Tinasuke Kinugasa's colorful Gate of Hell is a feast for the eyes depicting samurais competing for the same woman. Featuring a stunning opening of a palace under siege by revolting Samurai it soon dilutes into more wordplay and less swordplay, the pace picking up sparingly over the rest of the picture.
Peasant girl Kesa (Mashiko Kyo) volunteers to masquerade as "her majesty" during a coup to take them off the trail of the actual ruler. A lower class Samuria Morito (Kazua Hazegawa) charged with her care, treats her poorly during the escape. They meet later after the rebellion has been put down with her being elevated and it turns out married after he makes a request to the ruling monk to convey his intentions. It does not stop him however in his pursuit.
It cannot be repeated enough how colorful this film explodes on the screen with the incredible wall of fabric, costume and regalia displayed in "Gates." It simply mesmerizes at times but not enough to get past the love sick homicidal dimwittedness and long winded desires of the dog kicking brute Morita. The bland response to the film's climactic moment resulting in civil discussion simply betrays the code and implies a certain misogyny. There is no other way to color it.
Peasant girl Kesa (Mashiko Kyo) volunteers to masquerade as "her majesty" during a coup to take them off the trail of the actual ruler. A lower class Samuria Morito (Kazua Hazegawa) charged with her care, treats her poorly during the escape. They meet later after the rebellion has been put down with her being elevated and it turns out married after he makes a request to the ruling monk to convey his intentions. It does not stop him however in his pursuit.
It cannot be repeated enough how colorful this film explodes on the screen with the incredible wall of fabric, costume and regalia displayed in "Gates." It simply mesmerizes at times but not enough to get past the love sick homicidal dimwittedness and long winded desires of the dog kicking brute Morita. The bland response to the film's climactic moment resulting in civil discussion simply betrays the code and implies a certain misogyny. There is no other way to color it.