clear in this simple , but never simplistic , tale .
The actors are also uniformly good . Sakae , as Tobei , and Mitsuko as Ohama , are a delight , comically , and in rare dramatic moments . Machiko , as Lady Wakasa , shows dramatic improvement in just two years , as an actor , from her debut in Rashomon . Yet , the film really belongs to Kinuyo , as Miyagi , and the sublime Masayuki , as Genjurô . Masayuki was outstanding as the murdered husband in Rashomon , acting with his face alone . But , this role gives him drama and comedy , horror and befuddlement , and were it not for his name and the commentary of the film , I'd have had no idea the same actor played both roles , for he looks totally different as a peasant farmer than a samurai nobleman . One scene , before he is to go to the Lady's mansion , we see him looking at a fancy kimono , and he imagines Miyagi looking at it , even though we know she cares little for such things . The look in Genjur。 's eyes , contrasted with the reality we know , says more of the insecurities males feel in sexual relationships than many whole films devoted to the subject have .
While the film is in no way a modern psychological portrait of the sort Ingmar Bergman would later specialize in , a viewer is left with a firm idea of who all these characters were , simply by how their behavior is the same , yet parallaxed , by the contrast between the early scenes , and later ones that are recapitulative . Mizoguchi also made a bit of a career specialty in focusing on the lives of women , and even though the two male characters are the ostensible leads , the female characters shoulder much of the narrative and dramatic load , and do so consummately well . Ugetsu is a great film , made by an artist at his peak , and even with the misgivings its creator had , it stands the test of time immaculately .
001 4 This review is from :
Ugetsu [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
Despite some disturbing scenes and issues , this is a beautiful movie . It tells the story of how the search for money and glory can destroy true happiness . What makes the story work is a lot of different things . First of all , the acting is very good . Watching in in subtitles ( there wasn't any other option ) helped with appreciating this facet of the movie . The scenery and costumes were pretty good as well . The directing was what was the most outstanding . I confess that I have a problem with most modern movies in that they show a heavy dependance on modern technology and declining moral standards . This enables modern films to utilize two avenues of showing more and more which leaves less and less to the imagination . The talent on display in Ugetsu shows how directing at its ' best was a true art form ; greater , often , than the acting itself . There are several scenes that come to mind . As soldiers rape and pillage , there comes a scene of a gang rape of a woman . Everything we see on film makes it clear in our minds as to what has taken place . Yet the only clothing we see removed is a pair of sandals . Another scene involves an erotic encounter in which , again we understand clearly yet are not invited to watch . There are other scenes worthy of mention but I don't want to give anything away . The way this movie moves along is another testament to its ' director ; Kenji Mizoguchi .
On the negative side , this movie is currently only available on VHS . I confess to being frustrated with all of my Beta movies and now all of my VHS movies seeming to head towards obsolescence . However , I have come to appreciate the quality as well as the other features of DVD's . Thus I found myself immediately focussing on the occassional snap , crackle , and pop of the VHS quality . Still , once I was engrossed in the story ( and that didn't take long to happen ) , it either ceased to bother me or the quality improved and the movie progressed .
There is a timeless message in this movie that will reach out to just about all viewers . It has to do with identifying our values and appreciating what we have rather than what we desire . Sounds like a message we've heard before but I'm not sure it's been presented quite so well before or since .
002 4 Despite some disturbing scenes and issues , this is a beautiful movie . It tells the story of how the search for money and glory can destroy true happiness . What makes the story work is a lot of different things . First of all , the acting is very good . Watching in in subtitles ( there wasn't any other option ) helped with appreciating this facet of the movie . The scenery and costumes were pretty good as well . The directing was what was the most outstanding . I confess that I have a problem with most modern movies in that they show a heavy dependance on modern technology and declining moral standards . This enables modern films to utilize two avenues of showing more and more which leaves less and less to the imagination . The talent on display in Ugetsu shows how directing at its ' best was a true art form ; greater , often , than the acting itself . There are several scenes that come to mind . As soldiers rape and pillage , there comes a scene of a gang rape of a woman . Everything we see on film makes it clear in our minds as to what has taken place . Yet the only clothing we see removed is a pair of sandals . Another scene involves an erotic encounter in which , again we understand clearly yet are not invited to watch . There are other scenes worthy of mention but I don't want to give anything away . The way this movie moves along is another testament to its ' director ; Kenji Mizoguchi .
On the negative side , this movie is currently only available on VHS . I confess to being frustrated with all of my Beta movies and now all of my VHS movies seeming to head towards obsolescence . However , I have come to appreciate the quality as well as the other features of DVD's . Thus I found myself immediately focussing on the occassional snap , crackle , and pop of the VHS quality . Still , once I was engrossed in the story ( and that didn't take long to happen ) , it either ceased to bother me or the quality improved and the movie progressed .
There is a timeless message in this movie that will reach out to just about all viewers . It has to do with identifying our values and appreciating what we have rather than what we desire . Sounds like a message we've heard before but I'm not sure it's been presented quite so well before or since .
004 4 The first time I saw this movie reminded me of my first time seeing The Passion of Joan of Arc , or Solyaris : like I had found something I had lost . Ugetsu is the story of two couples in 16th century Japan ( a brother and sister and their respective spouses ) and the misadventures that befall them when they set out from their village to sell pottery in the city . A hauntingly beautiful meditation on the private but universal struggle between love and greed , Ugetsu , which translates ( it says here ) as Tales of a Pale and Mysterious Moon After the Rain , feels exactly like you'd expect film with that title to feel : it has the visual texture and depth of Dreyer's greatest films and the comfortable sadness of Ozu's masterpieces . Truly one of the most rewarding moviegoing experiences of my life .
005 4 The movie starts out pretty uncomfortably , two peasants in 16th century Japan who dream of richness and glory so blindly , they can't even hear the pretty straight-forward protests of their loving wives who try to convince them that their happiness is fine at home . When one , a pottery smith , makes a small bundle selling his wares , they decide to make a much larger batch together and become rich .
Forced out of their homes by an approaching war and uncertain where to go , they take their wares to a thriving market place , where the second peasant's ambition to be a samurai devides them and causes all four characters , the two peasants and their wives , to be separated , all fending for themselves amongst the war and various classes differently .
At this point the film reverses itself and instead of being a pretty skin-deep , tragic bud of greed , it blooms into a beautiful and haunting tale of obsession and illusion . The two main stories of the peasants and their wives are opposite only in their imaged realism , where one peasant falls completely under the curse of an enchanting ghost and the other lies and steals his way to fame , only both of them are eventually knocked down from their own hubris and forced to finally awaken to what their wives have said all along .
