52-59 / BD 36-37, 71-72 Late Mizoguchi: Eight Films, 1951-56

[Kenji]

Mark le Fanu's book Mizoguchi and Japan attributes Yoda's script adaptations to Saikaku as well as Chikamatsu's The Almanach of Love (which is credited, adapted first by Kawaguchi, in my little Yoda book), and according to Le Fanu, Yoda stressed Saikaku's contribution. Now i did read the Saikaku book Five Women who Found Love years ago, but must admit i can't remember well enough to confirm! Audie Bock's book on Japanese directors only credits Chikamatsu. I'll try and check out more in the Yoda book, but over to Michael in the meantime.....

[ltfontaine]

I must say that there are aspects of Mizoguchi's film that _feel_ Saikaku-ish.

I haven't been able to find a translation of the Chikamatsu play -- which would answer at least some questions...

The film shares some direct affinities with the Saikaku story ("The Almanac Maker's Tale"), including the names of the characters and much of the action, although there are also some substantial discrepancies. This makes me wonder if the writer of the academic paper has not simply assumed, rather than documented, Mizoguchi's reference to the story by Saikaku. It may be that Saikaku and Chikamatsu, as contemporaries, were drawing on the same source in composing their respective fictions.

I too have failed to find an English translation of the Chikamatsu play, which is apparently regarded as one of his minor works, and not included in extant anthologies. Such a translation would make a great supplement to a DVD release of this film!

[Kenji]

Yes, Yoda himself, the scriptwriter does mention Saikaku source- Osan and Mohei section of Koshoku Gonin Onna- in my book

[ltfontaine]

Yes, Yoda himself, the scriptwriter does mention Saikaku source- Osan and Mohei section of Koshoku Gonin Onna- in my book

Excellent, Kenji, thanks! What is the title of the book in which Yoda is quoted?

[Kenji]

Memories of Mizoguchi by Yoda; i don't think it's been translated into English, but it is in French. Yoda brought out the Saikaku aspects whereas Kawaguchi had concentrated more + faithfully on Chikamatsu; Mizoguchi was (not unusually!) dissatisfied with Kawaguchi's result, so it was over to Yoda, aided by Tsuji. Good old loyal Yoda. Their initial efforts of course needed further work, Mizo wanting more genuine tragedy and love. And even then the Daiei studio president was happier with the next hard-worked version than Mizo. Mizo thought it absurd that the couple would make love in a hotel room after already deciding to commit suicide, and found the script still lacking in dramatic intensity. They finally satisfied him. Yoda considered the film a noble and pure masterpiece, difficulties between Mizo and lead actor Hasegawa (including over Mizo's mise-en-scene!-notwithstanding).

p.s Yoda was especially pleased with The Life of Oharu. he considered Mizo a genius and fully justifying his epitaph as the world's greatest director (acclaim repeated a couple of years ago by French publication Cahiers du Cinéma.) Yoda and Miyagawa were very upset by Mizo's early death, and Yoda was overwhelmed by Mizo's infinite thanks to him in hospital in his last days. Reading Yoda, for all the tales of Mizo's perfectionist + abusive tyranny, i find it hard to see Mizo's character as simply the legendary monster, but then i'm biased. Yoda, a leftist, saw Mizo as genuinely + consistently concerned with combatting injustice.

[ltfontaine]

Memories of Mizoguchi by Yoda; i don't think it's been translated into English, but it is in French.

I've hoped that book, from Cahiers du Cinema, would eventually be translated, but no luck. (Rayns could translate it himself!) If MoC doesn't include it as a (killer) supplement to the box set, I'm going to have to break down and struggle through it in French, which should take me about a month . . .

[Awesome Welles]

I've been meaning to ask, I know the answer is probably no, but is there any chance that Shindo's documentary on Mizoguchi would be included as a supplement, I've not seen it as I saw Ugetsu on VHS and have held off the Criterion DVD due to price (Man that box is expensive, even when I was in New York it was pricey, it does look gorgeous though).

