Setsuko hara died of pneumonia on september 5, 2015, although her death was not announced to the public until late november. The second in a series of profiles of the great actresses spotlighted in this seasons flagship tiff cinematheque programme summer in japan. Kenji mizoguchi reaches for the stars two of the directors newly restored lateperiod works, sansho the bailiff and a story from chikamatsu, achieve galactic force by. Mizoguchis greatest decade cleveland institute of art. Ozu captured setsuko hara in certain recurrent images. Mizoguchis final film he died at age 58 six months after it opened is a penetrating group portrait of prostitutes at a fictional brothel in 1950s tokyo. Directors like kurasawa and mizoguchi simply pivoted from making jingoistic proimperial films to. Ozu three melodramas 2 dvd set 1933 1957 uk import. In the west, she is best known for her performances in. Were always hearing about the ends of eras, but the recent death of the great actress setsuko hara really is the end of an erathe era of the classic japanese film, of the directors mizoguchi, ozu, naruse, kurosawa, and kinoshita to name only the bestknown here in america, and of the periods.
Muse of yasujuro ozu who rose to fame in the 1930s and 40s was a key face of japans postwar cinematic revival. In medieval japan, a compassionate governor is sent into exile. For years the japanese had considered yasujiro ozu too japanese to be appreciated by the west. She was best known for her collaboration with director yasujiro ozu, for whom she starred in six. Quite possibly the most widely celebrated actress in the history of japanese cinema, the elegant setsuko hara made her screen debut at the age of 15, when she appeared in dont hesitate, young folks, a 1935 film produced by. Kurosawa and then mizoguchi were the directors promoted in the west. With kinuyo tanaka, yoshiaki hanayagi, kyoko kagawa, eitaro shindo. The girls unruliness tempts the mature woman to wonder if she could end her marriage. Setsuko hara actors and actresses films as actress. Mizoguchi is cinemas shakespeare, its bach or beethoven, its rembrant, titian or picasso. A story from chikamatsu the criterion collection bluray. In all her roles, she was a vital, central character, never an adjunct to a male star. August 24, 1956, kyoto, japan filmography bibliography articles in senses web resources the comparisons are as inevitable as they are unfashionable, wrote james quandt, introducing the centenary retrospective of the films of kenji mizoguchi. Three of japans most internationally renowned filmmakers got the lions share of the talent.
Coming full circle from late spring, setsuko hara plays a widowed mother pushing her unwilling. Her signature character type, variations on a daughter devoted to her parents and home, inspired the nickname that stayed with her until retirement. This book is healthily nonjudgmental concerning which films are good and which. Every japanese actress can play the role of a prostitute to some extent. Japanese screen legend setsuko hara, most famous for her role in yasujiro ozus classic. Kyoko kagawa, finally, is one of the immortal leading actresses of japanese cinema, comparable to hideko takamine, machiko kyo and setsuko hara. Visualizza altre idee su cinematografia, attrici e giapponese.
If only the same were true for female characters in american films. Kenji mizoguchi one of japans most important filmmakers, kenji mizoguchi created a cinema rich in technical mastery and social commentary, specifically regarding the place of women in japanese society. Haras portrayal of noriko her role in three ozu films, which critic robin wood has identified as a loose trilogy built around her finally stands as one of the great portraits of human generosity and selflessness in world cinema. Mizoguchi is known for his unparalleled mastery of long takes and miseenscene, for his films which are reminiscent of a traditional japanese scroll painting due to his infamous atmospheric long static shots and. Join facebook to connect with setsuko mizoguchi and others you may know. Just as kinuyo tanakas mastery of movement made her the ideal avatar for kenji mizoguchi. Late spring, featuring one of legendary actress setsuko hara s finest performances, is one of the best examples. Its the story of a group of samurai whose lord has been put.
Setsuko hara, masae aida, japanese actress born june 17, 1920, yokohama, japandied sept. Kenji mizoguchi is one of the three directors considered as the greatest japanese filmmakers ever, alongside akira kurosawa and yasujiro ozu. Chushingura, the treasury of loyal retainers is the title given to fictionalized accounts in japanese literature, theatre, and film that relate to the historical incident involving the fortyseven ronin and their mission to avenge the death of their master, asano naganori. We see that director kenji mizoguchi was inspired by nihonga. Setsuko hara, chishu ryu, chieko higashiyama, sugimura. The actresses of japanese cinemas golden age were quite a company of heartbreakers. Godard, pasolini, fassbinder, straubhuillet and tarkovsky are just a few of the filmmakers who have. Mark le danus book mizoguchi and japan 2008 is a great resource for understanding the directors contributions to japanese cinema and analysis of his major films. He is, according to the yomiuri shimbun regarded as the dean of japanese filmmaking.
Setsuko hara june 17, 1920 september 5, 2015 was a japanese actress mostly known for being one of ozus. Mizoguchi kenji, born may 16, 1898, tokyo, japandied aug. When family, friends and colleagues pressure noriko played with enigmatic brilliance by setsuko hara tokyo story, late spring to marry they provoke a surprising decision with widereaching consequences. Setsuko hara became one of japans bestloved stars over her 30year film career. In the west, she is best known for her performances in yasujiro ozus films late spring 1949 and tokyo story 1953, although she had already. In repast 1951, setsuko hara plays an unhappily married woman who has to look after a difficult niece. Yasujiro ozus hugely influential awardwinning masterpiece, late spring, is a tender meditation on family politics, sacrifice and the status quo. They shake and move the viewer by the power, refinement and compassion with which they confront.
Le fanu makes his case for mizoguchi among the pantheon of the worlds great directors and gives context of his work and looks closely at some of the trends and motifs in his work. Hara went onto lead a secluded life away from the public eye in kamakura, the small city in which several of her films with ozu were made. For 20 years after wwii, she defined contemporary femininity for japanese audiences, first playing young, unmarried women, then wives, then mothers. No other sex tube is more popular and features more shiori mizoguchi scenes than pornhub. Masae aida june 17, 1920 yokohama, japan years active 1935 to 1963. Setsuko hara, japanese star of films by ozu and kurosawa. Hang your posters in dorms, bedrooms, offices, or anywhere blank walls arent welcome. His wife and children try to join him, but are separated, and the children grow up amid suffering and oppression.
Kenji mizoguchi 18981956 was a japanese film director most noted for exploring both personal and broad societal issues such as the status of women. Kenji mizoguchi like bach, titian, and shakespeare, he is the greatest in his art, french critic jean douchet once said of kenji mizoguchi, and like those mighty predecessors, the directors oeuvre is imposing in its immensity, reach, accomplishment and influence. Mizoguchis last film brought together some of japans greatest. Setsuko hara, center, in tokyo story 1953, directed by yasujiro ozu, with whom she had a 12year collaboration. Raccolta delle principali news riguardanti il giappone. Donald richie and joseph andersons book on japanese film, originally published in 1959, was the first that most western film scholars had heard of ozu. Noriko setsuko hara and her father, professor somiya chishu ryu, live together in perfect harmony but old certainties are put at risk when.
According to writer mark le fanu, his films have an extraordinary force and purity. Were always hearing about the ends of eras, but the recent death of the great actress setsuko hara really is the end of an erathe era of the classic japanese film, of the directors mizoguchi, ozu, naruse, kurosawa, and kinoshita to name only the bestknown here in america, and of the periods dominant actresses. Setsuko hara hawai mare oki kaisen 1942 02 wmplayer 20717. It explores the desperation that drives women to this profession and proved so effective that legal prostitution was outlawed in japan a year after its release.
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