It's quite exquisite , this movie , with its long takes and its lack of the usual constructs that make up messages of obsession and greed . Once it gets beyond the small , uncomfortable , claustrophobic world of the peasant's home , it becomes audaciously challenging and mysterious , so that the same small home becomes amazingly wonderful and comforting . The very essense of the movie is breathed into the emotions of the audience in very subtle ways , making a very unforgettable cinematic experience .
- - PolarisDiB
006 4 An earlier reviewer wanted to know if the title Tales of the Pale Moon After the Rain was a correct translation of Ugetsu Monogatari . It is . The title is taken from a 17th century collection of Japanese ghost stories of the same name , which contains this very story . It also refers to the shimmering illusions ( fame and fortune ) that the two protagonists are chasing before they come to their senses and return home . It also contains a subtle critique of Japan's madness during World War II . It is all these things and more in a beautifully filmed and acted masterpiece .
007 4 To me Ugetsu is the most hypnotic and well-developed example of Mizoguchi's style - he was working at his peak here . His usual technique - one scene , one cut - gives the film a gliding , sinuous beauty . Every scene features slowly , continuously-changing movement , and the entire film is a tour-de-foce of subtle symbolism and gripping storytelling . One of my favorite qualities of Ugetsu is the genre-defying elements in the story - suspense , adventure , period-drama , supernatural horror - and how skillfully Mizoguchi's refined and unforgettable visual style ties it all together . Ugetsu in particular also showcases Mizoguchi's proto-feminism ( by subtly underlining the hubris that men can often fall prey to , causing undue hardship to the women around them ) in a subtle but mature fashion , and in this light the film could be viewed as a period-drama metaphor for shifting social values in postwar Japan . In any case this is a complex and gorgeous masterpiece that will haunt you long after viewing . This one is worth going out of your way to see .
- David Alston
008 4 Another hauntingly beautiful film from the man whom Kurosawa called The Master . Two shallow , greedy peasants abandon their faithful wives to pursue riches and glory in war-torn 16th-century Japan . They eventually learn the error of their ways and return sadder yet wiser men , but not before the wives have suffered horribly for their husbands ' follies . The eternal Mizoguchi theme : men behaving badly , women taking the brunt of it . There's also a definite WWII parable here , which is made explicit at the end , when the wives admonish their husbands to throw away their armor , give up their vain dreams of glory , and stay home , where they will find a deeper satisfaction in their humble positions as craftsmen and farmers . ( War twisted our ambitions . )
Ugetsu evokes a sense of the uncanny as few other films do ( Carl Dreyer's Vampyr may be its only equal in this regard ) . The boundary between this world and the next has never seemed so permeable , and it's all done with the surest touch and the sparest cinematic means . Who the hell needs all that Hollywood CGI claptrap when you've got a genius like Mizoguchi directing ?
I wish Criterion ( or some other reputable company ) would hurry up and put Mizoguchi's masterpieces on DVD in high-quality transfers . They can start with this one and Sansho Dayu and then move on to his lesser-known but equally ravishing films . All we have so far on DVD is one mediocre transfer of Mizoguchi's weakest film ( The 47 Ronin ) .
009 4 Director Kenji Mizoguchi was a perfectionist . On the set he would often demand hundreds of retakes . Plus his takes were often long in duration , his signature style known as flowing scroll - - one shot , one scene . His high standards and methods of precision are never more evident than in Ugetsu .
This story blends the supernatural world in with our earthly domain . There is a constant dreamlike , eerie atmosphere that is soothing and graceful . It begins to unfold in a poor rural 16th century village where the fear and apprehension of war is steadily looming .
Two men get caught up in dreams of wealth and foolish ambition . They have delusions of profiting from the effects of the war . Their misguided actions shape this haunting tale of love and loss . Life and death flow simultaneously side by side and our bound to keep you mesmerized to the screen .
This is commonly referred to as the most beautiful film ever made .
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Criterion has presented an excellent 2 - disc edition with tons of special features .
Interviews , appreciations , documentaries . Plus a terrific 72 page book that includes the three short stories that influenced the making of this film .
010 4 I don't know what Ugetsu Monogatari means in Japanese , but this exquisitely shot and acted movie is called The Stories of The Pale Moon After the Rain in my native Turkey . Maybe that's what the title means in Japanese , but whoever came up with the Turkish version of the title has found the most poetic for this sublime movie .
This ranks as my most favorite Japanese movie alongside The Ballad of Narayama , both of which depict harsh human truth with
outmost respect to human condition and without sentimentalizing or exploiting .
Sadly , neither of the movies are released on DVD here in the States . It's a great loss for all the real cinephiles , but at least we're lucky enough to have the VHS versions . Even in the low quality of video this movie is visually stunning . I can't imagine how mesmerizing it would be to watch this on DVD or better yet on the big theatre screen .
A MUST FOR CINEPHILES EVERYWHERE !
012 4 Eerie , spellbinding , mystical . . . Try though I might , it is difficult to convey in words how magical and powerful this movie is . Ugetsu unravels slowly , but its final 30 - 40 minutes are the greatest in the history of cinema . I especially remember the main character in the market imagining his wife's reaction when he brings her the finest clothing ( as poignant a moment as you will ever see ) ; Machiko Kyo's ethereal beauty and grace ; the two lovers at the hot spring , and the way this scene segues into the next ; and of course , the incredibly powerful and eerie homecoming scene . I have seen Ugetsu many times , and I still get goosebumps everytime I watch the ending . Ugetsu is truly a lost masterpiece .
013 4 This is yet another superb addition to the Criterion Collection of the masterworks of Japanese cinema during the country's fruitful artistic period after WWII . Director Kenji Mizoguchi is not as well known as Akira Kurosawa , nor is he yet enjoying a renaissance like Yasujiro Ozu is now . However , he had a long , impressive career that stretched over four decades culminating in the 1950 ' s with a handful of classic movies , the most famous being 1953 ' s Ugetsu monogatori ( Tales of Moonlight and Rain ) . Set in 16th-sentury Japan , it's a ghostly morality tale of two brothers , poor farmers who are both anxious to make their fortunes from the wartime activities surrounding them but via different means . The more focused Genjurô seeks his fortune through his homemade pottery which he sells in the bustling nearby town , and the younger Tobei's pipe dream is to become a samurai warrior .
After their village is pillaged , the brothers set off on a boat to the same town on a fog-laden lake leaving their suffering wives behind . There Genjurô meets a noblewoman named Lady Wakasa , who appreciates his artistry and falls in love with him . However , she turns out to be the ghost of a woman who never experienced love , and this realization puts Genjurô into a desperate situation since he decided to leave his devoted wife Miyagi to marry her , a decision that will turn on him with supreme irony at the end . On the other hand , Tobei achieves his desire to become a samurai warrior but through dubious means , at which point he discovers his wife Ohama has become a prostitute after being raped by warriors in his absence .
