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>>Wong Kar-wai:
>
>His surname is Wong, BTW (going by you listing the last names
>of the other directors in your post subject line). Not unless
>you were going like, Marty or Woody.
Yeah, that was a mistake I made in copy & pasting his name from a database. Too late to edit now.
>>Akira Kurosawa (see anything you can by him, but
>especially):
>
>High and Low is underrated, IMHO.
Yet to see it; I'll check it out. Thanks.
>>Masaki Kobayashi:
>>Kwaidan (1965)
>
>Go watch "Harakiri" like yesterday. "Samurai Rebellion" is
>great, but just a notch below "Harakiri." His "Human
>Condition" Trilogy are one of my fav war films. C'mon,
>Criterion.
>>Kenji Mizoguchi:
>>The 47 Ronin (1941)
>>The Life of Oharu (1952)
>>Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
>>Ugetsu (1953) - One of the most beautiful films ever made
>
>Definitely in the running for greatest director (my money is
>on Ozu). Mizoguchi dwells in histrionic melodrama, though;
>not much variaton. Try to see "Story of the Last
>Chrysanthemums" (tied with "Sansho" as his best, IMHO),
>"Utamaro...," "Street of Shame," "Sistors of Gion," and
>"Crucified Lovers."
>
>"Osaka Elegy" is a notch below all the above.
I've been trying to get my hands on more Mizoguchi for a while now - but my public library is won't order them for me and neither can the independent film rental store I go to. Tried on amazon.com too and seem out of luck. Thanks for the suggestions though, I'll keep them in mind.
>>Nagisa Oshima: (Japanese New Wave films)
>>Cruel Story of Youth (1960)
>>Night and Fog in Japan (1960)
>>Death by Hanging (1968)
>
>"Cruel Story of Youth" was damn good. But, how did you see
>"Death By Hanging"?!!...how was it? From what I've read,
>Oshima's radical stuff hasn't come out yet on R1 DVD yet
>(accounts say he was just as or more radical than radical
>Godard).
Had a friend visiting Japan who rented it and made me a bootleg VHS tape of it. Its without subtitles, so to understand it I had to rely on the wikipedia plot synopsis. Personally, I still liked Cruel Story of Youth over it.
>"In the Realm of the Senses" is, uh...um, yeah, LOL.
Worst date movie ever. Now I understand why my best friend was laughing so hard while handing me the copy of it to rent. I was out of it so I didn't bother to read the back... Dear lord. lol.
>>Yasujiro Ozu:
>
>For my money, and I know I'm in the minority, the greatest
>director in fictional-narrative I've seen so far. "Record of
>a Tenement Gentleman" is a gem.
I need to watch more Ozu given that I never understood what was so great about him until I rewatched Floating Weeds on DVD two years after originally watching it and it blew my mind. I'ma get on that.
>>Sadao Yamanaka:
>>Humanity and Paper Balloons (1937) - Japanese period film
>
>Damn. Need to see this. Where'd you see it? I know Masters
>of Cinema released an R2 DVD.
Rented it in the UK last year. Phenomenal film - Criterion needs to get on this.
>Try some Imamura especially "Vengeance is Mine,"
>"Pornographers," Eijanaika," "Black Rain," "Ballad of
>Narayama," and "Doctor Akagi." Definitely a master.
>
>His minor is stuff is damn good, too ("Eel" and "Warm Water
>Under a Red Bridge").
>
>Also, Ichikawa especially "Revenge of a Kabuki Actor,"
>"Makioka Sisters," "Tokyo Olympiad" (IMHO, the best sports
>movie), "Fires on the Plain" and "Enjo"/"Conflagration."
>
>"Burmese Harp" is a masterpiece, but some parts have aged
>badly.
Fires of the Plain and the Burmese Harp I've been planning on seeing for a while - I'll get on the rest too.
>Kinugasa's "Page of Madness" is wild! It's definitely in the
>running for greatest silent film.
Wow, definately need to check that out.
>And contemporary and recent Japanese cinema is strong.
>Kore-eda is in my top 5 for active contemporary directors in
>the world.
I'm not big on Kore-eda, although I've only seen Hana.
Thanks, I definately have a lot of recommendations to run with now!
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