La porte de l'enfer

I saw this film in 1970 or 1971 in New York and have remembered it ever since. We came in late to a double feature and didn't see the title--I have been unsure of it all these years. It features impressive battle scenes, a heart-wrenching love story and beautiful cinematography. It is also the first film I ever saw that depicted medieval Japanese culture in all its glory. The beautifully photographed compound of the shogun is, by itself, worth the price of admission. There are many interior shots, showing beautiful rooms with sliding screens that figure in the plot. Now I would dearly love to see Gate of Hell again, but apparently it is not available on DVD. Criterion, here is a worthy quest for you!!

It has been over 40 years (!) since I first saw this film, and I still see it, whenever I can. In my opinion, not only is it a masterpiece, but its use of colour may well be the the best of any film ever made.

In 1160, in the Heiji Era, Lord Kiyomori (Koreya Senda) travels with his court to the Temple of Itsukushima and his Sanjo Castle is invaded by two other lords, in a coup d'etat. The loyal samurai Moritoh Enda (Kazuo Hasegawa) asks the court lady Kesa (Machiko Kyô) to pose of the lord's sister to create a diversion while the lord's real sister and his father flee in the middle of the people.

Then Moritoh travels to meet Lord Kiyomon and fights with him to defeat the enemies and the coup fails. Lord Kiyomon rewards the warriors that helped him and when he asks Moritoh what he wishes, he requests to marry Kesa. The lord grants his wish but soon he learns that Kesa is married with Wataru Watanabe (Isao Yamagata), a samurai from the imperial guard. Moritoh harasses Kesa and threatens her, promising to kill her husband, her aunt and her if she does not marry him. Kesa's decision leads the trio to a tragic fate.

"Jigokumon" is a Japanese classic released in Brazil by the best Brazilian distributor on a totally restored version on DVD. The dramatic story of love, obsession and tragedy is developed in slow pace and has great performances and stunning cinematography with wonderful colors and camera angles. The tragic conclusion based on the code of honor of Moritoh that will live in disgrace is frustrating for Westerns that would prefer the conclusion with a decapitation or seppuku (harakiri) instead. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Portal do Inferno" ("Gate of the Hell")

Supposedly the first Japanese film shown in the US after the war, this film was highly regarded by many critics and won a well-deserved Oscar for costume design.

It starts out as a war movie, but that is only a backdrop to what is really going to happen. In an uprising, Lady Kesa (Machiko Kyô) pretends to be royalty to fake out the rebels and allow the real queen to escape. She ends up in the home of Sir Moritoh (Kazuo Hasegawa) and is there until the rebellion is crushed.

Sir Moritoh asks for her hand as a reward for his service, but finds out she is married to Wataru (Isao Yamagata), the head of the palace guards.

This is the real story: a fool in love with another man's wife who will not give up his pursuit. I imagine that a lot of us can see ourselves in Moritoh. Cue Elvis, the King, singing "Fools Fall in Love." Lady Kesa is forced in the end to don disguise once again to save her love in this tragic tale.

Not only were the costumes beautiful, but the cinematography was outstanding also.

'Gate of Hell' is a story about loyalties. All those who transgress their loyalties, and are beaten or unmasked, are sent to 'Hell' through its 'Gate'. In this movie, the loyalty operates at the social (clan) as well as at the personal level. Rival subjects of the emperor break loyalties by fighting each other for a privileged position at the court. On the other hand, unrestrained passion and sexual harassment of wives of other clan members are also considered as an unacceptable conduct. One of the participants of the yearly 'ceremony of conciliation' among the clans is simply thrown out of the ceremony for his aggressive behavior. Finally, there is also the loyalty of a wife to her husband.

Teinosuke Kinugasa's movie shines through its magical mix of color and light, with dark scenes for unrestrained passion and light ones for beauty and self-sacrifice: every frame of every shot is simply a formidable Japanese print. It shines also through the masterful directing and the restraint acting of its main female character. Ultimately, it shines through its treatment of such almighty important themes as the battle between 'good and evil' / 'war and peace' resulting in 'life or death' for its protagonists.

While Carl Theodor Dreyer's 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' was a pioneering feature film because of its camera movements and bold focalizing, while Dziga Vertov's 'Man with a Movie Camera' was a pioneering movie because of its brilliant shooting angles, its split screens and its rhythmic 'one by one frame' editing, Teinosuke Kinugasa's 'Gate of Hell' is a pioneering movie because of his magnificent play with light and color, turning it into a grandiose spectacle. He shot an eternal masterpiece. A must see.