What Mizoguchi does remarkably well is interweave the two stories so that they reinforce and reflect upon each other seamlessly . He also avoids the pitfall of having the story pontificate upon the obvious morals of the story by not using archetypes but instead showing the realistic flaws in all the main characters . Without the use of special effects , the fantasy elements are not remotely contrived but rather emphasize the often nebulous difference between dreams versus reality , ambition versus happiness , and gratification versus fulfillment . The final spectral twist is a worthy precursor to The Sixth Sense . Even more impressively , with the expert work of cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa , Mizoguchi provides meticulous , often stunning tableaux to set his scenes , and his narrative is suffused with deep humanity even when the characters perform deplorable acts .
The legendary Machiko Kyô plays Lady Wakasa with an appropriately otherworldly manner , at first remote but then romantically infatuated and gradually desperate to redefine her destiny . However , it's the quartet of actors who play the two couples that make the deepest impressions . Masayuki Mori portrays Genjurô with passionate fury , and Sakae Ozawa makes the foolhardy Tobei at once deceitful and sympathetic . Kinuyo Tanaka ( Japan's first female director ) provides the right amount of stoic gentility as Miyagi , and Mitsuko Mito makes Ohama's degradation hauntingly memorable .
As befitting a classic movie of this stature , Criterion has pulled out all the stops by providing a two-disc package . Film scholar Tony Rayns provides extremely informative commentary covering not only the details of the production but also the careers of Mizoguchi and the major contributors . He also shares intriguing insight on the purported rivalry between Mizoguchi and the younger , more successful Kurosawa . On the first disc , there are also trailers and brief interviews with director Masahiro Shinoda and two men who worked on the film , Miyagawa and assistant director Tokuzo Tanaka . The second disc offers a subjective , 2 ½ - hour documentary , Kenji Mizoguchi : The Life of a Film Director , directed by Kaneto Shindo , which provides more than enough information on the filmmaker's life and career without much critical appraisal . For anyone interested in Japanese cinema or simply a great ghost story beautifully told , this is a must .
014 4 It's sad to see how cruel time and history have been to Kenji Mizoguchi . Whenever the newcomer or uninformed is first exposed to great film , Kurosawa's name is often the first associated with Japanese cinema . Nevertheless , probably only Rashomon approaches Mizoguchi's deft touch of artistic virtuosity . Though perhaps a tad on the one-track mindset in his characterization of women , the great master knew how to milk the ordinary for every drop of mysticism and sublime romanticism . Perhaps no black-and-white film has ever tugged at the eye's heart as this one . And there have been confirmed reports that the final homecoming sequence has melted the iciest resistance from those who think all old samurai-themed Japanese movies are the same .
015 4 As much as I adore Kurosawa , I was very glad to get to see Ugetsu Monotagari . This is acknowledged as an enormous classic of Japanese film , but because of the cross-over of Kurosawa's swashbuckling Samurai films into western films , director Mizoguchi's work is often overlooked .
You don't have to overlook it ! The story is one of desires and dreams that lead to nightmares and haunting . It's a ghost story and a lot more . Beautifully filmed , and one of the best foreign films you will ever see .
016 4 Kenji Mizoguchi has been associated with Bach , while Kurosawa with Beethoven . Many people consider his artistic stature as the major one in all the story of the Japanese Cinematography .
The most remarkable aspect to underline is the impressive narrative style and elegant and enraptured camera work that has become in a personal sign for him .
Mizoguchi is one of my beloved directors since I was a teenager . His visual descriptions own a mythic flavor , a language that overpasses by far , the common places we are used to watch .
Ugetsu is considered for many as the glorious masterpiece of Mizoguchi . Two couples , strongly struck by the poverty , live at the edge of desperation and hopeless , until one day , one of them decides to materialize a very long desire : to become a samurai . But as you may suppose , to reach such status is nothing easy . It demands from you something more than goodwill and a simple expectation ; it's a continous life ` s experience and a way of living : it's far to be a simple emotional decision . The other , Genjuro is a workholic , an admirable artisan , who decides to play hard with this work .
There is a fabulous breakthrough inside the story , when they have decided to escape from a very dangerous clan and they undertake a journey through a dreamingly lake ; in Mythology the sea represents the like , so in this sense when they decide to leave every one of their wifes in land , they have bet and risked . And every one of them will have to pay the prize derivated from this inicial decision .
The meaning of the story is pregnant of beauty simbolism ; if you don ' t follow your bliss , the prize to pay is enormous , no matter the nature of your intentions be .
This outstanding film is among the twenty most important and superb films in any age , so if I beg for you to watch is not only a fortunate decision but also , a wise choice in case you acquire it for your personal collection . You will watch it over and over and always , ( a typical feature of the masterpieces ) , there will always something new to admire and recognize in this mythic story , that overpasses its geographic boundaries to become an universal legacy .
018 4 Twenty years ago , I saw this film on VHS . Picked it up at the local video store , knowing nothing of Mizoguchi or Japanese film , or really much about film at all .
It was a strange-cool crazy film .
After I returned the film to the store , I promptly forgot the name of it . A funny thing happened . Time passed , and it seemed as if the power of the film grew . The haunting images came to mind , unbidden , and I longed to see the film just once again . Just couldn't get the images out of my mind . . .
When , finally , recently , I finally realized that the film I had loved so many years ago was Mizoguchi's great Ugetsu , I started to look for VHS copies . Then , I noted that it was coming out on DVD . I waited .
Oh my , was it worth the wait of all these years ! The film is as richly beautiful as I had remembered ! The unforgettable scene of Masayuki Mori and Machiko Kyo on the blanket , in the sun , the wind rustling through the long grass , water glistening beyond , the lone tree and the high-shot vantage point of the camera not distancing us at all , but making us feel as if we are seeing ourselves in our dreams ! That high shot giving us a feeling of instability , of floating . . . then Mori stumbling in the delirium of pleasure from a surfeit of happiness , of love , even . . .
What a gorgeous film ! What a haunting story of human greed and sadness-the ephemeral nature of human happiness , the hunger of ghosts . . . . a greed for life that ties hungry ghosts to the earth .
Criterion did the most respectful , bountiful disc of extras , including a really lively set of interviews about Mizoguchi and his life . There's even a nifty little booklet with the literary source material , embellished with beautiful graphics .
This is a gorgeous 2 - disc set , and a worthy part of an cinemaniac's collection .
020 4 Set in the 16th century , Ugetsu is the story of two impoverished families from a small village and the tragedy that befalls both as the male heads of the household seek selfish , illusory goals . It is simply an excellent film ; well acted , superbly directed , and a story that is timeless and profound .
