309 Ugetsu

[ltfontaine]

That's odd, because I felt Tobei's story held far greater potential for its own film than Genjuro's, which is as old as the hills and had an ending that even someone narratively illiterate like myself could see coming. For a director revered for his attention and compassion for women, I found the short shrift in terms of character, logic and everything else given to Tobei's wife mystifying. One scene she's recovering from an apparent gang rape, then she meets Tobei in her brothel workplace and shouts at him, then they're back together happily and all's well. No bridging scenes between these three instances whatsoever. It doesn't ring remotely true and reminded me (horror of horrors) of the Love Actually "who cares about the middle bits?" technique of storytelling. The slow pace these were played did not gel with the truncated storytelling.

The attempt to blend the supernatural with the "real world" never really came over. You can sit there and state one of your characters is a ghost till you're blue in the face, but if she doesn't do anything terribly ghostly (staring intently doesn't count), it's all for naught. I kept waiting for something to make the hairs on my neck stand up, but...nothing. The lack of atmosphere was a major problem, from the lake scene (which Tobei inadvertently reveals to be about four feet deep when he punts off at the end) to the final "return home", my heckles remained disappointingly in place.

I've not seen anything else by Mizoguchi (and this hasn't put me off at all, I hasten to add), but this can't be his "crowning achievement".

For me, Ugetsu is less about “Tobei's storyâ€

[Michael]

For those of you who love Ugetsu, do check out Portrait of Jennie. I recorded it off TCM the other night because I remember reading it was Bunuel's favorite film. Watching it last night, I was struck by how similiar it was to Ugetsu - the eerie, otherwordly mood expressing the artists struggling to make a living, going through a spiritual crisis, and holding on to love. Jennie surprised me with its haunting artistry - its enthereal images of NY and its parks and Cape Cod's faraway lighthouse still linger in my mind.

[Gigi M.]

For those of you who love Ugetsu, do check out Portrait of Jennie.

Portrait of Jennie is available on DVD from MGM for under $10. Nobody should miss it.

[Narshty]

For those of you who love Ugetsu, do check out Portrait of Jennie. I recorded it off TCM the other night because I remember reading it was Bunuel's favorite film. Watching it last night, I was struck by how similiar it was to Ugetsu - the eerie, otherwordly mood expressing the artists struggling to make a living, going through a spiritual crisis, and holding on to love. Jennie surprised me with its haunting artistry - its enthereal images of NY and its parks and Cape Cod's faraway lighthouse still linger in my mind.

I found Portrait of Jennie a bit on the corny side (I've never seen Jennifer Jones give a convincing performance - she always does her best, but it's never quite good enough) and Selznick's ruthless editing barely allows the actors to take a breath between lines, let alone sink into the atmosphere and locale before you're whisked away to the next bit of plot and exposition. I'm sure there would have been plenty of lovely, lingering moments in there if Dieterle had had final cut.

If you've not seen the extraordinary Peter Ibbetson, please do. That's my benchmark for not-of-this-earth love stories. Who knew Henry Hathaway had such a film in him?

[Michael]

Corny, oh yes but I expected it anyway. That was my first experience with Jennifer Jones so I really can't say much about her. What made the movie for me was its ghostly vision of NYC. The surprising switch to colors in the end was a very lovely gift.

[chizbooga]

I saw this movie at the Ontario Cinematheque this last summer. I was in a very distracted mood but i guess because of the perfection of Mizoguchi's technique i absorbed it in a very pure, sensual way. Maybe I was just being childish and in a vulnerable mood but it was the most terrifying movie id ever seen. All things Japanese are utterly foreign to me and there was so much to take in with this movie i felt like my head was exploding. the perfect naturalism, the simple humanity, represented best to me by that scene near the end with the two neighbours going about their everyday rituals, the sensible women tolerating their husbands foolishness, and the little boy putting flowers on his mothers grave. I know that makes it sound like some sitcom, but the style of the filming made it so meaningful. For me it was about the full range of human foolishness (or at least the range available in 16th century Japan) seen from the point of view of an amused and commonsensical lyricist, sort of like some aspects of a good Altman movie but more so, with a different style of acting. Mizoguchi had some eerie long takes that made my hair stand on end. Obviously part of what made the ghost-woman so frightening to me was how 'human' she was, she was a cringing gorgon clinging desperately to that stupid man. Anyway these are all of my jottings on a cuff, my scribblings on a bib, etc...

[buskeat]

Does anyone know why Ugetsu isn't available at DVDPlanet? It's not listed at all, not even as out of stock. It's like the thing never existed!

[domino harvey]

Does anyone know why Ugetsu isn't available at DVDPlanet? It's not listed at all, not even as out of stock. It's like the thing never existed!

They don't carry it or L'Avventura for whatever reason.

[Michael Kerpan]

Does anyone know why Ugetsu isn't available at DVDPlanet? It's not listed at all, not even as out of stock. It's like the thing never existed!

