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10 Amazing Facts about Kenji Mizoguchi

Kenji Mizoguchi, a notable public figure was a Japanese screenwriter and film director. He was alive from 1898 to August 1956. He was famous for his works that garnered international recognition. His career in the entertainment industry was from 1923 to 1956 which was the time of his death. His works have been praised by many people including film critics.

Therefore this article will explore some facts about the film director who was instrumental in the early Japanese and international film industry.

1. He began a career in the opera in 1916

In 1915, Kenji’s mother died and his sister took over caring for him. As he had left school as his family could no longer afford to send him to school, his sister secured work for him as an apprentice where he designed patterns for yukata and kimonos. During this time, he enrolled at Aoibashi Yoga Kenkyuko Art School which was located in Tokyo for a course that specialised in western painting techniques.

This was where he developed an interest in opera and he began helping out at the royal theatre in Akasaka.

2. Women’s suffering is key in his work

Most of his works show the suffering that women go through in society. This can be attributed to the fact that he had experienced the suffering as he lived with his mother and saw how hard it was to sustain their family.

The women suffering show how sisters make sacrifices for their brothers. This is what happened with him and that is why it is a key showing in most of his films.

3. He is considered the director of new realism

The director and screenwriter were hailed as the director of new realism as he was instrumental in making the transition in film from feudalism to modernity. His depictions of the place of women in a male-centred society made his work famous on the international scene as this was the time that the women’s suffrage movement was in full swing.

This means that his films communicated the topics that were being talked about during that particular time and thus made him known as the director of new realism.

4. His early life was filled with sorrow

The director’s works are a reflection of his life which seems to have been filled with a lot of sorrows. He was born to a daughter of a failed herbalist and his father was a carpenter. Being one of three children, the family lived in the middle-class district that was known as Hongo in Japan. Their family however were financially burdened during the Russo-Japanese war to the extent that his father attempted to sell raincoats but the business failed.

The family even gave up one daughter for adoption. Following this Kenji was plagued with rheumatoid arthritis. This goes to show that his early life before going to the apprentice training was hard which is a depiction of the movies that he makes.

5. An industry strike gave him a chance to make his directorial debut

In 1918 after moving to Kobe, he got a job as a newspaper advertising designer but felt homesick and returned to Tokyo where he moved in with his friend who worked at the Mujikoma Film Studios. The friend got him a job at the company where he worked several positions including transcribing scripts, acting and organising sets.
It was at the studio that he was given his first chance to direct a film during the strike in 1923. He directed The Resurrection of Love and proceeded to make 10 more films.

6. The 47 Ronin is one of his most notable works

Kenji drew from the Japanese history for the 47 Ronin that was in 1942 and 1943. The script for the film was written by Kenichiro Hara and Yoda. The epic film was done in two parts and used the largest budget at the time which was 53,000 yen. Critics even termed the movie the most beautiful film ever produced.

The film was based on the revenge of Lord Asano’s loyal retainers who were forced to a ritual suicide after the death of his master. The story has even been used several times in the theatre.

7. He won a couple of awards in the 1950s

After the Second World War, escapist entertainment in Japan was at its peak. The director was worried that he was no longer relevant and his filmmaking style was outdated but the success of Akira Kurosawa’s success in Rashomon motivated him to start making films. He made Ugetsu in 1953 which was a ghost film that destroyed the depths of the post-war psyche. The film was liked by movie critics and even won the Silver Lion and the Italian Critics Award.

8. His work has been studied by scholars

His work was instrumental in the film industry and it has been studied by scholars and film enthusiasts to get its context and meanings of it. A majority of his work has the same themes because they talk about the same things. The director is well respected like the literary giants like Shakespeare because of his morals.

9. His works confront human suffering

Kenji Mizoguchi is well known for confronting societal issues that human beings face and portraying them in a way that makes people want to change their ways. This is instrumental in ensuring social change as the human suffering will make the public examine themselves and the role they play in propagating human suffering and thus be motivated to change.

10. Most of his films have disappeared

Most of the films that the director did have been lost and others disappeared from the records. This means that contemporary film and history enthusiasts will not get all picture of how the director did his work as some are missing.