Frank8700

A touching film directed by Ozu in 1942 that tells the story of how a man, widowed, searches with all his commitment to raise and best educate his only son. Over the course of about twenty years we witness the changes of this relationship, the sacrifices of the father who tries to inculcate in his son real values of life such as commitment, sacrifice, constancy, work, duty.

There was a father is the most dated Ozu film I have seen but in my opinion many of the elements of his cinema and his direction are present. Ozu is for me exceptional in how he manages to express and represent deep feelings of life with simplicity, in a direct way that strikes the viewer.

Unfortunately, the edition of the Criterion Collection I saw was not the best, both from an audio and video point of view. Deep film, of good feelings, where Ozu's class is unquestionably present.

A costume film by Mizoguchi set in feudal Japan in the mid-seventeenth century. A girl, born a noblewoman, finds herself facing a series of dramas, tragedies and changes during several years of her life. An intimate and dramatic story, a fresco of life filled with messages and strong feelings of great breadth.

I noticed in this film several scenes with camera movements, more numerous than in other works by the author. Particular attention, moreover, to music and sounds. Depth of field that creates multiple planes to observe, artistic static emphasis.

Interpretation of the leading actress, the director's muse in many films, of the highest level that gives the film light and vigor in every scene.

A film that I consider a masterpiece and that I recommend to anyone who loves cinema made with art and heart. The drama of life, with all its facets, of a wonderful woman in strength, determination, courage who only wanted to love and be truly loved, freely, but without being able to do so.

This last film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi has as its protagonists 4 women, prostitutes who live in a Geisha house in Tokyo. We are in the 1950s.

Through the story of the life, personality, problems and pains of these "heroines" the director paints a wonderful picture of Women in general.

I was very struck by the narrative style that gradually introduces us to the knowledge of the protagonists and the visual expressiveness and feelings connected to it. I noticed a lot of topicality and contemporaneity in the vision of this film. In some moments and for some nuances I thought back to Raise the Red Lantern by Zhang Yimou.

I absolutely recommend The Street of Shame, in my opinion a true masterpiece, not only of classic Japanese cinema. It has an extraordinary strength for what it expresses.