Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu Monogatari

Ugetsu Monogatari theatrical poster

Ugetsu Monogatari (雨月物語) or Tales of Moonlight and Rain by Ueda Akinari (上田 秋成) was first published as a collection of short stories in 1776. Set in the Sangoku period, it combines elements from Japanese and Chinese folk mythology, creating an atmosphere of the paranormal across nine distinct tales. It is a great example of Edo period literature, and is a worthwhile read; a copy of the  text can be found here. In 1953, a film loosely based on the stories was released by director Kenji Mizoguchi (溝口 健二).

The film (Link contains spoilers) borrows from several of the stories in Akinari's collection, but recombines them into a cohesive plot that follows four main characters. It retains the setting of the Sangoku period, as it explores the conflict between high ambition and a more humble desire for happiness.

A particularly apparent motif is the exchange of money. One sees this earliest in the film in the character of Ganjuro. He is a peasant with the ambition of becoming a wealthy merchant. He sincerely believes that money holds the key to luxury and desire; and at first, some might be inclined to agree with his seemingly practical approach to the matter—but I won't spoil the details, you'll have to watch the film for yourself. Perhaps this is a commentary on post-war Japanese society. The Japan of the film and in Mizoguchi's time were torn apart by war. Especially in the post-war period, there has been a perceived increase in materialism and consumerism. It is easy to see why Mizoguchi might be critical of the pursuit of wealth above all else.

As an aside, however, Ugetsu was never quite as popular in Japan as it was in the west. Many critics, such as Donald Richie, consider it one of the preeminent Japanese films, of the same caliber as Rashomon or Tokyo Story. As it happens, the cinematographer for Ugetsu—Kazuo Miyagawa (宮川 一夫)—was also the cinematographer for Rashomon, lending them similar visual styles.

Also, the film is now in the public domain, and can be viewed here. However, if you can find it (or want to order it), the Criterion Collection has released a DVD set that contains additional commentary on the film and documentary about the film maker.

読んで、ありがとう。