Mizoguchi setsuko hara books

A few quick notes on the late hara setsuko, but first a little context. Masayuki mori, toshiro mifune, and setsuko hara in akira kurosawas the idiot. Its unlikely youve heard her name or seen any of her numerous films, yet she was the muse of one of the worlds greatest. Setsuko hara, a japanese actress known best in the united states for her roles in yasujiro ozus films late spring and tokyo story, has. The golden age of japanese cinema shines at the pfa theater this summer as we offer a thematic series spotlighting great screen performances. As mentioned at the top, a noble idea for a book, not handled in the most thorough or engaging manner. These were actresses of subtlety, possessing delicate qualities, but also strength. Setsuko hara as noriko somiya in yasujiro ozus late spring, 1949. From what i understand, the author is currently working on a tome about setsuko hara. Kinuyo tanaka, hideko takamine, ken uehara, sanae takasugi. Naruse and mizoguchi did not deliberately set out to say. The siren begins to track her movie viewing with short posts, and leads with a heavyweight champ in the awestriking tokyo story. Just as kinuyo tanakas mastery of movement made her the ideal avatar for kenji mizoguchi. Sound of the mountain uses many actors closely identified with ozu, none more so than leading lady setsuko hara.

Kenji mizoguchi 18981956 was a japanese film director most noted for exploring both personal and broad societal issues such as the status of women. Five iconic japanese actresses of the golden age bfi. Setsuko hara and the changing face of japanese womanhood by kaori shoji at the risk of sounding unpatriotic, yasujiro ozus tokyo story remains on my list of least favorite movies. July 2, 1969, tokyo, japan filmography bibliography articles in senses web resources the films of mikio naruse have never been entirely unknown in the west. Feel free to contact me if youre a regular contributor in good standing and you ever want to borrow a copy. I saw this last week at the cinematheque ontario, a nice space that has defrosted my bad toronto attitude quite a bit. Film forums five japanese divas series highlights acts. Her two peers were the aristocratic kinuyo tanaka, who worked extensively with the director kenji mizoguchi sansho the bailiff and died in 1977, and setsuko hara. Hideko takamine gone but not forgotten from the age. Michiyo setsuko hara likewise makes all the necessary economies, but her diligence in maintaining the appearance of the household through constant cleaning leaves her little time for anything else.

Yasujiro ozu, setsuko hara, chishu ryu, chiyeko higashiyama, and satoshi yamamura an elderly couple visit their grownup children in tokyo, but find themselves a burden to the family. Setsuko hara was one of the great presences of world cinema. 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. By scott allen nollen, the first book in english on setsuko hara 19202015, born masae aida in yokohama, considered the greatest actress in the history of japanese cinema. One of japans most popular actors of the postwar years, admired for her performances in the films of yasujiro ozu, including tokyo story. Launched in june, japanese divas continues through august 20.

Tanakas tiny body is consistently held, embraced, constrained, or carried by men in many of her films, whether affectionately or forcefully. In the west, she is best known for her performances in. Over at pageturner, ive posted about susan sontags film criticism and the entries in her recently published journals that illuminate it. I will now be moving onto setsuko hara s filmography from 19351949. Kenji mizoguchi travelling through europe, 1953 after the great kanto earthquake on september 1st, 1923, mizoguchi moved to nikkatsus kyoto studios, and was working there until a scandal caused him to be temporarily suspended. The actresses of japanese cinemas golden age were quite a company of heartbreakers. Watch ozu with me plus the films of his muse, setsuko. Hang your posters in dorms, bedrooms, offices, or anywhere blank walls arent welcome. Coming full circle from late spring, setsuko hara plays a widowed mother pushing her. Kenji mizoguchi s hauntingly beautiful ugetsu and sansho the bailiff, a tragedy set in the eleventh century. Yuriko ichijo, a prostitute with whom he was living, attacked him with a razorblade, leaving lacerations on his back. This book is healthily nonjudgmental concerning which films are good and which. Her two peers were the aristocratic kinuyo tanaka, who worked extensively with the director kenji mizoguchi and setsuko hara, whose portrayals of modern middleclass women were associated with the films of yasujiro ozu tokyo story. Shes always been in love with hiroshi, but he left for france years ago without proposing.

