Customer Reviews

Late Chrysanthemums [VHS]

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Unfortunately early master of the Japanese cinema Mikio Naruse is little-known today even in his own home country. Even Mizoguchi and Ozu are more well known and certainly more respected. However, Naruse is ever bit on par with these directors, carving a very distinct niche and producing a beautiful body of work from the 1930s through to the 1960s. "Late Chrysanthemums" is one of two Naruse films currently in print on VHS - though likely not for long - and while it's the lesser of the two ("When a Woman Ascends the Stairs" is a brilliant masterpiece) it is nevertheless a great film. The story follows three aging former geishas - two of which have fallen on hard times and the third who's become a successful moneylender. The former two are sullen and complain constantly about how their old friend has become greedy and abandoned them. They sit around getting drunk and singing morbid songs ("every New Year's wreath is a signpost on the way to Hell") and feeling sorry for themselves. The moneylender herself has problems of her own, not the least of which is the memory of a lover in her youth that has always haunted her and driven her to despair. "Late Chrysantemums" is melancholy and pessimistic, sure, but beautifully directed and acted and well worth seeking out for more adventurous film fans. It completely lacks the sentimentality that you find in some of Mizoguchi's films and thankfully never descends into melodrama. The ending has the sort of uplifting sadness at which Naruse so excells and truly leaves one feeling sad that such a great director has been so neglected. This VHS copy is a very good transfer with good subtitles.