1. SANSHO THE BAILIFF (MIZOGUCHI, 1954)

I had to be true to myself. The supreme, most exquisite and poignant masterpiece of the "Shakespeare of film", Kenji Mizoguchi, is the film i carry closest to my heart. Even without the acute personal feelings raised by its engrossing and sometimes harrowing tale- of the cruel misfortune befalling the wife and children of an exiled provincial governor in feudal Japan- it would still have been an overwhelming viewing experience.

With its ravishing landscapes, painterly compositions, Kazuo Miyagawa's radiant silvery cinematography and peerless smooth camerawork (keeping a discreet distance that shames the sentimental manipulation of lesser artists), it aches with humanity, emotion and longing. A few ripples carry more impact than a Hollywood tidal wave. Only the very greatest of masters can deliver without ostentation. The purest distilIation of Zen wisdom and over 30 years of expertly honed craftsmanship, "Sansho"'s final crane shot gently moves away from its individual story to reach for the universe beyond.        

Do see it.

 