021 4 If you love Japanese movies , this is a must-have film . Mizoguchi was one of the world's best directors . The homecoming scene near the end of Ugetsu is one of the great moments in cinema . Note the way that scene was shot . The cinematography by Kazuo Miyagawa is without equal . This movie has more memorable scenes than just about any other film I've watched .
The basic plot of Ugetsu involves two peasants who go off to seek fame and fortune . Their adventures end up having disastrous consequences for their wives . Mizoguchi's films often focus on the plight of women who are victimized by greedy and selfish men . Another theme is how a woman's love can save a man from his follies . In his own life , Mizoguchi reportedly despised his father . His mother died when he was a teenager and his elder sister was sold as a Geisha .
Ugetsu has many other themes , including the illusionary nature of life . But if all of this seems too heavy , just enjoy the movie for its stunning cinematography . You won't be disappointed .
022 4 Genjuro ( Masayuki Mori ) makes pottery and dreams of the day he and his family will be rich . Tobei ( Eitaro Ozawa ) wants to become a samurai . At its core Ugetsu is a story about greed , betrayal , loyalty . But , what makes this movie so good is how subtle its approach is . Director Kenji Mizoquchi doesn't shove these themes down our throats . The movie is not motivated by plot formulas but rather by its characters . It's our understanding and the fact that we begin to feel a connection between them and ourselves that leads us to watch the movie . The biggest praise I can give the film is by saying it's one of those movies you don't want to end . We are too involved and feel we need to know more .
Mizoquchi after this film earned the reputation of becoming a great women's director , and the performances by Kinuyo Tanaka ( who plays Genjuro's wife ) and Ikio Sawamura ( Tobei's wife ) are standouts . And at times do steal the scenes , as does a wonderful performance from Machiko Kyo ( Lady Wakasa ) .
Ugetsu is considered by some critics and filmgoers as one of the most beautiful films ever made . It was even once listed in sight sound s poll as one of the ten greatest films ever . And such acclaim is rightfully deserved . It is a masterful piece of work . People should make an efort to see it . It has a lasting effect .
Bottom-line : The kind of movie you wish wouldn't end . Contains standout acting from the entire cast and memorable cinematography . One of the all-time best .
023 4 This review is from :
Ugetsu - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
There's not much else that can be said about this movie that hasn't been covered in the thousands of accolades it has received since its release . For those of you who have had a surfeit of the mindless tripe that often passes for entertainment these days , this movie will provide welcome relief . The movie surpasses as a powerful reminder of the day when film was justifiably thought of as an art form .
024 4 There's not much else that can be said about this movie that hasn't been covered in the thousands of accolades it has received since its release . For those of you who have had a surfeit of the mindless tripe that often passes for entertainment these days , this movie will provide welcome relief . The movie surpasses as a powerful reminder of the day when film was justifiably thought of as an art form .
025 4 Mizoguchi's classic , Ugetsu , delivers the highest form of cinematic genius . A film that traps you , owns you , and then gives you the richness that only few works have discovered . Though shot in black and white , this work explores the greys of humanity and ulitmately equals any film ever made .
026 4 I watched the Criterion Collection DVD of Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu a few nights ago . This may well be my favorite Asian film of all . It may be a film that deals with ghosts , but above all it's a film about humanity and the things that drive us . Set during the civil wars of 16th century Japan , it tells the tale two farmers ( Genjuro and Tobei ) , their ambitions ( one to be a potter , the other to become a samurai ) and the terrible effect it has on their families .
The B & W picture looks very good - sharp with good contrast , and definitely better than I remember the Criterion LD looking . The cinematography is effective , the music alternately haunting and heart rending . I've not yet watched any of the interviews or the two and a half hour Mizoguchi documentary , but I look forward to it . I'm sure I'll get Sansho the Bailiff by Mizoguchi , as well .
In short , this film is a must see for anyone interested in Asian cinema , classic cinema or for anybody who has emotions and can feel .
027 4 Ugetsu Monogatari ( Kenji Mizoguchi , 1953 )
I've been trying to come up with a way to kick off an Ugetsu review for the past half-hour . I thought about writing something about the sudden explosion of great Japanese film that began in 1950 , but the Japanese were making great films long before that ( Mizoguchi started his career in the twenties , Ozu made Ugikusa Monogatari in 1934 , etc ) . Then I was going to start off with something about Machiko Kyo , who may be , pound for pound , the most beautiful woman to ever grace the silver screen , and who was as ubiquitous in what Time Magazine called the Japanese assembly line [ of ] masterpieces galore ( in their Hundred Best Movies Ever issue ) as Michael Caine was in pretentious mystery films in the seventies . ( And the eighties . And , wait , the nineties too . Oh , hell , he's going to be in the Sleuth remake , and he was in the Sleuth original , doesn't that say it all ? ) But that didn't feel right , either . And the only word I can come up with to describe Ugetsu itself is lyrical , because the more I think on all the different meanings of the word lyrical , the more I realize that Ugetsu - - which , I must admit , I found an enjoyable-though-minor movie when I finished watching it , and have had to let it simmer in my subconscious for a few days to truly grasp it - - fits every definition of the word .
Count yourselves lucky , I just deleted 1,500 words recounting many definitions of lyric and lyrical and tying them , often quite tenuously , to this movie . Unfortunately , however , I have nothing to replace that particular mess of pottage with ; every once in a while , I read a book or see a movie that defies being reviewed , and Ugetsu seems to be one of them . It's a ghost story . It's also an anti-war film that veers between slapstick and tragedy . It's a stunning visual experience , even half a century later . And now I'm back to everything about this movie is wonderful , so I'll just tell you that everything about this movie is wonderful . See it . * * * * ½
029 4 This film , vastly underrated and overlooked , is quite simply one of the best films ever made . With scenes that alternate between horror and beauty , hallucination and crushing reality , the supernatural and the real , and with an exceptional cinematographer ( someone who worked for Kurosawa in the years to come ) this film has it all : a love story , a moral fable , an insight into the nature of the human condition . It's great to see Mizoguchi get recognition with this DVD , and hopefully more people see this jewel of a film .
030 4 This review is from :
Ugetsu - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
Calling this film a movie is like calling the Mona Lisa a painting . Heartbreakingly gorgeous from start to finish , this masterwork has no equal in the film arts . And , it just keeps getting better every time you see it . Ugetsu is not only a great moral fable , but also a spooky ghost story and an unparalled tearjerker ( for me , anyway ) . Since I've seen this film many dozens of times - - the floodgates open with the credits . There is a sense of terrible dread and foreboding during the first half and incredible creepiness in the other . But above all there is a mythic , ethereal beauty in every frame that I have never seen in any other film . This is truly one for the ages .