There is a page there (saying this is either out of print or no longer stocked).

If you search for films starring Kinuyo Tanaka, it shows up -- though a regular title search doesn't work.

[bluesea]

Think about it, Tobei is very much a Kurosawian (is that a real word?) character.

[Felix]

But...that documentary! What the hell is that? Before last week I knew nothing about KM other than that he was a director. Japanese. No longer amongst the living. After sitting through an exasperating 2 1/2 hours I learned that he used a urine bottle on the set, was married, and made a lot of films. Easily one of the worst documentaries of a film maker i have ever seen. I spent the last hour imitating the interviewers obnoxious grunting sounds....what's up with that?

I have just finished watching this and though I try hard not to be negative on this forum this makes it very difficult. I didn't get Mizoguchi the director either, not even Mizoguchi, man and director. There were two (?) clips from his films in the whole documentary... (I did get confirmation that he was a Nichiren Buddhist but I had to sit through most of the 150 minutes to get even that.) I think it is a clear choice for any waverers to go for the MoC and get a Mizoguchi film on the second disc.

I see someone else touches on the grunting and how it is the custom and you could see it with the people he was interviewing. We have people like that here too; they are called Dundonians and their conversation quite often eliminates the words almost totally and it becomes a succession of

Eh, eh went and eh tred teh beh a peh, eh...
Eh?
Eh.
Eh.
Eh.
Eh...
(They are for all that the friendliest people in Scotland and live in a most beautifully located vertiginous city of which I have the most fantastical dreams.)

But I found his grunts quite fun after a while and passed some of the more tedious bits playing "grunt-along-a-Kaneto" and seeing if I could beat him to it... Then I remembered how old I am...

[HerrSchreck]

If we could get a good clip of those grunts set to music we could finally replace the tiresome Rickroll. The best substitute for the "eh" available now is at 00.43 (and around the minute mark) of helius' editing tour de force Deed It, taken from Eli Porters legendary and wonderful performance in the Classic Iron Mic Freestyle.

[Hopscotch]

If we could get a good clip of those grunts set to music we could finally replace the tiresome Rickroll. The best substitute for the "eh" available now is at 00.43 (and around the minute mark) of helius' editing tour de force Deed It, taken from Eli Porters legendary and wonderful performance in the Classic Iron Mic Freestyle.

That's one of the best remix videos of that video I've seen, and there are lots. Probably a million.

[HerrSchreck]

It's utterly hilarious, and it actually works as a great piece of parody music. "Cat On The Grill" being of course more famous, and also by Helios.

Anyhoooo, back to Ugetsu.

[Shrew]

Uhhhh... is there a 'state' to trust in Ugetsu? The only state I saw was some feuding warlords that caused horrific suffering for the common people. Not a state that's easy for anyone to trust, let alone Mizoguchi. The only character to come close to the state as a general relinquishes his position in order to return home.

If there is an argument per politics in Ugetsu it is thoroughly anti-state-- more akin to Thoreau or Rousseau. People should stop trying to get ahead in life and live simply with the land and what they have. That is the 'natural' order of things. Not shut up and do what you're told.

[dad1153]

Watched this along with "Le Samouraï" over the weekend. Though not as devastating as "Sancho The Bailiff" (whose ending just crushed me!) "Ugetsu" packs an equally-potent and heartbreaking conclusion that compensates for the movie's weaker elements. I'm specifically talking about the Tobei/Ohama arc of the story, who basically become the Mertz's to the Ricardo's Genjurô/Miyagi main storyline. Eitarô Ozawa's portrayal of Tobei is just too broad and borderline slapstick to be taken seriously. His reunion with abandoned-wife-turned-prostitute Omaha (Mitsuko Mito) should have been a highlight, instead coming across as a check mark to cross out in Mizoguchi's 'to do' shooting script. Tony Rayns' commentary track explains that the Tobei/Ohama portions as they appear on the movie storyline was imposed on Mizoguchi by the producer, which is a shame because the rest of "Ugetsu" is an outstanding exercise in mood and great camera work. Machiko Kyô's Lady Wakasa is a movie ghost unlike any I've seen before ("Black Cat," etc.). She's both sensual but also deeply troubled and not the least bit evil or dangerous. Wakasa's seduction of the vulnerable and blinded-by-greed Genjurô (Masayuki Mori) reveals more about the evils lurking within the heart of the still-living human being than the simple longing for unfulfilled affection of the woman's spirit. Kinuyo Tanaka is excellent as the devoted wife of Genjurô (and mother to his child). Her voice-over from beyond the grave at the end is deeply moving and has influenced many movies/TV shows since (it was recently used on a "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" episode in which Logan hears the voice of a dead girlfriend telling him she's not dead). Throw in excellent camera work and cinematography and "Ugetsu" delivers most of the goods Mizoguchi set out to deliver. Too bad they didn't include the director's original vision of the Tobei/Ohama destiny as an equally dark parallel to the Genjurô/Miyagi storyline.

