Yet during the early 1950s, at the same time that kurosawa was becoming known to the public through the release of classics like rashomon and the seven samurai, another japanese director, kenji mizoguchi, quietly came out with a trilogy of filmsthe life. Kenji mizoguchi, victory of women, josei no shori kenji mizoguchi, 1946. May 16, 1898 august 24, 1956 was a japanese film director and screenwriter. Critics were struck by the film s gorgeous photography, elegant camerawork, and exotic settings and by kenji mizoguchi s signature use of imagery that quietly evokes a. Kenji mizoguchi the life of a film director 1975 kaneto shindo by argenis mills. The life of a film director aru eigakantoku no shogai dirigido por kaneto shindo. Genroku chushingura, also known as the fortyseven ronin of the genroku era, or in the case of kenji mizoguchi s twopart, 220minute adaptation, the loyal fortyseven ronin 194142, is one of japans great historical legends.
Find films and movies featuring kenji mizoguchi on allmovie. Ive included some of the major works of the big three directors of. Having refined his craft in the silent era, kenji mizoguchi was an elder statesman of japanese cinemafiercely revered by akira kurosawa and other younger directorsby the time he made ugetsu. Kenji mizoguchi the life of a film director 1975 kaneto shin. After the life of oharu and ugetsu won prizes in successive venice film festivals in the early 50s, mizoguchi became an icon for the nascent french new wave.
Kenji mizoguchi, story of the last chrysanthemums 1939 eng subs. The late shindo kaneto worked on several mizoguchi films, as everything from assistant art director to cowriter, and this documentary shot over two years recounts the masters life and career across some 36 interviews with actors, producers and crew members from the films. Onibaba le assassine italiano completo film duration. Kenji mizoguchi was born into a modest middleclass family.
Kenji mizoguchi was a japanese film director and screenwriter. Sansho the bailiff by kenji mizoguchi kenji mizoguchi. This documentary shot over two years recounts the masters life and career across some 36 interviews with actors, producers and crew members from the films. William wylers roman holiday, and won the italian critics award as well. According to writer mark le fanu, his films have an extraordinary force and purity.
More recently mizoguchi s early films have come under scrutiny. The life of a film director shindo, japan kenji mizoguchi was, in my opinion, the greatest of all japanese directors and here he gets a fitting tribute from another master, his compatriot kaneto shindo onibaba. The life of a film director, now available on dvd and one of the best films ever made about a director. Ive been a constant reader of imdb for many years though have never before submitted a comment. One of mizoguchi s most devastating achievements, the life of oharu stars kinuyo tanaka as oharu, a onetime concubine of a feudal lord who struggles to escape the stigma of having been forced into prostitution by her father. The life of a film director aru eigakantoku no shogai is a 1975 japanese documentary film on the life and works of director kenji mizoguchi, directed by kaneto shindo onibaba. Mizoguchi, kenji, 18981956, japanese film director.
From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia kenji mizoguchi may 16, 1898 august 24, 1956 was a japanese film director and screenwriter. The great director s legendary version of chushingura is finally available in a sparkling dvd transfer. Mizoguchis best director film was the life of oharu saikaku ichidai onna. Mizoguchi s work is renowned for its long takes and miseenscene. The story of the last chrysanthemum kenji mizoguchi, 1939 87.
Mizoguchi made more than 80 features, but some 50 from the silent film and early sound years have not survived. Kenji mizoguchi the life of a film director 1975 kaneto shindo duration. Richard brody on the 1939 film the story of the last chrysanthemum, a major work by the japanese director kenji mizoguchi. Kenji mizoguchi, mizoguchi kenji, may 16, 1898 august 24, 1956 was a japanese film director and screenwriter. Mizoguchi uses her personal travails to study the issues of gender, class and ideology in the edo period. Kenji mizoguchi 18981956 was a japanese film director most noted for exploring both. They were discovered, and oharu and her family were exiled. Although he filmed almost 90 movies in the silent era, only his last 12 productions are really known outside of japan because they were especially produced for venice e. Kenji mizoguchi the historical settings, fragile grace and quiet lyricism of mizoguchi s films cannot conceal their carefully controlled anger, and their pertinence to 20thcentury life. Mizoguchi kenji, born may 16, 1898, tokyo, japandied aug. Kenji mizoguchi white city cinema a film blog with a. Saikaku ichidai onna 1952 the life of oharu alt alamy. For oharu there followed a life filled with one sorrow and humiliation after another.