031 4 Calling this film a movie is like calling the Mona Lisa a painting . Heartbreakingly gorgeous from start to finish , this masterwork has no equal in the film arts . And , it just keeps getting better every time you see it . Ugetsu is not only a great moral fable , but also a spooky ghost story and an unparalled tearjerker ( for me , anyway ) . Since I've seen this film many dozens of times - - the floodgates open with the credits . There is a sense of terrible dread and foreboding during the first half and incredible creepiness in the other . But above all there is a mythic , ethereal beauty in every frame that I have never seen in any other film . This is truly one for the ages .
033 4 Ugetsu ( Ugetsu monogatari ) , a 1953 film by Kenji Mizoguchi , which won the Venice Film Festival's top prize ( the Silver Lion Award for Best Direction ) that year , is one of the best films to ever deal with the subject of human desire , and not only the obvious sexual aspects of the emotion . While ostensibly it is labeled a ghost story , since its Japanese title means Tales Of The Pale And Silvery Moon After The Rain , the story is a complex one that hides behind its astonishingly simple narrative and revelation , and is based upon two tales from a 1776 book of tales by Ueda Akinari , and a third story from French writer Guy de Maupassant . Mizoguchi and screenwriter Yoshikata Yoda adapted elements from all three tales to create something new and relevant .
It follows the lives and desires of two couple who inhabit a small Japanese village during the 16th Century , when civil wars and ravaging bands of Samurai soldiered plundered the countryside near Lake Biwa in Omi province . The two male characters , who may be friends , or relatives , are Genjurô ( Masayuki Mori ) , a farmer and master potter , and Tobei ( Sakae Ozawa , aka Eitarô Ozawa ) . Tobei is a dimwit and the assistant potter to Genjurô , and he dreams of military glory as a samurai , but cannot even handle a sword properly . Genjurô has a wife , Miyagi ( Kinuyo Tanaka ) and young son Genichi ( Ikio Sawamura ) , and Tobei has a wife , as well . Her name is Ohama ( Mitsuko Mito ) , and they bicker in a very Ralph and Alice Kramden sort of way , while Genjurô and Miyagi seem to have a more overtly stable and loving relationship .
Technically , this film is not as overtly sophisticated as Rashomon , yet it does not suffer from the great dramatic letdown that film does . Kazuo Miyagawa's black and white cinematography is outstanding , especially in the studio shots of the river and the ghostly lady's mansion . The seduction scene , where Lady Wakasa is dancing and singing , is oddly hypnotic , and one of the most surreal moments in the film . Much of the night scenes in the film remind me of Carl Theodor Dreyer's great Vampyr , a film with darker similarities to this one . Also , the camera is almost always moving , in this film . Very few things are static , and long takes dominate the film , with very few cuts , and then only when needed to jar the viewer for a reason . Thus , when the film ends showing us that little has changed in the valley beyond the village , we are left with a disjunct feeling between the apparent stasis of life in that time and place , and the great changes we've seen take place . That we never see the Lady , nor her retinue , nor Miyagi at film's close , portrayed in a Hollywood ghostly fashion , can confuse , a bit , upon a first viewing , but on a second viewing all becomes clear in this simple , but never simplistic , tale .
The actors are also uniformly good . Sakae , as Tobei , and Mitsuko as Ohama , are a delight , comically , and in rare dramatic moments . Machiko , as Lady Wakasa , shows dramatic improvement in just two years , as an actor , from her debut in Rashomon . Yet , the film really belongs to Kinuyo , as Miyagi , and the sublime Masayuki , as Genjurô . Masayuki was outstanding as the murdered husband in Rashomon , acting with his face alone . But , this role gives him drama and comedy , horror and befuddlement , and were it not for his name and the commentary of the film , I'd have had no idea the same actor played both roles , for he looks totally different as a peasant farmer than a samurai nobleman . One scene , before he is to go to the Lady's mansion , we see him looking at a fancy kimono , and he imagines Miyagi looking at it , even though we know she cares little for such things . The look in Genjur。's eyes , contrasted with the reality we know , says more of the insecurities males feel in sexual relationships than many whole films devoted to the subject have .
While the film is in no way a modern psychological portrait of the sort Ingmar Bergman would later specialize in , a viewer is left with a firm idea of who all these characters were , simply by how their behavior is the same , yet parallaxed , by the contrast between the early scenes , and later ones that are recapitulative . Mizoguchi also made a bit of a career specialty in focusing on the lives of women , and even though the two male characters are the ostensible leads , the female characters shoulder much of the narrative and dramatic load , and do so consummately well . Ugetsu is a great film , made by an artist at his peak , and even with the misgivings its creator had , it stands the test of time immaculately .
034 4 Ugetsu - Criterion Collection
Ugetsu is one of those films great directors have referred to over subsequent years . The film draws on the ancient Eastern tradition of seeking fulfillment in flights of fantasy , ignoring the deeper meaning and satisfaction of everyday life . Kenzo Mizoguchi is a brilliant director whose influence cannot be underestimated .
036 4 One of the great masterworks of Japanese cinema , Ugetsu is part ghost story , part wartime drama , and the two mix beautifully under Mizoguchi's cogent direction . In some ways , he links the suffering of women - - murder , rape , destitution - - to the selfish acts and desires of men , an unambiguously progressive theme in postwar Japan's reevaluation of tradition . Ugetsu benefits enormously from the presence of Kyo as a sensual apparition , as well as Kazuo Miyagawa's gliding camerawork . Film lovers will embrace this entrancing story of human longing .
037 4 Ugetsu , by Director Kenji Mizoguchi is one of the most beautiful and hauntingly character driven films in the history of not only Japanese cinema , but cinema anywhere . This film has always been one of my favorites of this unique Japanese director , and it is good to see that his films are becoming more accessible here in the west . Along with Sansho the Bailiff and The Crucified Lovers this film is one of the greatest by this late , great talented and gifted director . The film itself incorporates a mixture of samurai adventure and supernatural elements in the film , which for me enhances the greatness of this film , and makes this film truly unique and magnificent .
And as with all of Kenji Mizoguchi's films , the hardships that women must endure in society [ be it feudal or contemporary society ] are prominently displayed . The film itself revolves around two peasants in 16th-century Japan . The first protagonist is named Genjuro ( Masayuki Mori ) who is a potter and wants nothing else but riches in his life . He is tired of the peasant life , and believes that if he can sell enough pottery , then his life will be better . However , his wife Miyagi ( Kinuyo Tanaka ) does not really care for a life of riches , as she is happy to be a loving wife to Genjuro and their infant child . Furthermore , Miyagi is content and sees that she is already rich with what she has already been given in life : A wonderful husband and a beautiful child .
