Sansho Dayu/Gion Bayashi [DVD]

Gion Bayashi ("The Geisha") was obviously considered the "B side" to this double-feature in the Mizoguchi Kenji series, but it is in fact a highly important altho undervalued masterpiece, perhaps one of Mizoguchi's 2 or 3 greatest films. a story of geisha in 1953 Kyoto, it is an engrossing character study of two strong women struggling to survive with dignity in a glamorous but oppressive world. with superlative performances by the great Kogure Michiyo and her cohort of fine Daiei studio stars. it is impossible to dislike this film and most will be stunned by it. the alleged "A side" (Sansho the Bailiff), altho better known, is, by contrast, a depressing and corny adventure/melodrama about slave-traders in ancient times. it contains Mizoguchi's usual breathtaking camera work and good performances but is ultimately less interesting &/or accessible than the modern "Geisha," or even than the ancient-period "Rashomon" by Kurosawa.

I bought this for the justly famous Sansho Dayu, and knew nothing about the "B side" Gion Bayashi. This latter film is in fact well worth the price by itself. Kogure Michiyo as Miyoharu, the elder geisha, is mesmerising and the film packs an astonishing slow-burn punch (if there is such a concept). It's got a lot of interest on a purely cultural level, with all the geisha stuff, and is as visually beautiful as you'd expect from the director of Ugetsu. But what knocks you flat is the power of Miyoharu's story: an abused woman vastly the moral superior of everyone around her, with that extraordinary, apparently passive, strength of so many of the classic Japanese heroines.

I don't think it's necessary to review the movie itself here as Sansho Dayu is one of the most celebrated out there. Gion Bayashi (Gion Festival Music, aka A Geisha) is also included here in HD, but it's no merely a bonus. In my opinion the 1953 movie ranks just a bit below its famous follower.Not having these two, it's a fantastic purchase. Bonus features only include some photo galleries and short but insightful review by some japanese-cinema-crazy critic.The picture quality could be better, I suppose. White, twinkling stripes are visible most of the time, yet everything is sharp and focused. I can't say if this could've been done better, but after all, it's not a Hollywood blockbuster.

Superb. An excellent print, clear and intelligent subtitles. The DVDs, as well as a short lecture on each film, are accompanied by a booklet of informed essays both historic and cinematographic, the text of the story on which Sancho Dayu is based, notes and further reading.

When I read film reviews by Americans claiming "The Godfather" as the greatest film ever made, I have to laugh.When I remember the wise, profoundly moving, visually beautiful "Sansho Dayu", I have to weep, as I did when I first saw this film in the cinema, and on the two occasions that I have seen it since. Yes, it is tragic in the true sense of the word, filled (like "King Lear") with instances of the cruelty and brutality of man to man. Yet one leaves the cinema (or turns off the television) changed and enriched by the compassion and wisdom of this film.The greatest film ever made? I don't know, although I can think of only a handful of others that approach it. But if only a single film from the entire history of the cinema could be preserved for future generations, this is the one I would choose.

Sansho Dayu is (along with Ugetsu Monogatari,) quite simply a masterpiece of Japanese (and indeed world) cinema. Sansho Dayu (and Ugetsu Monogatari) are frequently top (or near the top) of serious critics' lists of the best movies of all time. This movie is the tale of the sad fate of a brother and sister following the murder of their father and separation from their mother.Mizoguchi is one of the gods of Japanese cinema; Ozu poignantly depicted the distances between generations and the changing face of the family in 20th century Japan but the principle concern of Kenji Mizoguchi was how women have suffered in a male-dominated society throughout Japanese history. This heartfelt theme was almost certainly instigated by his father's brutal treatment of Mizoguchi's mother and sisters and the eventual selling of his older sister into the life of a geisha. Often in his films women suffer terribly as a result of inflexible social rules and hierarchies. Watching them, however, is continuously rewarding. This movie is poignant and tragic but it is not depressing to watch; here is a director at the top of his game.Part of what makes these movies so outstanding is Mizoguchi's artistic use of the camera with perfect composition, framing and meticulously executed long takes. Watching this movie is a reminder of how, for many of us, black and white film has a quality which is essentially cinematic and part of the enjoyment of the experience. Mizoguchi's use of lighting and composition shares all the luminous formal beauty of Japanese art.And then there is the story itself, with its unforgettable final scene.An essential blu-ray for the genuine cinema fan.

Great