Ugetsu

This beautiful, haunting and mysterious film by Japanese master Kenji Mizoguchi blends fantasy and reality seamlessly. The tale of two men who are blinded by envy and greed that makes them abandon their families during the civil war of 16Th century Japan. A poor farmer wants to be a samurai so bad that he commits murder to achieve his goal while his wife becomes a prostitute in the process. The other man a potter wants to profit from the war to get rich falls in love with a ghost that almost cost him his life while his wife and son struggle to survive. The great thing about this film is that Mizoguchi takes you on a ride where you have no idea what to expect and are shocked to meet ghost and warrior alike in a world where anything is possible. Mizoguchi manages to move between horrific reality and beautiful dreams without missing a beat. Brilliantly written and conceived with flawless performances and production values that makes this film one of the masterpieces of cinema that has be experienced. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.