The second protagonist is named Tobei ( Eitaro Ozawa ) who wants nothing more than to be a samurai . His wife Ohama ( Mitsuko Mito ) believes her husband is foolish , and that his time would be better spent at home with her . She does not see anything glamorous with the samurai way of life , and understands , unlike Tobei , that their lives together are more important than foolish dreams of a life spent apart from each other . However , neither of the two wives can convince their husbands that their lives together , no matter how poor , is greater than what the chaos of the outside world can offer them . Moreover , this is a time of civil war and hunger , and the outside world of their village is a very cruel world . And both Genjuro and Tobei are about to get a lesson in life in which it is the women who will suffer . A theme common in Kenji Mizoguchi's films .
As the films two main protagonists set out on their adventure , they both encounter what they have both longed for . For Genjuro there are riches beyond his imagination . And as for Tobei , he finds his greatest wish : He is now a great samurai . But as Mizoguchi shows [ not tells the veiwer ] there is a price to be paid . Yes , Genjuro has come into great riches : But at what cost ? There is an element of supernatural in his adventure that I do not wish to spoil for those of you who have not seen this great classic . And as for Tobei , he becomes a samurai by default , and is rewarded with a compliment of troops . But as with Genjuro , the price he pays is too great . What he has gained , he also loses : And the loss is greater than he can endure .
Mizoguchi is able to weave a great tale showing that although both Tobei and Genjuro have gained much in the world , what they have lost is greater than either of them can bear . They have each in their own way found only a fleeting and temporal enjoyment , not realizing that what they had at home with their wives was far greater and richer than what they could ever have possibly gained . This is a great film . Moreover , the wonderful camera movement that Mizoguchi employs , and the atmospheric intensity of the two main protagonists as they journey to seek out their fame and fortune is done with utmost beauty . I highly recommend this film to anyone who is truly interested in great Japanese cinema . And this film is great ! [ Stars : 5 + ] .
038 4 The concept of yin and yang describes the interconnectedness of opposites :
for example , light an dark , male and female , contraction ( yin ) and expansion ( yang ) . It applies as well to social constructions such as good and evil , rich and poor , honor and dishonor . Applied to life , the concept can be a warning about the consequences of living on the edge . Extreme good will turn to evil ; extreme wealth to poverty ; extreme honor to dishonor , and so on . In the dance of these interacting forces , the best spot to be is in the center because the center is balance , peace , well-being . Only in the center can creation take place ; only in balance can a human being exist in the present moment , unburdened of future tasks and past regrets .
Of course in the unfolding of life there is constant interplay between yin and yang . Yang gathers . Yin disperses . The interplay guarantees growth , change , and evolution . Remain balanced during all of this shifting is indeed a challenge . Sometimes individuals are pushed about by the forces of the universe , such as happens in periods of war . This is what happens to simple , good men and women in the celebrated Japanese film , Ugetsu . Watching the film from a yin and yang perspective , viewers reap a sense of forgiveness . A forgiveness given by the higher ups who made the film - - let's call it universal consciousness - - to the simple men and women of Japan who participated in any way whatsoever , in the horrors of World War II .
Kenji Mizoguchi made the film in 1953 , eight years after Hiroshima and Japan's surrender . Rather than deal with modern war and forgiveness , he set his film in medieval Japan . The story is based on a popular Japanese Fairy tale .
A Quick synopsis : Genjuro is a potter who longs for wealth and luxury , while Tobei a farmer , dreams of the glories of the samurai . The two of them take off to the town of Nagahama to sell their wares , leaving their wives , Miyagi and hama , behind in a small village . War rages around them . The men run into its jaws , looking for opportunity ; the women want to hide and grasp safety . War is an extreme . It pushes people off balance , causes them to live on the edge .
Genjuro ends up in complete expansion . In t Nagahama , he not only finds success in selling his wares , he also ends up in a place of extreme luxury and in the arms of beautiful Lady Wakasa . . I never knew such pleasures existed , he says . Lady Wakasa convinces him to marry her .
Through efforts not his own , Tobei , who is a fool , ends up with the decapitated head of a powerful general . As his reward , the general of the opposing forces appoints Tobei a samurai and gives him a battalion of men . Tobei ends up in complete contraction : hard , a warrior .
The wives meet similar extremes : while her Genjuro is slothfully indulging in sake and food , Miyaki starves and is killed for a rice cake . Ohama , Tobei's wife , is raped by soldiers and descends into a life of a prostitution .
The Virgin Knows : an art theft thriller
Wheels of yin and yang continue to turn , with each scene fluidly finding it's complement , or opposite . Night scenes cut to day scenes . Scenes of the wife splice to scene of husband . Fire to water . Ghost to reality . Dream to wakefulness . The men's restless acquisitive nature and woman's homing instinct force dance inside war .
In the end of the film , when war comes to a close , life adjusts . We're back in the village . The characters must forgive each other to find their balance . The last scene sums it up : Genjuro stands at his potter's wheel , centering his clay , creating .
Why yin and yang ? The Japanese people had to pick up and go on , accept that war pushes them off balance , and realize that they might have made foolish mistakes but now , in the present , it was their responsibility to find the center , live in balance .
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040 4 This review is from :
Ugetsu [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
I just read on the Criterion site that a restored Ugetsu is coming to DVD in November in a 2 DVD set with an additional 2 and 1 / 2 hour documentary of Kenji Mizoguchi's life , commentary and many other extras . Absolutely a must buy if you love this film as I do ! Check on [ . . . ] for more information .
Let's celebrate ! Finally ! ! ! !
041 4 I just read on the Criterion site that a restored Ugetsu is coming to DVD in November in a 2 DVD set with an additional 2 and 1 / 2 hour documentary of Kenji Mizoguchi's life , commentary and many other extras . Absolutely a must buy if you love this film as I do ! Check on [ . . . ] for more information .
Let's celebrate ! Finally ! ! ! !
042 4 This is a beautifully shot movie . Mizoguchi is a great director of the plight of women in old Japan . His sister was sold into the life of a geisha , so alot of his movies speak for his sister . Some of his other notable films are ; Sisters of the Gion , and Geisha .
