A film centering on a brothel in post war Japan, this is the story of the "girls" and how their job affects the rest of their lives. Of course, you're going to get scenes of utter sadness, death and misery, but this film is also, in a few places, darkly comic. Even the musical score is disconcerting, it is avant garde, actually reminding me of Frank Zappa's more esoteric compositions. The individual actresses are amazing, they truly make you wonder, dislike and, in a few quite brilliant exchanges, feel for them. This last film of the great Mizoguchi is a classic, but its a classic that is not always easy to watch. If you think you could become upset about a gritty film about prostitution and the inherent anger, fears and disappointments surrounding it, I would not recommend it. Otherwise, although probably not meant to be Mizoguchi's last film (he passed away fairly young, leaving a stunning body of work), I think you will find this film brilliant & more than likely authentic. A triumph for a director who, in Kurosawa, Ozu and Naruse's time, deserves the accolades afforded to him.
Review of Street of Shame
