I’m trying to study for my Film course and I need some help to understand this question.
I have two assignments. 1- writing a two-page essay analysis for a japanese film and 2- writing at least a one page discussion for film
for film discussion:
This week’s discussion will revolve around the film Kwaidan (1964) directed by Masaki Kobayashi. The film is an anthology of four separate, classic Japanese folkloric ghost stories that were recorded by Lafcadio Hearn, a Greek/British writer who would spend the last half of his life in Japan. He greatly contributed to exposing the West to many aspects of Japanese culture. Watch one of the four stories (My favorites areThe Woman of the Snow & Hoichi the Earless) and start a conversation, relaying your thoughts on the narratives themselves, cinematography, or in relation to other horror (think Nosferatu) or contemporary Japanese cinema (The Grudge) you have seen. Japan is notorious for their horror films and ghost stories in general, but are more attuned to psychological scare factor versus the scream/bloody approach of Western horror films.
Choose one of the four stories to respond to. Each one is a separate discussion thread, so please be aware of where you are posting your responses. Please remember that full discussion participation requires a minimum of one original post and two responses.
Film is accessible here, with timestamps for your reference: https://archive.org/details/YouCut20190601150630617
- 3:30 – The Black Hair
- 39:55 – The Woman of the Snow
- 1:22:50 – Hoichi the Earless
- 2:37:19 – In a Cup of Tea
For film analysis:
Watch Godzilla and one of the films listed below:
- Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story (1953)
- Kenji Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu (1953)
- Kenji Mizoguchi’s 47 Ronin (1941)
- Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1950)
- Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo (1961)
- Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954)
These films embody the serene quietude of Japanese cinema inspired by the Kabuki and Noh traditions –often seen in period films– and the arrival of the samurai, sword-fighting acting films (Kurosawa). Discuss the aesthetic, narrative and cinematic differences from the other films we have seen so far.
