56-57 / BD 71 Uwasa no onna & Chikamatsu monogatari

[Michael Kerpan]

I think Mizoguchi used Chikamatsu's story simply to make a (wonderful) traditional film, whereas Shinoda was striving to capture (in a modernist fashion) the essence of Chikamatsu's bunraku dramaturgy as well as the story.

And then there is Kitano's Dolls, which is similarly based on Chikamatsu (and shows awareness of both Mizoguchi and Shinoda).

[Jack Phillips]

Wow, loads of good comments here on both films =D>

The film I was most reminded of while watching Chikamatsu Monogatari was Double Suicide by Shinoda. Which kind of makes sense because they're both Chikamatsu stories. But somehow I was a less annoyed with the melodramatic acting in Chikamatsu than in Double Suicide. Could this simply have to do with the fact that Mizoguchi was more experienced with melodrama and Chikamatsu plays?
Don't get me wrong, I did really like Double Suicide on the other hand, but maybe Shinoda exaggerated on purpose because it was a Chikamatsu play?

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Shinoda presents Double Suicide as a kind of conflation of bunraku and kabuki?

[Fan-of-Kurosawa]

I watched Uwasa No Onna yesterday and I liked it very much.
Of course I also saw the Tony Rains intro.
I was amazed to hear him say that again Mizoguchi did not like very much the project and that the whole film was imposed to him by the studio and like in the case of Chikamatsu Monogatari he only did it because he had to.
I mean, both films are wonderful. I can't imagine how they could have been better.

Aside from that, I was blown away by the transfers. Last week I saw AE's Lady from Musashino and Life of Oharu and I found the transfers mediocre but watchable. But now after having seen Chikamatsu and Uwasa I can't believe how bad the AE transfers are in comparison.

[lazier than a toad]

They are appalling (from equally appalling source elements). As is Madame Oyu.

Having said that MoCs transfer of Oyu Sama is much much better than the AE transfers. Great film too - perhaps my favourite among all those Mizoguchi films released in this series so far.

[Michael Kerpan]

They are appalling (from equally appalling source elements). As is Madame Oyu.

If you wander back thru this venerable thread you will find MANY MANY mentions of the paucity of Shochiku elements.

Even so, the (o/p) French transfer of O-Haru seems considerably better than the AE -- and was presumably based on the same source elements.

[Kenji]

There was an interesting recent article in Sight and Sound by Alex Jacoby (maybe coincidentally i'd given S+S a good telling off for ignoring Mizo previously), extolling the virtues of the less well known Mizo films in each set of two- and so supporting MOC decision to do the double bill releases. What sets Sansho above the others for me is its open spaces (and the overwhelming beauty of nature) extending the emotional and spiritual grandeur. But a "smaller" film like Woman of Rumour offers different pleasures, allows appreciation of smaller details. I enjoyed it more on 2nd viewing. My initial reactions to Mizo films have been influenced by my overwhelming, expectation-raising, response years ago to Sansho; it's only natural to want more of the same, but then a more measured appreciation often comes later. Woman of Rumour is certainly not a minor film.

[Pipi]

What are the chances to see these two movies on Blu-ray? Is there any follow-up to Ugetsu and Sansho planned? I would greatly appreciate that.

[manicsounds]

I'd say if the current 2 Mizoguchi Blu-rays sell well enough, the 2 other releases have a good chance of being upgraded as well.

[swo17]

I've moved discussion of the upcoming Mizoguchi BD box to this thread. Please only make comments there specific to the release of the 8-film boxset. This thread is for discussion of the two films mentioned in the thread title.

[Drucker]

Addendum -- Chikamatsu monogatari also looks pretty wonderful. Despite Tony Rayn's annoyingly dismissive "introduction", this remains my favorite Mizoguchi film. Luckily, he is the only displeasing aspect of this MOC series so far.

I've got a week off of work and am finally working my way through this set. I'll also say that as someone with ADHD, I am certain many of the films I watch which I "don't get" or can't follow, it's more a result of my own inability to pay attention perhaps more than the way the film is made. Getting into films for me is indeed a challenging thing. Mizoguchi was a director I checked out pretty early on as I tried getting into films, but found it hard to watch. Sansho and Ugetsu were okay, but the Eclipse set made me give up on him. I found the films depressing in an off-putting and repetitive way. Perhaps it's because I'm a better film-watcher now, and perhaps it's because i'm trying to go through this set in a short period of time (which I always fail to do with boxsets), but the two films in this set really clicked for me.

There was something to Chikamatsu last night that I really enjoyed. The chase sequences were excellent (and the beautiful shot on the boat where they both don't commit suicide is phenomenal.

SpoilerShow

Halfway through the film, it was clear to me it would end the same way it began, with the crucifixion. And this is just a great example of what a well-constructed film this was.

The film handled it's various plots deftly. Some of the tropes that Mizoguchi films contain (male benefactor, who, at the moment a geisha needs it, just can't come through!) were not present. The film also had more hope in it than any of his others, even if the characters are naturally doomed!

I have to say, as great as Chikamatsu was, I enjoyed Uwasa even more. Better than any other Mizoguchi film I've seen, this film really gave us a glimpse of the lives of every geisha in the house, how they interact with each other, and how the people that would be the focus of the story interacted. I've felt distracted by his films in the past where by focusing on one character's desperation, we have very little insight into what drives them. This film, too, was incredibly well constructed. The plot where people the head of the geisha house arrives home, carrying new baggage on her shoulders, then a group of men come in to interact with the geisha, was powerful as it evolved throughout the film, as we see her slowly losing a grip on the control she has on her life. The male character in this film, too, is more enjoyable than usual. Even though he is to be despised, his character felt far more multi-dimensional than I'm used to in these films. The film does a fantastic job of keeping you interested in the background characters and grounding the characters at the forefront in their lives. Very enjoyable film which got better and better as i wen

It's incredibly helpful, for what it's worth, that this set looks phenomenal, and I'm sure the PQ definitely distracted as I tried watching the Eclipse. Looking at the late-period masterpieces of Ozu and Mizoguchi, which so clearly stand out to me as their best work, it's more obvious than ever these masters are at the height of their powers at the twilight of their careers.

[Michael Kerpan]

Uwasa no onna borrows more than a little from Shaw's Mrs/ Warren's Profession. Not sure why this film has typically been disregarded, The performances are great -- and Tanaka's perforance here is one of her very best for Mizoguchi (whike Yoshiko Kuga as the daughter is alos first-rate). Whikle people rave about Tanaka in Sansho and Ugetsu -- her roles in these are pretty one-dimensional. In Uwasa, as in Utamaro and Love of Sumako the Actress, Tanaka gets to play complex characters, not ones who simply suffers nobly. But, while I do love Uwasa, Chikamatsu remains my (heavy) favorite. ;-}