043 4 Of over 80 films that Kenji Mizoguchi had made during his lifetime ( 1898 - 1956 ) only about a dozen had made their way to the West . Three of them , Song of Oharu , ( 1952 ) , Ugetsu Monogatari ( 1953 ) , and Sansho the Bailiff ( 1954 ) won the Silver Lion , the grand prize at Venice Film Festival three years in a row . There is no director before or after Mizoguchi who has ever achieved the same honors . I've only seen one Mizoguchi's film so far ; Ugetsu Monogatori / Tales of Ugetsu / Tales of a Pale and Mysterious Moon After the Rain ( 1953 ) but this is enough to realize why the critics and viewers keep naming it one of the greatest of all films , beautiful , timeless , and magnificent masterpiece . It is all of the above , and it has achieved all of the superlatives being seemingly simple and rather short . This is the movie that takes place in the medieval Japan in the 16 Century when country was torn by the feudal wars . It focuses on the lives and ways of two country men , the brothers , and their families . Blending artfully and seamlessly the long passed history , the supernatural ghost stories , the elegiac poem , and not turning away from the scenes of brutal reality and violence , Mizoguchi created the film of serene elegance , mesmerizing beauty , and timeless humanity . Ugetsu is the heartbreaking story of wrong ambitions that blind the men , make them take for granted the most precious treasures in their life and forsake them for chasing the ghosts of fame , greed , and sensual pleasures . It is about non replaceable losses , guilt , and regrets . It is about redemption and forgiveness . Ugetsu is the film which sympathizes and sides with the most oppressed and suffering members in Japanese society - the women . Mizoguchi shows them loving , loyal , noble , and devoted . Their love , understanding and forgiveness are boundless . Ugetsu is a perfect work of art , like an ancient marble statue . There are no unnecessary elements or shots or images in there . It is as precise and impressive in its imagery as the classical Japanese short poems , haiku and tanka . Everything is of exquisite taste , perfect measure , elegant composition , and subtlety . I've seen many films in my life but after watching Ugetsu Monogatari I want to exclaim together with one of the characters , I never suspected such pleasures existed .
046 4 A fabulous tale of folly and redemption set against the massive disruptions that were the Japanese Civil Wars , with roving bands of marauding soldiers . . . theft , rape , destruction and starvation .
Two brothers in a humble village discover that they can make a significnat amount of money by selling their rather special pottery in surrounding towns and cities . First , however , and against the advice of their wives , they have to get their through cordons of ravaging enemy soldiers .
The result is tragedy but of a unique , definitely haunting type . The one brother , perhaps the least intelligent , has his heart on becoming a samurai . He does so , and by a set of fortuitous circumstances , becomes not only a samurai but a great war leader and lord . His price is high . His abandoned wife is gang raped and ends up as a prostitute . Her samurai husband discovers her . . . quite accidentally . . . working in the humiliation that is a brothel .
The other brother's experience is far more mystical . A beautiful lady . . . one of the few survivors of her clan following battles with a rival clan . . . inexplicably falls in love with the pottery maker and , without asking questions , marries him immediately . The woman is delicate and ethereal and for good reason . She is the ghost of a young woman killed along with the rest of her clan . The ghost of her devoted maid takes her back into the world of light so that she can experience the love of a man . She succeeds but , a soldier alerts our brother to the fact that his wife is a ghost and covers his body with Sanskrit curses to protect him .
The two ghosts are appalled and try to get him to remove them so that he can live eternally with them in the afterworld . He refuses to find himself left in the ruins of a burned out house .
He returns home to be greeted by his real wife and son only to learn , the next morning , that the woman who had greeted him the previous night has been dead . . . killed by soldiers . . . for weeks . She's a ghost , too .
The similarity between the second brother's tale and the tale of Odysseus with Circe is perhaps coincidental but all the more haunting because of it . A great film .
Ron
047 4 This film is haunting , you don't know what is real what is a dream it is also mysterious , the story is simple yet very profound , it questions the nature of happiness and how people overlook that in theire so called search of the fleeting and illusionary idealism what is ideal and happiness is not what you might think it is , rather it's in fact more simple and down to earth then you might think and that's what the film brilliantly reflects . . . , the final scene is chilling and touching at the same time you leave this film meditating and moved . . .
048 4 It is interesting to compare Ugetsu with the Treasure of Sierra Madre . Both are classics , and in one way deal with the same theme - - the effects of greed on the soul . It is interesting that in TOSM , there is only one family person we of know of that is affected by the events that occur , and we never see her . Here , the family is more involved . I won't say more for risk of spoiling the picture for those who have not seen one or the other . But both are films well worth viewing multiple times . Both truly deserving the overused word - - Classic .
049 4 Film : To use Western terminology Mizoguchi switches between a carefully crafted neo-realist style and a subtle expressionist fantasy , replete with mist , echoing song , and atmospheric lighting effects . The film meditates on social position , the status of women , the effects of war on civilians , and the falibility of human nature . However , the film grows out of a deeper Japanese film tradition , one that I've only just begun to explore . As a result I feel unqualified to describe the film further , other than to say , it made a deep impression . I found it haunting , beautiful and very moving .
I don't think the hype of critics ' polls helps assessment . I came to this film expecting to be swept away on a cinematic tsunami ; whereas when I watched the film on its own terms , I began to enjoy it more .
DVD : As usual with Criterion , excellent .
050 4 Ugetsu is one of the most fascinating films of the Japanese Cinema and at the same time a world masterpiece .
Kenji Mizoguchi created a yardstick in directing and capturing the very essence of the characters in a unique way .
The way the camera was keeping a distance and yet revealing the characters is fascinating .
The story is classic and the characters can appear in every era the world round .
Men obsessed by their determination to prove themselves is a common theme that became the center action of thousands of films .
Yet Mizoguchi presented this classic theme in a spectacular way .
If someone wants to study and enjoy the Japanese cinema , he / she should start by this film and then move slowly and with a lot of attention and care to such masterpieces as Rashomon , Ikiru by Kurosawa , Sisters of Gion , Street of Shame , Life of Oharu by Mizoguchi , and only then to enjoy films such as Tampopo , The funeral , Taxing woman of Itami .
051 4 This review is from :
Ugetsu - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
This is a great story of a man who dreams of being a great man of wealth and position in 15th century Japan . A man who is a farmer and a potter abandons his wife and child in war torn Japan to marry a woman with high status and who also turns out to be a ghost . He becomes a great samurai and wealthy , but what of his wife and child ?
052 4 This is a great story of a man who dreams of being a great man of wealth and position in 15th century Japan . A man who is a farmer and a potter abandons his wife and child in war torn Japan to marry a woman with high status and who also turns out to be a ghost . He becomes a great samurai and wealthy , but what of his wife and child ?
053 4 Ugetsu was not as haunting as I had expected . This film is similar to the Japanese cultural time when civil war was abound and a general feel of unrest was in the country . Demons were believed to live among the people .
Two men aspire to become rich by hard work and provide for their families . Many can imagine the troubles they encounter while they try to attain their goals . However , one man is not so interested in the business and the other is tempted and becomes lost for some time .
Without giving away the story , Ugetsu is about appriciating what you have daily , while you have it , before it's gone . In the end , you can't always get it back .
