I just had the chance to see this incredible movie, and I haven't had many experiences like this when I was watching a movie. The story is amazing, telling of the hardships of women at the time and the acting blew me away. I could rant on this movie all day, and I have basically seen all of Kurosawa's films and the Life of Oharu by the same director and this has to be the best film I have ever seen.
share[deleted]
[deleted]
I just saw it too, had to rent it from my university film library. No words can do this film justice. The ending nearly moved me to tears. Stunning.
shareMaybe the most beautiful ending : absolutely perfect.
shareit could be argued the greatest film of all time. It is wonderful.
I like how you can see the protagonist's breath whenever he's near Lady Wasagai
I was right in the middle of a reptile zoo, and somebody was giving booze to these goddamn things.
I think the same, this is one of the best movies of all times.
shareJust saw this at my local theatre. They played Ugestu first then Yojimbo second! The sets, locations, imagery were brilliant. Can't wait for this dvd release.
sharebrilliant movie,very moving,one of my all time fave
shareBeautiful but emotionally draining. Depressing even. Not that I watch films purely for the smiles but there was a strong element of fatalism and very little cheer to be had. Almost unremitting. I've also seen Saikaku ichidai onna (Life of Oharu)and that isn't much cheerier. Are all Kenji Mizoguchi's films this bleak? I mean to investigate.
shareBut it's powerfull=devastating stuff. You could consider Mizoguchi a pessimistic humanist. His films hammer home the darker, and sadder side of human nature.
share[deleted]
subz
Bullshyt MR han-man!!
The greatest film ever made...Well, not quite (IMHO) but still a 10/10
Someone here said that it's surprising how watchable these old Japansese films are today. It doesn't surprise me at all, around 50 years ago there were truly remarkably superlative directors with immaculate and understandable simple story-lines. They all had somehow similar vision how to tell a story, and it's actually interesting how after all these years "today" they seem to be finally more accessible to general public than ever before. I believe Kurosawa had the most universal themes of all Japanese directors who were more limited with their own cynical point of view at the Japanese social problems of that time.
shareI would say that it's the greatest Japanese film ever made.
My top 20:
http://www.ymdb.com/tyler-l/l28735_ukuk.html
I would call Ugestu Monogatari my favourite film of all time,after seeing hundreds of supposedly great films across the water,and in Hollywood.
This film is the peak,of the medium,for storytelling,and bringing humanity to its audience,reminding us..of the fundamentals in life,to value.
I instantly knew,i had experienced a once in a lifetime moment,,seeing it the first time.I only had that feeling with a couple of other American Films...Shawshank Redemption comes to mind.
So glad I saw this film. I was literally weeping by the end of the film..brilliant.
shareIt's bleak but the characters sort of regain their lost honor. One finds his wife and the other values the family even more. The ending with the child and his mother's grave is painful but there is something of a surge of gladness (and completeness) that these men were able to find themselves again.
I think Kurosawa's films are more bleak and cynical. It seems to laugh, God-like, at the noble man and the peasant in equal harsh measures. Mizoguchi's films on the other hand have a sympathetic tenderness and sensitivity to its human characters. Both directors have very interesting and slightly different takes on life.
[deleted]
Like people have mentioned Ozu, Kurosawa and MIzoguchi are the master of Japanese cinema and definetly among the best in the world.
my ymdb site
http://www.ymdb.com/mehsuggeth/l35858_ukuk.html
This is currently my third favorite movie ever.
my ymdb site
http://www.ymdb.com/mehsuggeth/l35858_ukuk.html
It's a top ten to me.
My favorite top 20:
http://www.ymdb.com/phille/l24694_ukuk.html
It is one of my favorite films. To say that one is better than another is very hard to do.
Top films are well written, shot, acted and edited. Ugetsu has all of those and more. It should be mandatory viewing for anyone interested in film and the history of Japan.
Nemo me impune lacessit
When I finished watching it for the first time I thought it was the best film I've ever seen.
"If you can't afford LSD, try color TV"
I don't think it's the best of all time, but I did give it a 10. A masterpiece for certian, just not the very best. Another Mizoguchi film, Sansho Dayu, happens to be my favorite movie though.
share[deleted]
Cut the critical crap.
Mizoguchi has such beautiful direction and the cinematography flows like you are actually there unlike a static Rashomon(with just one roaming shot through the forest).
[deleted]
Yes i have seen Ozu and its drawn out to the last.I can see the beauty of the family settings,but its like nobody back then ever screamed at each other and i don't think families are like what he depicts.
Tokyo Story is not the sum of all films,as some people say.When you say that Ozu had a style,what style did he have,boredom.They seemed like cheap movies and putting a cup in a certain place(according to him was perfection)is not gonna make a movie better!
I quite liked Rashomon for its dishonesty,and question of trust and its a masterpiece in that ITS the most groundbreaking foreign film and remains the most important and perhaps most reflective intelligent movie to this day.
All of Ozus films are repetitive to the last,i would rather watch a tv drama or then again no i would not.What he protrays is not what movies are about,to me anyway.
I think its just a minority into Ozu as nobody off the street will ever watch his movies,i wonder are they more humane or not?,or is it they come from not such a rich surroundings.
Mizoguchi is far superior in directing style and his acting is always top notch,and is the poor mans director of women and love.
Each to his own,but i never have a reason for watching Ozus work,or wanting to put it on.Thats not the greatest film of all time.
Ugetsu has far more love,depression and upheaval,longing and covers the whole range of human emotions far better.It is the most magical tale,when a spirit of a loved one came back to say ITS ALRIGHT,I ALWAYS WILL LOVE YOU...and its not tacky in one bit,like most romantic tellings which all are happy endings with a kiss kiss here and a smile smile there.
Picturing A daughter in Late Spring say to her dad thatshe'll not marry and will mind him..is so dated and out of tune with society.
Tokyo Story has stereotypical characters,and the kids are told to act too evil.I have been to the Philippines and in no way do kids ever have a sense of greed in them.
Early Summer at least has some charm and laughter,and was his most interesting to me.I give him that:).
If you want movies about families...watch IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE or UGETSU,as it's only when life is farthest from you, that you can find the extreme happiness in life for you and your family,and people around you.Value life!!.....
OR E.T. which shows how everybody in a family can come together.
[deleted]
This film ranks up there (I gave it a "10" -- rare for me). Beautiful photography and moving story, well acted
shareI just saw this movie for the first time tonight, and I must say that it far exceeded my expectations. I would say it is easily in my top 10, and I certainly will watch it again. It had the right amount of drama, mystery, and even a bit of humor. The mood, also, was perfect.
After years of loving Kurosawa and Ozu, it's nice to see that there are other Japanese directors who were just as good.
I just watched it today, and it was absolutely excellent. I now have it at #5 on my list of all time favorite movies of all time. I loved the story, photography, acting, the mood and everything else. The Criterion DVD transfer was wonderfully done. I am a fan of Kenji Mizoguchi now. An incredibly brilliant and beautiful film!
share...even more powerful!
share