settima

KazuoMiyagawa

刺青 [Irezumi / The Tattoo] (Yasuzō Masumura, 1966)

Jul

18

刺青 (1966)

Otsuya (Ayako Wakao) and one of her samurai clients share sake and a small meal. Beautifully framed by cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa there's all we need to see – Otsuya's facial expressions and the fiery, protective 籠目 (kagome, litt. eye) pattern – with not much more on display. DP: Kazuo Miyagawa.

#FilmDinner #YasuzōMasumura #JunichirōTanizaki #AyakoWakao #GakuYamamoto #HikaruHayashi #KazuoMiyagawa #BookAdaptation #tattoos #spiders #FemmeFatale #Japan #1960s ★★★★☆

刺青 [Irezumi] (Yasuzō Masumura, 1966)

Jul

17

National Tattoo Day

刺青 (1966)

Seikichi tattooing (the correct term for the act-of is tebori) the 絡新婦 / じょろうぐも [jorōgumo, litt. “entangling bride”] on Otsuya's back. DP: Kazuo Miyagawa.

Otsuya's (Ayako Wakao) is forced into #prostitution and marked with a large spider tattoo. As the figure slowly takes shape under horishi Seikichi's skilled hands, Otsuya too transforms.

#Bales2023FilmChallenge #NationalTattooDay #YasuzōMasumura #JunichirōTanizaki #AyakoWakao #GakuYamamoto #HikaruHayashi #KazuoMiyagawa #BookAdaptation #tattoos #spiders #FemmeFatale #Japan #1960s ★★★★☆

羅生門 [Rashōmon] (Akira Kurosawa, 1950)

Apr

22

April Showers Day

羅生門 (1950)

Two men sheltering from torrential rain in the gate of a wooden temple. DP: Kazuo Miyagawa.

“It sounded interesting, at least while I kept out of the rain. But if it's a sermon, I'd sooner listen to the rain.”

– commoner

#Bales2023FilmChallenge #AprilShowersDay #AkiraKurosawa #RyūnosukeAkutagawa #ToshirōMifune #FumioHayasaka #KazuoMiyagawa #rain #crime #BookAdaptation #samurai #Japan #1950s ★★★½