Ugetsu 4K 1953 Ultra HD 2160p

Sixteenth century. There is a civil war in Japan. A poor potter gets a chance to make some money - his pots are selling surprisingly well, and the amazed artisan is clutching unprecedented silver coins in his fist. Earnings cause excitement, which quickly turns into obsession.

User Review

Among the works especially honored by the people of Japan are fairy tales. Sad and edifying, they bring goodness and justice, and are an inspiration and cultural treasure of their country. Each Japanese fairy tale is poetic and musical. The painting “Ugetsu”, is inspired by a ghost's love song, where the viewer, along with the hero, is trapped in the sorcery of a woman's charms. Tempting the man, the female ghost, pulls the “spouse” into a magical world, in which cares fade away under the sweet neglect, hanging over the house by the river.

The title of the painting most likely refers to ancient mythological ideas about the goddess who could not stay on earth, and according to East Asian tradition, every month, died and came to life. The moon, a symbol of immortality, remained beautiful and young and apparently incarnated in the radiant, marvelous ghost of Lady Wakasa.

The kaidan (ghost story) is based on the tale of Akinari Ueda, about two peasants who neglected family happiness in pursuit of profit and power. One, in his rush to become a samurai, loses his honor. The other, learns an important life lesson, where the main values are: peace, home, family. It is believed that female sacrifice, thanks to which the director (Kenji Mizoguchi) survived and received an education, determined the moral force of his creative position. In the picture, the wisdom of a woman and the foolishness of a man, ready to climb into the “scorcher” and fight with “air mills” for the sake of a feat, are well traced. The woman says: “Your kindness makes me happy, be always with me. The only thing I want is for us to live in peace.”

The visuals of the movie are poetic. Shots of a boat floating on the river, with fog looming - a harbinger of impending danger. The bone on the shore is a symbol of broken honor. And the man, happy with the vision of his wife in an expensive kimono, touches the viewer, who feels the soul of the hero. His dreams of prosperity in the family are illusory, because the bills will have to be paid in a big way.

The picture strikes with its originality and emotional depth, telling a wise, fairy-tale, but no less real story. Good forces and good human qualities prevail in it: nobility, responsiveness, courage, patience, generosity and, most importantly, love. Unhurried plot, smoothly changing frames draws you into the world of black-and-white movie, in which a woman, engaged in household chores, is wiser than a man, because she feels the world with her heart, and after that, with her head.

Info Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265 (78.0 Mb/s)
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1

Info Audio

#Japanese: FLAC 1.0 (Unfiltered)
#Japanese: FLAC 1.0 (Filtered)
#Englis: Dolby Digital 1.0 (Commentary by critic, ï¬lmmaker, and festival programmer Tony Rayns)

Info Subtitles