54-55 / BD 37 Sanshō dayū & Gion bayashi

[peerpee]

The (great) materials that formed the basis of the HD restoration did not include two Japanese text overlays on the two shots in question because the original producer wanted international territories to add their own language text. This has caused a number of problems for DVD...

1.) The new Japanese DVD has zero text at all. Nothing overlaid, and nothing on optional Japanese subtitles. Not good!

2.) Criterion opted to overlay the first shot with Japanese text, and to subtitle it in English -- but not to overlay anything on the second instance (at roughly, from memory, the 43 minute mark).

3.) MoC opted to not overlay anything at either point, but to optionally subtitle the two shots in English. We intended to mention this in the book, but forgot at the last minute -- sorry. Criterion mentioned it in their book.

[Sanjuro]

Great, glad that's cleared up. Very weird about the Japanese disc having no titles.

[Senya]

It looks like opening titles for GION BAYASHI came from different source. Their quality is bad even if we compare it with Japanese LD edition. Here are screenshots.

MoC:


Japanese LD:


Fortunately the rest is much superior than LD.

[Michael Kerpan]

I really got worried when I saw those opening credits -- but these just made the first shot after the credits look all the better. This is the best I've seen the film look -- and it may be the first time I've ever seen this with English subtitles. (I've been dependent on the French DVD for a good while now -- but maybe I saw the o/p US video long ago).

I do wish that the set had more supplementary material on Gion bayashi, which is definitely a comparatively neglected film. Almost everything seems to be devoted to Sansho (whichadmittedly IS probably the film most buyers will be most interested in).

[Stefan Andersson]

I wish MoC could have licensed the Criterion LD audio commentary for SANSHO DAYU. It was very enlightening right from the explanation of the opening shot of the stone in the grass. And I wonder why Criterion opted for a new commentary for their SANSHO DVD.

[kekid]

Is Gion pronounced with G as in God or as in Giant? Thank you in advance for the response.

[peerpee]

A hard 'g'. As in "ghee".

[Don Lope de Aguirre]

I too am of the MK school of thought in much preferring Gion to Sansho which -for me- lacked the emotional intensity of Oharu, Crucified Lovers, Late Chrysanthemums etc. In fairness, though, they are two very, very different films! Of the Mizoguchi films I have seen Sansho seems to me to belong more alongside Tales of the Taira Clan and Miyamoto Musashi. Has anyone seen the much-praised Sisters of Gion? How does this compare to Gion Bayashi both formally and in content?

[Michael Kerpan]

I too am of the MK school of thought in much preferring Gion to Sansho which -for me- lacked the emotional intensity of Oharu, Crucified Lovers, Late Chrysanthemums etc. In fairness, though, they are two very, very different films! Of the Mizoguchi films I have seen Sansho seems to me to belong more alongside Tales of the Taira Clan and Miyamoto Musashi.

I liked Miyamoto a lot more than Taira Clan. ;~}

I think you are correct in linking Sansho and Ugetsu with Taira Clan (and I'd add Princess Yang Kwei Fei). Crucified Lovers, on the other hand, is a very different sort of film -- more like Oharu.

Has anyone seen the much-praised Sisters of Gion? How does this compare to Gion Bayashi both formally and in content?

There are some general similarities -- but the films are quite different. Both are very good -- and I wouldn't assert one is "better" than the other.

[Kenji]

Well, i'm absolutely delighted with the dvd of Gion Bayashi. On first viewing some years back i'd thought it the weakest (or least great) i'd seen by Mizo, but now i can better appreciate its exquisite beauty. Hats off and thanks to Nick Wrigley and MOC. It's small in size, has no designs on grandeur or major setpieces, lacks the sublime landscapes and majestic scope of Sansho but taken on its own terms it's certainly a masterpiece.

p.s i should add that for me Sansho is the peak of cinema and of 20th century art.

[Artois]

Damn, been wanting to get this for ages, now the price has jumped £5. Is it likely it will decrease again or was that just the pre-order price?

[sidehacker]

I entirely disagree with the reviewer that GION BAYASHI is "Mizoguchi paying the bills". That's a dismal comment.

Perhaps the reviewer is referring to the financial issues that many of the characters face? In any case, I agree with you. I'd say Gion Bayashi is easily my favorite Mizoguchi so far though I've only seen four. I think it's to the film's strength that Mizoguchi is able to apply his usual technical skills to a narrative that is, shall we say, more believable?

[Sanjuro]

Would like to jump in here and say that at first I was a little disappointed with the whole package and interview which seemed to relegate one of my favourite Mizoguchi films, Gion Bayashi as a 'lesser work', a freebie for those who purchased Sansho Dayu.

I'm sure this was not the original intention and of course, I'm extremely happy about a having an English subbed, MOC bookleted, DVD double-pack of two of my favourite films.

I can see this happening again with Oyu-sama (a truly wonderful film) and the more famous Ugetsu. Perhaps it would make more sense to offer Ugetsu as the 'freebie' since a lot of people will take one look and think 'Criterion version' whereas Oyu-sama isn't available subbed anywhere? (And yes, I'm aware of the whole Mr Region-locked Joe Public (but loves his MOC) argument for promoting the more famous of the two).

[James]

Which one of these should be seen first? I've only seen Ugetsu by Kenji Mizoguchi, and I thought it was a masterpiece.

[reno dakota]

Which one of these should be seen first? I've only seen Ugetsu by Kenji Mizoguchi, and I thought it was a masterpiece.

The two films are unrelated--different eras, different subject matter--so I don't think it matters which you see first. Sansho is a period-piece, like Ugetsu, while Gion bayashi is a post-war film about a geisha house. Apologies if I am stating the obvious.

[James]

No, it's okay. Sometimes people suggest things like: "it would be better to save this for last" or things like that. I'll probably go with Gion bayashi first just because I've heard it is the lesser of the two and it will probably help balance out my expectations for Sansho the Bailiff, which everyone seems to consider to be a masterpiece.

[Michael Kerpan]

At least one person here (namely me) prefers Gion bayashi to Sansho. ;~}

[fiddlesticks]

Two.

[swo17]

Dual format coming in April, per MoC Twitter.

[MB17]

Kudos to Eureka for finally releasing MIzoguchi in BD. I'm double dipping every film they release! Thanks!

[BrokenFace]

Does anyone know if the Dual formats will include the same booklet as the DVDs? It seems way too big to be replicated..

[manicsounds]

Most likely shrunken down in size a bit and reformatted. But I don't see why they wouldn't include the entire booklet.

[peerpee]

The type was incredibly small in the originals. We had to lose something. We've decided to keep the original stories, and we'll be putting the essays online.

[manicsounds]

Blu-ray review, finally. From DigitalFix

[swo17]

We had to lose something. We've decided to keep the original stories, and we'll be putting the essays online.

Any update as to when/where the essays will be available?

And incidentally, the transfers on all four of these films look phenomenal!