When this ghost story set in Japan's medieval era won the top prize at the Venice film festival in 1953, it showed the rest of the world that Rashomon was no fluke, and that something extraordinary was happening in Japanese cinema. Today we can see that Japanese movies during the 1950s are one of the highlights of the history of cinema, with directors like Kurosawa, Ozu, Mizoguchi and Naruse actively working (sometimes making several movies a year) as well as slightly lesser accomplished directors (Ichikawa, Masumura, Kobayashi, Kinagasa or Oshima and Imamura just starting their respective careers)
Ugetsu was widely regarded as among the best films ever made during the 1960s and 1970s. Its reputation has slightly fallen since then, and many people consider now that Mizoguchi made better movies. Using the director's characteristic long takes, it is heavy going at times, especially in the middle section. But it has wonderful scenes, like the one with the trip by boat in a foggy night. It is a movie that any serious cinema buff should see.
With Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyo (they were respectively the samurai and his wife in Rashomon) and Kinuyo Tanaka, among others.
Ugetsu was widely regarded as among the best films ever made during the 1960s and 1970s. Its reputation has slightly fallen since then, and many people consider now that Mizoguchi made better movies. Using the director's characteristic long takes, it is heavy going at times, especially in the middle section. But it has wonderful scenes, like the one with the trip by boat in a foggy night. It is a movie that any serious cinema buff should see.
With Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyo (they were respectively the samurai and his wife in Rashomon) and Kinuyo Tanaka, among others.