Featured in the lineup are several masterpieces from the fifties, such as yasujiro ozus early summer, starring the enchanting setsuko hara. We see that director kenji mizoguchi was inspired by nihonga. A tale of ambition, family, love, and war set in the midst of the japanese civil wars of the sixteenth century. At 166 minutes and even with another 100 minutes excised at the request of shochiku, its production studio, akira kurosawas the idiot is largely unendurable. Akira kurosawas tourdeforce ikiru, a portrait of modern society. At my own expense im obtaining them with new subtitles. Mizoguchi s 1936 sisters of the gion is the rare prewar pick, with isuzu yamada playing the cleareyed opportunist moga modern girl in a. Setsuko hara, chishu ryu, kuniko miyake, ichiro sugai, haruko sugimura, toyoko takahashi, chikage awashima, chieko.

Please bear with me if the pace is slow at first many of her films are not available in english. Predating the wider discovery of japanese cinema in america and europe by some fifteen years, his prizewinning wife, be like a rose 1935. An incomplete list of films produced in japan ordered by year in the 1930s. Directors like kurasawa and mizoguchi simply pivoted from making jingoistic proimperial films to. Kenji mizoguchi s hauntingly beautiful ugetsu and sansho the bailiff, a tragedy set in the 11th century. As per the title of ozus a hen in the wind 1948, the actress is frequently depicted as a delicate figure threatened by and struggling to resists the winds of destiny. As tanaka was to mizoguchi and hara was to ozu, she was to naruse.

In the same way as kinuyo tanaka became associated with the films of kenji mizoguchi, and setsuko hara with those of yasujiro ozu, takamine embodied naruses heroines courageous, independent, strongwilled, conscientious women, faced with misfortune. We were deeply saddened to learn today of the passing of the great setsuko hara, star and soul of so many of the masterpiece creations of yasujiro ozuamong her many other memorable roles during the. Given the substantial peppering of errors throughout the book, its a little hard for me to just take the book s word on matters like this. In repast 1951, setsuko hara plays an unhappily married woman who has to look after a difficult niece. Kakuzo okakuras beautiful definition of teaism at the beginning of the book of tea calls to mind the sensibilities of the actresses we honour in this program. Setsuko is unhappily married to mimura, an engineer with no job and a drinking habit. Early spring tokyo twilight equinox flower late autumn the end of summer 4.

Japanese b2 poster for director yasujiro ozus masterpiece late spring 1949. Mikio naruse great director profile senses of cinema. Ozu was born on dec 12, 1903 he passed away on his birthday dec 12 1963. For hara, meanwhile who had been born masae aida, but had her name changed by her studio to setsuko hara when she began acting at age 15 late spring began the process by which she was to become almost synonymous with ozus oeuvre, even as she continued to appear in films by other major directors such as akira kurosawa and mikio naruse. Bfi southbank showcases legendary japanese actresses in. Noriko, in ozus tokyo story, is the quintessential setsuko hara character. Yet she also embodies the virtues of the traditional japanese woman. Kinuyo tanaka in kenji mizoguchis the life of oharu 1952. Chieko higashiyama and setsuko hara, in one of the ozu films most poignant scenes. Alongside setsuko hara and kinuyo tanaka, shes maybe one of the three great japanese actresses, and one of the better known in the west.

Akira kurosawa the idiot 1951 hendrik slegtenhorst. The situation is no different for many others in their neighbourhood, struggling to find and hold down a job in a. Mizoguchis last film brought together some of japans greatest. As dag sodtholt wrote for in 2001, if you have ever wondered what happened to the various setsuko hara characters from all those ozu films after she was forced to trade her life as a daughter for a probably. Amazons choice for setsuko hara eclipse series 3 late ozu. Featured in the lineup are several masterpieces from the 1950s, such as yasujiro ozus early summer, starring the enchanting setsuko hara.