Kenji Mizoguchi

The Profile

Kenji Mizoguchi (1898–1956) was a Japanese film director famous for lyrical period dramas and films focusing on the plight of women; his Ugetsu won the Golden Lion at Venice in 1953.

Born 1898, died 1956. Directed notable films including Ugetsu (Golden Lion, Venice 1953), Sansho the Bailiff, and The Life of Oharu. Frequently explored themes of women and social injustice; influenced later Japanese cinema.

DeBaser hosts a close reading of Mizoguchi's Ugetsu and highlights his focus on women, period drama, and Kaidan influences. The available review praises Ugetsu as a masterpiece and traces its legacy in Japanese cinema.