[Michael Kerpan]

Shindo's film is a nice extra -- but is pretty insignificant when compared to Mizoguchi's own films. More an interesting (if too often aggravating) curiosity than a work of real importance. Not nearly as useful as the "I Lived But" film included in Criterion's "Tokyo Story". release.

[Awesome Welles]

I've not seen the film so I don't know how relevant it would be, nor what it deals with in Mizoguchi's life/films. Just one of those things I would quite like to see. Nevertheless I can't wait for the boxes even if they are devoid of supplements.

[Don Lope de Aguirre]

More an interesting (if too often aggravating) curiosity than a work of real importance.

Why aggravating MK?

[Michael Kerpan]

More an interesting (if too often aggravating) curiosity than a work of real importance.

Why aggravating MK?

Shindo is a terrible interviewer -- he doesn't ask intelligent questions and step out of the way. Rather, he (way too often) keeps trying to put words into his interviewee's mouths. He exhibits close to zero insight. He is a fawning creep (at this point, in any event) who thinks some of Mizoguchi's more unpleasant traits are really really cool.

Is that enough? ;~}

[lazier than a toad]

this Mizoguchi thread will have to be renamed/rejigged.

There are now ten spaces from Edvard Munch to Les Maitres du temps ... what was in the last Mizoguchi Coffret?

[Awesome Welles]

I don't think we'll see ten Mizoguchi titles, as much as I'd love for that to happen I'd be really surprised.

I think the remaining two are going to be new, previously unannounced titles.

[kinjitsu]

Just in case anyone missed this:

Some of the films to be released in 2007:

Miss Oyu
Ugetsu Monogatari
Goin Festival Music
Sansho Dayu
The Woman of Rumour
Chikamatsu Monogatari
The Empress Yang Kwei Fei
Street of Shame

[Nuno]

There is a retrospective this month in Paris.

[peerpee]

This is the plan:

In November (along with TABU and NOSFERATU) we'll be releasing a twin-pack of:

MoC #55 - SANSHO DAYU [Sansho the Bailiff] (1954)
with / MoC #54 - GION BAYASHI [Gion Festival Music, aka A Geisha] (1953)

Featuring a 96-page book (more details soon, at the website); Tony Rayns video interviews on both (40 minutes in total); and original Japanese trailers.

---

Our other six Mizoguchi titles will be released as twinpacks in January, February, and March 2008 - each with thick books and further extras tba.

Here are grabs from the finished MoC disc of GION BAYASHI:

[mogwai]

Those are stunning! Beautiful work.

[Luke M]

Very nice! However, I do wish that Sansho Dayu was paired up with Ugetsu.

[jt]

Looks stunning Nick, very much looking forward to these. Way to get us all double dipping on Ugetsu and Sansho as well...

Better get some cover art out there quick so people have got something to bitch about...

[Murasaki53]

I like the twinpack idea. It means you don't have to fork out for a box set where you already have one or more of the films in some other edition.

[Awesome Welles]

Holy shit November is going to be an expensive month! I was thinking this yesterday; that it would make sense to pair up the Mizoguchi's (actually I was thinking a double boxset and two packs of three). It obviously means more money. That said I don't have a problem with it. I'm just looking forward to the releases!

[Matango]

Very nice! However, I do wish that Sansho Dayu was paired up with Ugetsu.

Likewise

[Tommaso]

Fantastic news! I wondered already how it would be to have to swallow 8 Mizoguchis in a row (not that I would have complained about it). Now it seems they can be digested in somewhat tinier bits, which my credit card also likes. Good to see that "Sansho" will be the first installment... that Criterion disc (or rather the absence of it in my collection) was always a thorn in my side

[Michael Kerpan]

Glad you are kicking off this series with a brilliant (and insufficiently appreciated) "modern" film as well a historical heavyweight. The screen grabs look gorgeous -- better than what I remember of the (nice in comparison with all that went before) French version. Thanks.

[ltfontaine]

This initial pairing includes the third and fourth titles, in release order, in the projected MoC series as previously discussed here. I wonder if the remining titles will be paired in similarly chronological duets: Oyu/Ugetsu, Sansho/Woman in the Rumour, Chikamatsu/Red Light District? This configuration would also continue the practice of matching a period film with a more contemporary one.