[HistoryProf]

So i'm an admitted neophyte in terms of my exposure to Japanese cinema, nearly all of which is limited to what Criterion has released. I never really know what to expect....especially with these overwhelmingly lauded "masterpieces" whose descriptions contain phrases like "hailed as one of the greatest films ever made!" I mean really, how can anything live up to that? Such it was then that I sat down to watch Ugetsu tonight, having dvr'd it from a TCM airing a few weeks ago. I now wish I had the Criterion at my disposal so I could immediately re-watch it with the commentary.

I agree with many views here on the Tobei story seeming a bit off...it felt jarring in spots, especially the overly clownish episode after he's awarded the horse and vassals. it was all a bit much and clashed mightily with the eerie beauty of the Tanaka scenes. However, I have to say that as the son took the dish of food Tobei's wife brought to them to his mother's grave, goosebumps traveled up my entire body...just enveloped me. It's hard to explain, but there was a quiet power to the film that caught up with me at the end that more than overcame the silly samurai subplot. I'm also terribly intrigued by this documentary you have all discussed in all its faulty glory....but I wonder how 2.5 hours of fawning can really be stomached. That's a really really long time to sit and watch people talk about not much.

So I was left wondering, is this the greatest film i've ever seen? probably not...but it was pretty fucking fantastic. I've kind of decided that "the greatest film of all time" is an apparition...a chimera that really just doesn't exist in any form. Each entry into the pantheon of "great" entries into the contest all seem to have merit, but how do you really choose? I think I like the idea of having one for each day of the week....month of the year....season....etc. I'm not sure where I'd put Ugetsu...but I think it's worthy of admission.

So what's next for the now deflowered Mizoguchi virgin? Sansho?

[HistoryProf]

Too bad they didn't include the director's original vision of the Tobei/Ohama destiny as an equally dark parallel to the Genjurô/Miyagi storyline.

Can you - or anyone else - elaborate on this point? what exactly did Mizoguchi intend that was cleansed by producers? My apologies if I missed it earlier in the thread...but as far as I can tell there are references that it was supposed to be 'darker' - but in what way?

[dad1153]

I have to say that as the son took the dish of food Tobei's wife brought to them to his mother's grave, goosebumps traveled up my entire body...just enveloped me. It's hard to explain, but there was a quiet power to the film that caught up with me at the end that more than overcame the silly samurai subplot.

So what's next for the now deflowered Mizoguchi virgin? Sansho?

Abso-freaking-lutely. Those goosebumps you felt at the end of "Ugetsu" are felt throughout "Sansho," right until (and during) a mother of a powerful ending that will stay with you for as long as you live whether you like the movie or not, guaranteed. I started with "Sansho," then "Ugetsu" and I'm presently going through the Mizoguchi Eclipse Box Set. Definitely worth getting "Sansho" if you liked what "Ugetsu" gave you.

I'd need to re-rent the Criterion DVD of "Ugetsu" to re-listen to the commentary track to pinpoint the specific info about the Tobei arc of the story suffering from producer tampering. Sorry, but it's in there if you care to Netflix/purchase the Criterion disc.

[hearthesilence]

Looks like the film has been restored by the Film Foundation and others, as it will be screening at the NYFF. Sadly, it seems like ideal film elements are lost forever, as the restoration was made from a master positive print and a dupe negative. I mentioned this in another thread when I saw the U.S. premiere of the restoration for Late Spring but the original negatives for all Japanese films from this era typically don't exist - the government decreed that all nitrate prints/negatives be destroyed as an issue of public safety, so generally the best materials tend to be dupes.

[Michael Kerpan]

Sometimes there are traces of comedy that work in Mizoguchi -- especially in the tragic Crucified Lovers/ A Story from Chikamatsu (my favorite Mizoguchi film) and the melodramatic Uwasa no onna (no adequate English name).

Mizoguchi himself decided to graft the imported de Maupassant subplot into Ugetsu -- and I don't see that there was any real value added by it (except padding the length) regardless of any producer meddling. The film would have been far better without this extraneous distraction.

[manicsounds]

4K restored Ugetsu Blu-ray - March 24th 2017 by Kadokawa Japan.

Extras are a Martin Scorsese interview, before/after restoration featurette, trailers.

Possibly a Criterion Blu-ray upgrade in the future?

[Michael Kerpan]

4K restored Ugetsu Blu-ray - March 24th 2017 by Kadokawa Japan.

Subs?

[feckless boy]

4K restored Ugetsu Blu-ray - March 24th 2017 by Kadokawa Japan.

Subs?

According to Amazon, it will only have Japanese subtitles.

[goblinfootballs]

4K restored Ugetsu Blu-ray - March 24th 2017 by Kadokawa Japan.

Extras are a Martin Scorsese interview, before/after restoration featurette, trailers.

Possibly a Criterion Blu-ray upgrade in the future?

It's now featured on Janus' main page as coming soon, so likely a tour before an upgrade.