Street of Shame

Film · Kazuo Miyagawa

Saturday, April 28, 2 PM

Kenji Mizoguchi‘s final collaboration with Miyagawa (after eight films together) was also his final film — a heart-wrenching drama about the lives of five women working at Dreamland, a brothel in Tokyo’s red light district, who struggle to reconcile their dreams in the face of a grim socioeconomic reality. Primarily known for his elegant period films, Mizoguchi’s swan song is startlingly contemporary, imbued with documentary-like realism that implements his eye for imaginative blocking and use of deep focus. A poignant summation of the great director’s thematic and stylistic interests.

1956, 87 min., 35mm, b&w, in Japanese with English subtitles. Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. With Ayako Wakao, Aiko Mimasu, Machiko Kyo, Michiyo Kogure.

Part of Kazuo Miyagawa: Japan’s Greatest Cinematographer

Tickets: $13/$10 seniors & students/$9 Japan Society members

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