settima

YasuzōMasumura

黒の試走車 [Kuro no tesuto kā / Black Test Car] (Yasuzō Masumura, 1962)

Jan

18

黒の試走車 (1962)

We watch over a man's shoulder. He's behind a table, wearing a pinstripe suit. In front of him drinks and chopsticks on a chopstick rest. He's signing the top leaf of a chequebook. DP: Yoshihisa Nakagawa.

 

妻は告白する [Tsuma wa kokuhaku suru / A Wife Confesses] (Yasuzō Masumura, 1961)

Jul

15

1961

妻は告白する (1961)

An expert called into the court case studies an enlarged photograph of the supposed crime scene. DP: Setsuo Kobayashi.

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.

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.