MovieChat Forums > Ugetsu monogatari (1954) Discussion > The Noblewoman's eyebrow/forehead marks

The Noblewoman's eyebrow/forehead marks

posted 15 years ago by littlefuzzy
8 replies | jump to latest

Does anyone know what this is all about (when the potter takes his wares to the noble's house?)

Err, that is, Im talking about the smudges high on her forehead, and her lack of eyebrows.

Did these represent just fashion extremes, like some American women do by plucking out their eyebrows and redrawing them perfectly arched or something?

Were the marks only for high class women, like caste marks?

Did they somehow indicate something supernatural, like that the woman was an enchantress or ghost?

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] littlefuzzy 15 years ago

Aahh, thanks for the info.

[–] Error_message 15 years ago

Basically what Lady said, except this wasn't the Heian period. It's the Sengoku (or warring states) period. But yea, it was a popular, if ugly, style for rich women.

[–] kerpan 15 years ago

The film takes place in the warring states period -- but the ghost noblewoman is from a considerably earlier point in history.

MEK

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[–] zarathustra327 14 years ago

According to Tony Rayns's commentary on the Criterion edition, the make-up is supposed to look like a Noh theater mask. This makes it a bit more obvious that these events take place only in Genjuro's mind.

Here's an example: http://ronnysiagian.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/noh_mask.jpg

[–] annseton 12 years ago

Now that makes sense. It really bothered me while I was watching the film.

[–] joet1999 12 years ago

Her appearance is supposed to represent that of a Noh theater mask, further showing that the potter is in a surreal environment.

'Loneliness has followed me my whole life' - Travis Bickle Taxi Driver

[–] 12 years ago

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