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Kenji Mizoguchi (溝口 健二, Mizoguchi Kenji, 16 May 1898 – 24 August 1956) was a Japanese filmmaker who directed roughly one hundred films during his career between 1923 and 1956.
Kenji Mizoguchi (1898-1956) was a Japanese director, writer and actor who made over 100 films, mostly in the post-war period. He is known for his social and feminist themes, and his masterpieces such as Ugetsu, The Life of Oharu and Sansho the Bailiff.
- January 1, 1
- Tokyo, Japan
- January 1, 1
- Kyoto, Japan
- The Water Magician (1933) This haunting silent (one of his earliest extant works), based on a story by the Japanese gothic novelist Kyoka Izumi (1873-1939), was the second Mizoguchi shot for Irie Pro, the first independent production company in Japan established by an actress (his 1932 film for Irie Pro, Dawn of Manchuria and Mongolia, is now lost).
- Osaka Elegy (1936) The jaunty jazz soundtrack and accompanying opening shots of Osaka’s flashing neon hoardings and twinkling cityscapes set the scene for this extraordinarily modernist take on Mizoguchi’s characteristic theme of female self-sacrifice.
- Sisters of the Gion (1936) The behind-the-scenes dynamics of the geisha house and its less salubrious poor relation the bawdy house was a theme to which Mizoguchi would return throughout his career in films such as A Woman of Rumour (1954) and Street of Shame (1956).
- Women of the Night (1948) Mizoguchi was able to remain active as a filmmaker during the wartime years, although largely confined to the relatively safe domain of historical dramas, such as his patriotic two-part version of The Loyal 47 Ronin of the Genroku Era (1941-42) and an account of the life of the legendary Edo-period swordsman Musashi Miyamoto (1944), during a time when contemporary social criticism was understandably difficult to slip past state censors.
Jun 23, 2014 · A comprehensive survey of the Japanese master's feature films, from his early experiments to his late classics. Explore Mizoguchi's themes, styles, influences and collaborations in this comprehensive retrospective.
- Sansho the Bailiff (1954) In “Sansho the Bailiff,” the story unfolds around Zushio, a compassionate governor in ancient Japan, who is sent into exile due to his unyielding beliefs in justice and humanity.
- Ugetsu (1953) “Ugetsu”, widely considered one of the best Kenji Mizoguchi films, revolves around two peasant couples in 16th-century Japan during a tumultuous time of civil war and societal upheaval.
- The Life of Oharu (1952) “The Life of Oharu” chronicles the tumultuous life of a woman named Oharu, starting from her youth as a lady-in-waiting at the Imperial Court.
- The Crucified Lovers (1954) Set in 17th-century Kyoto, “The Crucified Lovers” tells the tragic love story of a married paper merchant, Mohei, and his employer’s wife, Osan.
Learn about the life and career of Kenji Mizoguchi, a Japanese director who made over 100 films and was influenced by nihonga and woodblock prints. He is known for his feminist themes, long takes and frequent collaboration with Kinuyo Tanaka.
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Jun 13, 2019 · Mizoguchi. Mizoguchi’s strength is that every film of his I’ve seen is in its year’s top 10 and I still have some work to do on his filmography. He’s the only director left this far down with 5 films in my top 500. He’s a style-plus director with clear reoccurring traits throughout his oeuvre (covered in stylistic traits below) both ...
