Japanese Film Directors

Audi Bock’s out of print book, Japanese Film Directors, still has a lot of relevance even though it isn’t up to date anymore-it was originally published in 1978. It is a useful reference and introduction to the films of Japan's master film directors. Bock is also known as the translator of Akira Kurosawa’s biography Something Like A Biography. There are three sections in which Bock discussed the careers and influence of several directors in each section from the prewar 30s, postwar mid-50s and late 60s. The first section is “Early Masters” and Bock gives an in-depth look at the films of Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujiro Ozu, and Mikio Naruse.  I haven’t explored the films of Mizoguchi or Naruse yet, and feel compelled to do so after reading the chapters on the directors-Mizoguchi in particular comes across as an interesting character. The next section looks at “The Postwar Humanists”: Akira Kurosawa, Kesuke Kinoshita, Kon Ichikawa, and Masaki Kobayashi. Again I am compelled to search out films by the directors I am largely unfamiliar with: Kinoshita, Ichikawa, and Kobayayshi. The final section is “The New Wave And After” focuses on the films of Shohei Imamaura, Nagisa Oshima, and Masahiro Shinoda. Shinoda is the only director of the three that I haven’t seen a film by, but again feel compelled to search out some films by him. It is a good introduction to the films of the Japan’s 20^th century masters of film. 

Comments

[ted]

This is a book I find myself dipping into time and again. I still insist you see Naruse. Floating Couds is brilliant. His films are quiet like those of Ozu, yet darker. Mizoguchi's films have great themes (or theme, a woman victimized by men), yet he can overdramatic, as Kurosawa is at his worst.

[MC]

Ted nice to hear from you. I hope all is well with you.

Yes, I was a little lazy on this review, I made some notes on Mizoguchi and Naruse that didn't make the review:

I was intrigued by Bock's description of Mizoguchi's love-hate relationship with women in the sense that he found them terrifying-he is not alone. It seems that according to Bock, Naruse also focused on fatalistic women and economic hardship of the family in many of his films. I have a lot to watch and learn.

I didn't know you were so well-versed in Japanese cinema as well.

[ted]

I love Japanese films, although they're making me badly long for Japan, as I'm now back in NM.

There is a story about Mizoguchi and Tanaka Kiniyo, who starred in a majority of his films. When learning that she wanted to direct her own project, he tried to block it, as a way to keep her close to him. Yet, quite expectedly, the opposite occurred, and she never spoke to him again. Many consider her to be the love of his life.

[ted]

Hey Patrick,

While cleaning up my blog, I came across this post.

http://notesfromthenog.blogspot.com/2008/01/screen-test.html