Venue: The British Council, Jalan Bukit Aman, KL
Time: 8 pm
Please note that because of administrative reasons, screening days have been changed to
Mon 10 May
Ugetsu Monogatari
Kenji Mizoguchi; Japan, 1953, 96 min., bw
The first of two Mizoguchi masterpieces this mouth is a 16th century tale of two peasants who leave their families, one to seek wealth in the city and the other to become a samurai warrior. This film is remarkable for the way in which it combines elements of everyday realism with fantasy and the supernatural. The transitions are seamless, reflecting Mizoguchi's own shift from the radical political standpoint of his earlier films to a much more emphatic interest in aestheticism and spirituality. "One of the director's best films and one of the most perfect in the history of Japanese cinema ... self-sufficient, nearly allegorical and a film experience both beautiful and disturbing" (Donald Richie). This is Mizoguchi's best-known work and a landmark of the Japanese art cinema, winner of numerous awards at European festivals in the 50s.
Mon 17 May
Sansho Dayu (Sansho the Bailiff)
Kenji Mizoguchi; Japan, 1954, 125 min., bw
Mizoguchi's epic film is about a family suffering numerous misfortunes in feudal Japan: the kindly father, a provincial governor, is exiled, the children become slaves, and the mother is sold into prostitution. A beautiful, lyrical and moving film yet harsh and unsentimental, with stunning photography by Kazuo Miyagawa. "With Mizoguchi, form and idea, atmosphere and feeling are indivisible. He is a painter by training and his films are assembled out of images of breathtaking exactness --- The images, the subtle music combine to create a world which irresistibly captures and enfolds the spectator" (The Times), "The greatest movie I have seen" (Robin Wood).
Mon 24 May
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Robert Aldrich; US, 1962, 132 min., bw
A splendid Hollywood Gothic shocker about sibling, rivalry between two elderly sisters, both ex-movie stars, played by Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Though the plot takes too long to develop, there are quite a few scary moments, and it's great, campy fun, with both stars giving memorable performances. "It's just the film you should take your favourite ghoulfriend to see. For besides these two vintage actresses, Frankenstein looks like a church choir-boy" (People). With Victor Buono, Marjorie Bennett. Academy Award for best black-and-white costume design. Academy Award nominations for best actress (Davis), best supporting actor (Victor Buono), black-and-white cinematography and sound.
