I’m working on a film writing question and need guidance to help me study.
I need assistance with this film discussion post to insure i properly with draw statements to insure overall adherence. down below is the needed guidance and topic.
(200-250 words)Use 3-4 TIME STAMPS.
Choose the prompt that goes with your film.
Prompt for Ugetsu: After World War II, Japan did a lot of self-examination about the war and how it had come about due partially to national greed and pride. Japan had plunged its country into horrific suffering and devastation and many were determined to make sure the same mistakes were never repeated. Look at Ugetsu in that light. 1) How can Ugetsu be seen as a warning about the dangers of greed and pride? Consider these characteristics through different parts of the story, not just the two main men. (How about the ghost Lady Wakasa?) 2) How does it comment on the actions/behavior of men in contrast to those of women and the impact of war on women? 3) Choose a scene that you found visually interesting. Describe it- not WHAT happens but how it looks.
Background to Ugetsu: Like The Seventh Seal, Ugetsu also uses a distant past time to comment on enduring human truths. The film is based on a Japanese fable from a 1776 book and is set during a civil war in Japan. Consider that when the film was made in 1953, just 8 years earlier, Japan had lost WWII with stunning, atomic, devastation. In fact, up until just a year before Ugetsu was filmed, Japan still had an occupying presence by US military command. However, in 1953, Japan was well on its way to economic boom thanks especially to help from the US and its allies to rebuild the country. Nonetheless, the war in Ugetsu can be viewed as a comment on Japan’s recent war involvement as well as a reflective comment on the values of society. After watching it several times, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is also commentary on Japan’s 1950s economic boom in this film. What do you think?
An interesting point about the making of the film is that around 70% of the film was shot using a camera crane. This means the camera was almost constantly moving and shifting, even just a very little bit, up, down, and sideways. See if you can notice that busy camera at times and how it adds a slight instability to some scenes, especially in the Lady’s house. Also, don’t be too freaked out by some female eyebrows in this film. The shaved and then smudged -on eyebrows were part of a theatrical style in medieval Japan. I know the first time I watched this I just couldn’t take my eyes off the eyebrows! This film, like The Seventh Seal is also slow moving and in a style quite different to Hollywood films of the time or of today. It is only understandable that the art of another culture would reflect the aesthetic and values of that other culture as well, yet an open mind can find beauty and poetry in many forms!
