Sansho the Bailiff - Criterion Collection Movie Streaming
Lunedì, Febbraio 8th, 2010 |
Sansho the Bailiff - Criterion Collection Movie Streaming.
Movie Title: Sansho the Bailiff - Criterion Collection Sansho the Bailiff - Criterion Collection is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Sansho the Bailiff - Criterion Collection |
There is much praise heaped upon Mizoguchi Kenji’s “Sansho the Bailiff,” including the box cover calling it “one of the finest films ever made.” I probably wouldn’t go that far, but it is an excellent movie ranking amongst the best of the genre, standing tall with Kurosawa Akira films such as “Red Beard.” It is very heavy, with a strong message.
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Like Kurosawa, social responsibility is a strong theme in Mizoguchi’s works. In “Sansho the Bailiff,” we see a blending of the social classes, as an honest aristocrat is exiled, his wife sold to a brothel and his children made slaves, all because the aristocrat believed peasants deserved happiness as well, and that the aristocratic class had responsibilities to the peasants. Mixed together, you see cruelty and mercy amongst both classes, from the tyrannical Sansho and his friendly son Taro, or the martyred slave Namiji and the cruel Zushio willing to brand another slave on the head with a hot iron.
To this there is the message of mercy. “Be hard on yourself, but merciful to others” is the mantra passed from parent to child. A sacred image of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, is a family heirloom, passed down from generations as a reminder.
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As in all Mizoguchi’s films, it is ultimately the women who suffer, bearing the sins of men on their capable shoulders. Mizoguchi is considered a feminist in Japan, although the standards are different and most Americans would probably not consider “Sansho the Bailiff” a feminist film.
It is nice to see this important film get the Criterion treatment. Along with the usual pristine transfer and updated subtitles, a translated version of Ogai Mori’s 1915 “Sansho Dayu,” the story that inspired “Sansho the Bailiff,” is also included.
If you are looking for light entertainment, this is not the movie to get. But if you want a film that gives a powerful portrayal of human suffering and the quest for justice, then you might want to consider Sansho the Bailiff. The story has its roots in Japanese folklore. Another reviewer has already given the basic plot, so I won’t waste time on that. All I can say is that this movie is both heart-wrenching and breathtakingly beautiful. I first saw this film some 30 years ago and many of the images still stick in my mind. The scene midway through the film where Zushio and his sister Anju pull down a tree branch (a reccurence of an earlier scene) is one of those magical moments in cinema. The overall camerawork in this movie is second to none. Note how Mizoguchi will sometimes have the camera zoom out or pan away from highly emotional scenes. A lesser director would probably zoom “in” to exploit the situation. It’s as though Mizoguchi doesn’t want us to become too emotionally attached. Perhaps he is telling us that suffering, as much as we may abhore it, is just a part of this transient life. Whether you agree with my interpretation is not important. This film can work for moviegoers on many levels. Just be prepared for a highly-charged experience, if you rent or buy this video.
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