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Ugetsu Story (Ugetsu Monogatari)

4th(1999) Special Programs in Focus

CountryJapan
Production Year1953
Running Time97min
Format 35mm

Program Note

Ugetsu Story made Mizoguchi visible in the Western film scene, winning the Silver Lion and Italian Critics′ Award at the Venice Film Festival in 1953. Yoshikata Yoda and Matsutaro Kawaguchi wrote the screenplay based on two short stories from Akinari Ueda′s 1768′s short story collection, The Ugetsu Story: "The Inn at Asaji" and "Serpent of Desire." Genjuro, a potter, and his brother-in-law, Tobei, leave their wives and sons for the city searching for the wealth and fame. Genjuro forgets everything, addicted to short-term success and is lured on by Wasaka, the wicked female ghost; while Tobei seems to rise in the world and gain fame. However, their families are entrapped in a great tragedy. Soldiers murder Kenjuro′s wife and Tobei′s wife sinks to prostitution. The two men repent, realizing that they lost their families and love because of their wild desires. Mizoguchi integrated all aspects of his unique aesthetic style- long takes, long shots, and deep focus cinematography- in this film. (Kim Ji-Seok)

Director

Mizoguchi Kenji

As one of the directors who represent Japanese cinema, Mizoguchi is oftern compared with John Ford as the director who has both popular and artistic capablities. Born in Tokyo in 1868, he studied Western drawings, and udsed to work as an illustrator for a journal. He entered Nikkatsu in 1922 and became a director after two years, when he was onl twenty-four. Mizoguchi touched on various genres raging from custom drama to centemporary works, and his films mainly describe the details of ordinary people’s lives whilst mantaing a critical take on society. From his mid 30s he started building his own directing style, such as plan sequence and deep focus cinematography. From then, he also started showing his deep interest in women’s lives and made The Life of Oharu(1952) and Ugestu Story(1953). Now Mizoguchi has become one of the Japanese directors who are actively studied in the international film scene.

Photo

Credit

Director Mizoguchi Kenji 미조구치 겐지
Producer Masaichi Nagata
Cast Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori, Kinuyo Tanaka, Sakae Ozawa, Mittsuko Mito, Sugisaku Aoyama
Screenplay Matsutaro kawaguchi. Yoshikata Yoda
Cinematography Kazuo Miyagawa
Production Design Kisaku Ito
Editor Mitsuzo Miyata
Music Fumio Hayasaka
Production Company Daiei Co., Ltd.
1-1-16 Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Japan
World Sales Daiei Co., Ltd.
1-1-16 Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Japan