Movies

Mizoguchis apprehensions were a depiction of more social than political aspects in the post war Japan. His films were more focused towards reflecting the social issues of prejudice as well as a fear for his relative place in the world of Japanese films.

Five women around Utamaro is a wonderful and enthralling story of Utamaro Kitagawa (1753- 1806), who changed the tried to change the human sentiments through his wood block prints and tattooing artwork. At the same time Mizoguchi reflects his respect and fascination to his art work and devotion to self-expression in a time of strict conventionality (Rosenbaum, 1985). In Japan Kenji Mizoguchi was the first period film maker when Japan was under the American oppression. Many Japanese reviewers such as Iwasaki, Sato and Shindo, thought that Mizoguchi was so vulnerable by the limitations and his resistance to adjust to the fresh government that the film was unsuccessful in achieving Kenjis common high standards but more current re-evaluations such as that of Kirihara) have found the film specially attractive as a expression of the past tensions of the period.

Five Women around Utamaro was made in 1946, presenting a probing dichotomy of postwar Japanese films by giving a viewpoint of western influenced on the treason of social class and artistic independence, while at the same time moving on to more creativity and cultural containment imposed by American on the artists of Japan. A fascinating similarity is obtainable in enlightening that Utamaros artistic diligence, personal extravagance, and emotional coldness were replicated by Kenji Mizoguchi (Rivette, 1985).

Kenji reflects at the same time house arrest of Utamaro in 1804 along with several of his friends when he made a mockery of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In his print he showed the military ruler enjoying the delights of pleasures of the floating world. Utamaros decline was connected to this stark reality that posed a challenge for the political authority at that time.

Mizoguchi also depicts the wood block triangular form printing when one of the courtesans in the movie is shown to have a sketch made on her back. Utamaro sketches a nurse and child on Takasodes back (Rosenbaum, 1985). In these prints, a bonding between the picture of the woman as nurturer and as sexual object is attained. One might say that this form of creativity actualizes the reality that both Utamaro and Kenji achieve is on the backing of a woman, relying on them to inspire and communicate themselves, psychologically and aesthetically.

In general, the film moves from control to liberty, from the glaringly beautiful demonstration of court ladies against a backdrop of growing cherry trees with which it opens to the absolute flow of prints enthused by a sole catastrophic fervor with which it ends. But this group is by no means easy. For the sovereignty of Utamaro the artist is paralleled and in a sense exceeded by the greater sovereignty of his preferred form of art the courtesan Okita, whose chaotic lifeshe eventually kills an adulterous loverhas its own dismal and extravagant splendor (Rivette, 1985).

Utamaros interest in questioning the exterior of the subject and his use of slight hints is to create a character for a pretentious woman who exemplifies a certain type of a woman. We can, for instance believe that rather probing depiction of a young woman is majorly a focus of Utamaro and the director Mizoguchi Kenji who reflect through their art a social apprehension of woman drawing particular attention on her character and outlook.