Mikio Naruse

[Michael Kerpan]

I don't think Keiko is a "martyr" -- she is someone with almost no alternative options left, she has a job she is able to do (though she wishes she could finally stop doing it), and she is determined to do the best she can, given her circumstances-- and to do it with as much dignity as she can muster. (She recognizes she has neither the education nor the training nor the connections to get a better job).

As to Dostoyevskian degradation, I think this works great when Kurosawa focuses on the upper tier (rather than the lower ones). Thus my love for his Idiot (for example). But I'd note his attempts to celebrate ordinary people (see One Wonderful Sunday) are no prizes either.

[jegharfangetmigenmyg]

I see what you mean re. Mizoguchi's martyrs, but if I remember correctly (it's been a long time since I saw his films) it's more pronounced in his later work, and not as much in his early work which I was referring to. Am I wrong? As for Kurosawa, I saw his work in my "formative" film years, and I was only sold on a handful of his film. I found and find him way too heavyhanded, sometimes overly melodramatic and sometimes even hamfisted. I re-watched Rashomon, and while technically it is definitely an interesting film, and of course a very important one, historically, the ending just completely ruined the film for me. Actually, I'll have a hard time naming a film where the ending was more destructable to my overall experience...

[Michael Kerpan]

I love lots of Mizoguchi films -- but self-sacrificing, suffering women was ALWAYS a staple of his film output (looking at the films that survive -- though pretty much all of the films from his first 10 years are lost). Taki no shiraito (Water Magician) is an amazing film -- but it definitely does the martyr thing. Same for Downfall of Osen and Oyuki the Virgin. Naniwa Elegy and Sisters of Gion are a bit out-of-the-ordinary -- as they were made in reaction to Naruse getting two of HIS films in the Kinema Junpo top 10 the year before (and Mizoguchi could not stand to have Naruse nipping at his heels). I think the (not particularly friendly) competition between Mizoguchi and Naruse was pretty one-sided -- unlike the friendly competition between Naruse and Ozu (which benefited both -- and they seem to have welcomed this).

Rashomon is the film that single-handedly put me off taking any interest in Japanese cinema for around 20 years.

[jegharfangetmigenmyg]

LOL, makes sense. I wouldn't say that I hate Rashomon that much, though. Of course, in film school, Kurosawa was the first Japanese director we watched, but I wasn't inspired to delve into Japanese cinema before we got to Woman in the Dunes. But I must say that the few Kurosawa's I've rewatched have given me zero interest in revisiting his work further.

Everything you've written makes me think that I'll love Naruse, so I'm really looking forward to getting to know him now.

[Michael Kerpan]

jegharfangetmigenmyg -- Best wishes on your quest to find more Naruse. I hope you enjoy his work as much as I did.

[jegharfangetmigenmyg]

Thanks, Michael, and thanks for the advice! I will post an update here when I've begun digging into his work.

[dadaistnun]

I posted some screenshots from the new Japanese Blu-ray of the 4K restoration of Floating Clouds over in the appropriate thread. No English subs of course, but I couldn't resist picking this up I love the film so much.

[Michael Kerpan]

dadaistnun -- Those Naruse screenshots look pretty nice.