Shindo, the director of such international successes as children of the abomb, the island, and onibaba, had been a pupil of mizoguchi s and owed much to his mentor. Kenji mizoguchi 18981956 japanese film director and scriptwriter. It was awarded a silver lion and italian critics award. Kenji mizoguchi director biography madman entertainment. For a majority of film goers, the names most usually associated with classic japanese cinema are those of kurosawa and ozu.
Later he became an assistant director and made his first film in 1922. By the time he made ugetsu, kenji mizoguchi was already an elder statesman of japanese cinema, fiercely revered by akira kurosawa and other directors of a younger generation. It is to his eternal credit, however, that they emerge less as sociopolitical tracts than as emotionally moving, dramatically refined works of art. One of the best documentaries about a film director, this is twoandahalf hours long and chockfull of. Mizoguchis topic selection is seen as reflecting his personal life, which was filled with. During the three decades of his career as a film director, mizoguchi was one of. Kenji mizoguchi one of japans most important filmmakers, kenji mizoguchi created a cinema rich in technical mastery and social commentary, specifically regarding the place of women in japanese society. Sipping monty pythons holy ale while watching monty python and. The life of oharu 1952 directed by kenji mizoguchi. With takako irie, daisuke ito, kyoko kagawa, matsutaro kawaguchi. This documentary film chronicles the life of one of the most wellknown japanese movie directors mizoguchi kenji, using interviews with actors, actresses, cinematographer, producers, script writers. As director tokuzo tanaka suggests, kenji mizoguchi s ugetsu is a mediation on the ephemeral nature of life, a film that contrasts the sensible needs of women with the greedy ambitions of man, the alluring beauty of the spirit world with the blunt horror of reality.
The 47 ronin 1941 uk region 2 compatible all region dvd. A documentary film on the life and works of director kenji. The life of oharu producer, screenwriter, director. Culture the 100 greatest foreignlanguage films bbc. Kenji mizoguchi entered the film world as a promoter of western novelty in japanese cinema and exited it as an acclaimed international director who exemplified japan at its most traditional. Kenji mizoguchi the life of a film director 1975 kaneto.
Kenji mizoguchi, story of the last chrysanthemums 1939 eng. Mizoguchi, kenji article about mizoguchi, kenji by the. He is particularly known for films that portray the lives of women, whom he often depicts as suffering and sacrificing in a malecontrolled society. Hayasaka fumio 191455 worked with some of japans most famous film directors during his sixteen year career while winning numerous. In 1975, shindo made the long documentary kenji mizoguchi. Over the years, the director of such classics as taxi driver, raging bull and the wolf of wall street. Kenji mizoguchi the life of a film director 1975 kaneto shindo. While on a first viewing i dont think it is a masterpiece, there was alot to like about this film, especially the cinematography and miseenscene each shot was so well staged and the sets so sumptiously full of detail it was like. When it won the 1952 golden lion at the venice film festival one year after akira kurosawas rashomon did the same, oharu not only solidified the reputation of japanese cinema but also ended mizoguchi s. Well, i saw my first mizoguchi film today story of the late chrysanthemums and im mightily impressed. Later in his life, mizoguchi maintained that his career as a serious director did not begin. Kenji mizoguchi, flame of my love waga koi wa moenu 1949. Though maybe not director kenji mizoguchi s most perfect film ugetsu and sansho the bailiff usually garner this title, life of oharu is arguably his most important work. Specijalnost su mu bile socijalne drame, kao i vjesto koristenje dugih kadrova, koje mu je donijelo priznanje ne samo u domovini, nego u svijetu.
517 1256 1177 898 375 1238 973 84 1449 462 175 1075 626 207 1138 581 870 674 173 1401 498 931 732 257 185 1239 1280 274 1235 597 308 481 1428 63 231 690 340 332 864 379 303 1046 1089 658 126 219 1347