22 February 2008

Having released two of their planned double-bill DVD releases of the films of Kenji Mizoguchi – Sanshô Dayû / Gion Bayashi and Chikamatsu monogatari / Uwasa no onna – Eureka's Masters of Cinema label have announced the third, and for Mizoguchi devotees this is the big one, featuring as it does Ugetsu monogatari, regularly selected in polls as one of the greatest films ever made and chosen as #29 in The Village Voice's selection of best 100 films of the 20th century. Never seen it? Oh are you in for a treat.

Based on a pair of 18th century ghost stories by Ueda Akinari, Ugetsu monogatari (Tales of the Rain and the Moon) takes place in 16th century Japan during a time of civil war. Two potters seek to better their situation, Genjuro by selling his wares at a large profit in the local city, his brother-in-law Tobei by becoming a samurai. Leaving their families with the promise of return, Tobei eventually abandons his wife for his ambition, while Genjuro is seduced by the wealthy but strangely unearthly Lady Masaka. Exquisitely realised realised by a master filmmaker at his peak and famed for its orchestrated long takes and blending of period realism with the supernatural, Ugetsu monogatari continued Japanese cinema's breakthrough to Western audiences, picking up an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design and winning a Silver Lion for Best Direction at the Venice Film Festival.

This acknowledged classic is teamed with one of Mizoguchi's lesser seen works, the 1951 Oyu-sama (Miss Oyu), a poignant and contemplative tale of two sisters and their ill-fated relationship with the same man. Based on a story by one of Japan's modern literary masters, novelist Tanizaki Junichirô and starring Mizoguchi regular Kinuyo Tanaka (who also stars in Ugetsu monogatari) as Oyu, Oyu-sama once again features Mizoguchi's long, mobile camera shots, including a take of almost six minutes in length, in a tale infused with humanity an emotion.

Ugetsu monogatari and Oyu-sama will be released as a 2-disc set by Masters of Cinema on 21st April 2008 at the RRP of £24.99. Both films have undergone restoration and feature new and improved English subtitles and the following extra features:

• Video discussions about both films by acclaimed expert on Japanese film, festival programmer and filmmaker Tony Rayns;
• Original theatrical trailers;
• 56-page booklet featuring essays by Keiko McDonald and award-winning translations of Ueda Akinan's The Reed-Chocked House and A Serpent's Lust, tales adapted by Mizoguchi in Ugetsu monogatari.