I'm not sure what is more stricking about the ending in this film . . . The ghosts , reality , or the levels at which someone will try to attain something only to discover what they had is gone .
Definately worth watching but , not suggested for those looking for bloodsoaked J-Horror .
Unfortunately the word haunting which is used repeatedly when referencing this film doesn't seem appropriate . Haunting applies to atmosphere . It falls short of haunting . The film is interesting and it has Japanese atmposhere but lacked the hauting I feel others refer . I feel It plays like a B & W film from the dated era it was from and does so with Class unlike any other film .
054 4 I first saw this when I was a teenager . I wasn't able to understand the reason why Machiko would like this voice and it bothered me . Watching it now , I realized I wasn't supposed to like it ; it was supposed to be like listening to Vincent Price speaking from the grave . Says a lot about the beauty of Machiko Kyo ; that it was able to show through in spite of being covered up the traditional garb . Rape happens in this movie ; though shown off screen . The husband runs off to be a samurai with dire consequences . There's actually 2 stories going on . A lot of fun of seeing this movie is seeing the plots unfold so I won't give them away here . Suffice to say , I kept thinking about this movie for days afterwards . High recommended . Actually , four and a half stars because there is slight incoherence but overall , the movie is a masterpiece .
055 4 This review is from :
Ugetsu - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film .
Ugetsu is the story of two peasants seeking fortune . When their village is attacked by bandits they flee with their wives to a nearby town . Later they send their wives back home with the intention of following them later .
This 2 disc DVD set has some great special features too .
Disc 1 contains the film with optional audio commentary by Tony Rayns , Two Worlds Intertwined a new , special about Ugetsu , an interview with the film's assistant director , Tokuzo Tanaka , an interview with cinematographer , Kazuo Miyagawa , and trailers .
Disc 2 has a 2½ hour biographical documentary about the film's director , Kenji Mizoguchi .
There is also a 70 page booklet with many dirrerent articles .
056 4 This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film .
Ugetsu is the story of two peasants seeking fortune . When their village is attacked by bandits they flee with their wives to a nearby town . Later they send their wives back home with the intention of following them later .
This 2 disc DVD set has some great special features too .
Disc 1 contains the film with optional audio commentary by Tony Rayns , Two Worlds Intertwined a new , special about Ugetsu , an interview with the film's assistant director , Tokuzo Tanaka , an interview with cinematographer , Kazuo Miyagawa , and trailers .
Disc 2 has a 2½ hour biographical documentary about the film's director , Kenji Mizoguchi .
There is also a 70 page booklet with many dirrerent articles .
057 4 Ugetsu is certainly a classic piece of Japanese film but to say it's one of the best films of all time goes too far .
Ugetsu does two things : it portrays the plight of the peasantry and tells a ghost story . The problem is that the two halves of the film don't congeal into much of a message or statement . A bunch of stuff happens in Ugetsu but on the whole it's not as complete a work as the better Kurosawa films .
The Criterion edition has a marvelous transfer , but the film has not aged all that well . The relatively modest special effects and camera work often make it seem like you're watching a play , rather than a film - - a character flicks on a match and the room becomes illuminated , obviously by lightbulbs . Parts of the river sequence are too obviously shot in a studio . The ghost woman looks less like a ghost than a woman in white makeup .
Again , Ugetsu is a good film of its time , and definitely worth a watch , but let's not over-praise it just because of its age .
these layers are organically one and the same , an idea that was introduced in literary theory by the Russian formalists almost a hundred years ago .
You could think of this film as having two gods , two narrative threads intertwining . The first is what we always associate with whatever Mizoguchi , the feminist story-telling device and deep sympathy . Ironically we find out in the documentary on the second disk that it was never Mizoguchi's intention to be a feminist film-maker . Yet the wonderful invention here comes from the other half of the story , which is about ghosts . Mizoguchi has segmented this in sotto voco throughout the whole narrative , mostly because the notion is already so strong . That is , we also have ghosts in the visual narrative , in every frame and beyond . These ghosts are figments of a visual space that I assume explicates itself when the visible narrative ( plot ) advances , becomes errant , folds and becomes intrusive . Then these ghosts unleash and the big shift is how there ultimately should be nothing ; how we see the woman beside the fireplace when she shouldn't be there - the illusion is so strong it remains .
The supernatural is presented in the story beautifully . This film dwells on both fronts unlike most Mizoguchi , whose films are so often rooted in grim reality . And I think it's the reason why the film turns out to be so beautifully captivating and as magical as it is . The packaging itself is beautiful , and also included is the two-hour mammoth documentary on Mizoguchi , which isn't only informative , but actually funny and interesting as it goes through his whole life . Also included is a book that includes two short stories that inspired the film ( including Guy de Maupassant ) and a writing from film critic Philip Lopate . A magical experience . If you have the chance or any interest , this wouldn't only completement Mizoguchi's Sanshô , but Bergman's
The Seventh Seal
. Two wondrously mystic films . Lovingly recommended .
011 4 Criterion gave this release their red-carpet treatment including : a full-length extra disc bio of the director ; full-length commentary ; a few interviews ; a seventy-page booklet ; as always , restored print and sound ( the quality of the movie is well-known ; the score for this movie is exceptional ) . If you have been waiting as I have for late-period Mizoguchi DVD releases , wait no longer and pick this up .
017 4 This is a very beautiful movie . My favorite scene is where the potter and Lady Mikasa are having what looks like a picnic by the sea . I think it is the most beautiful composition I've ever seen in a movie . And he says I didn't know life could be like this . Well I guess it can't , but its comforting to see beautiful things .
028 4 If you like black and white classics , like I do , then this film , by Japan's great master , is a must . A very attractive Criterion production . Accompanying booklet is a real treat .
035 4 Brilliant ! Brilliant ! Brilliant ! I am now a Kenji Mizoguchi fan and plan to check out more of his work . Few ghost stories come near this movie in quality . Simply terrific fable .
039 4 I've seen many great films , including those of Ingmar Bergman , Akira Kurosawa etc . I just finished watching this one , and it now ranks among the most devastating I've ever seen . Incredible . It's one of the rare films that I can remember ever causing chills throughout my body , and not just momentary chills . I can say no more right now . The experience is too fresh to think clearly . I've emerged reeling like a drunkard , drugged almost speechless , with the film rushing through my bloodstream , pumping and thudding .
044 4 Thanks again Criterion ! Mizoguchis masterpiece in a brilliant edition is everything one could hope for .
058 4 Fast shipping ; The DVD is still in the States with my parnets in law , while I live in Germany . They will bring it with them at Christmas . I assume , the quality is as good as the shipping was .
If you have any further questions , please write me after Christmas
Thak you
Best regards
Jessika Kraus
