Kenji Mizoguchi directed this Japanese fantasy movie. The story is based on Ueda Akinari's novel Ugetsu Monogatari from 1776. The film stars Masayuki Mori as Genjuro, Kinuyo Tanaka as Miyagi, Mitsuko Mito as Ohama, Eitaro Ozawa as Tobei, and Machiko Kyo as Lady Wakasa. The movie begins with a reference of a civil war in the early spring of the 16th century in the village near the Lake Biwa. Genjuro is a clay potter who lives with his devout and caring wife Miyagi and their little son, who is trying to sell his production during the raging civil war. He departs with his related neighbor, Tobei, who aspires to be a samurai against his wife's wishes. When Genjuro returns with a good amount of silver coins, he gets more eager to sell more. Despite the fact that the soldiers have wreaked havoc on the village by abducting men for forced labor, Genjuro and Tobei manage to take a chance and board a boat to go to the village with their wives. However, a boatman who has been fatally injured warns them to protect themselves and their wives from pirates. Ohama, Genjuro, and Tobei set out on their quest, leaving just Miyagi and her son on shore. Genjuro falls in love with Lady Wakasa, who coerces him into marrying her. With a remnant of troops, Tobei becomes a samurai after abandoning his wife and buying a samurai costume and weapons. Ohama, meanwhile, was raped and had to work at a brothel to make ends meet. However, Genjuro is informed that his new companion is actually a spirit. The introductory plot and narrative style of the Japanese classic have the ability to keep you watching. Every Japanese movie from the classic era that you watch and then hear about is hailed and said to have established the bar for the others to meet. Kurosawa was so impressed by Kenji's filmmaking that he was embraced by other Japanese filmmakers. An engaging masterpiece was created with only basic set design and clever fantasy story dramatization. The subject matter of the movie emphasizes material greed, selfish ambitions, betrayal, and negligence. The film depicts how these terrible aspirations ruin two harmonious families that might have prospered from the love of their wives, who only wanted care, attention, and time spent with their husbands.

Best ghost story ever! WAYYYYY better than what American directors were doing at the time!

Lavish sets and beautiful costumes are nevertheless hampered by fairly poor structure and pacing, and a hard-to-follow story. This is still vastly better than most contemporary American or British cinema.

Beautiful to look at and interesting story, but slow. It doesn't quite reach the level of some of it's contemporaries like Woman in the Dune, Seven Samurai or Harakiri

Ugetsu is a hauntingly beautiful film, drenched in ethereal visuals and poignant tragedy. Mizoguchi weaves an allegory for post-WWII Japan, exposing the futility of greed and ambition born of war. While many Japanese films of the period look forward, drawing a line under Imperial Japan Ugetsu gazes back in sorrow and personal regret at actions that enabled the futile war and cultural traditions that culminated in the horrific bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ending the rule of the Imperial Crown. It’s mesmerising, profoundly affecting, and lingers like a ghostly memory.

A towering classic of Japanese history and atmosphere! Watch it!

A beautiful parable about the tragedy of getting what you ask for.

Interesting story, in the most japanese way of 50's cinema. Unique as always

Set during a period of civil war in late 16th century Japan, two peasants, a potter and a farmer, against the advice of others, sacrifice more than they expected in order to fulfil their selfish dreams, Genjuro hoping to get rich by selling his wares as a war profiteer and Tobei willing to sacrifice his family ties in order to become a samurai. Combining gritty realism with supernatural elements, Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu sets its sights on mankind's misguided delusions of grandeur and the price that is ultimately paid for folly. Despite an abundance of embarrassingly overwrought acting (why must everyone yell?) typical of Japanese movies of the time, Ugetsu is filled with memorably stark images and an important message and remains one of Mizoguchi's more memorable films.

Lmao. It starts out with those stereotypical Japanese yells, accompanied by a squealing flute and the wooden blocks. I really like the flower-patterned backgrounds during the opening credits. Very impressive sweeping shot they did there at the beginning. Showing the rice fields and then pans to the old houses on the other side. It looks like Genjuro has a nice family with a lovingly supportive wife. Tobei also seems to have a good wife, but it seems like his head is too high up in the clouds. It's interesting what that village elder said to Genjuro's wife: "A little money inflames a man's greed". That seems to be the overall theme. I can admire Genjuro's hard work that he's put into making all the pots but how far is he willing to go to make more money? And how much is enough? That's the real question. That scene with the troops storming into the village reminds me so much of the beginning of ‘Kuroneko' where the samurais rape, pillage and take whatever they want. It's so insane to think about how that actually happened back then. Corruption. Wow, I wasn't expecting the movie to take such a somber and dark turn so suddenly like that. It's interesting. Genjuro's insane to risk everything to go check on the pots - with the samurai's still in the village. He's so desperate to make money. It's going to end up being the end of him. That lake scene was so eerie. Really well done, I thought a ghost was going to appear. Even though you can kind of tell they filmed on a set with a painted wall in the background, the whole vibe and look was on point. What I don't understand is why does Tobei want to be a samurai so bad? Like is he a fucking idiot? Did he not see what they do to villages and people? Didn't he see how corrupt and vile they are? Why does he regard them so highly? From the look of that raggedy old house gate, the old lady and the creepy young pretty looking girl, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say they're ghosts. The inside of the estate is actually gorgeous. With a zen garden and everything. I like how the young girl appreciates the craftsmanship of Genjuro's ceramics. They do look beautiful. Genjuro should tell this girl that he's married and has a kid. Wtf is he under some kind of spell being in that estate? That whole seance with the girl dancing and then her deceased fathers voice singing was so eerie. What a great shot there by the lakeside when they're having their picnic, and that ominous tree in the background. Really nice. Wow, this guy Genjuro is over here getting laid and married to some pretty young girl in some fine ass place, basically in paradise, while his wife is getting pillaged and stabbed with a spear by savage samurai. Lmao, wow great job being a supportive and helpful husband/father. Tobei's so stupid and simple minded. All he wants is fame and glory. That's the only reason he's so desperate of becoming a samurai. Oh shit! Tobei found Ohama in the brothel and she's serving as a prostitute there! Wow, that was haunting how Genjuro was imagining the whole thing with the young girl and the Katsuki Manor. The place was burned down and they had perished a while ago. What remained were the ashes of the estate. That was poetic how it starts and ends in the same place with the same shot of the rice fields. I love the look of everything. What they were able to capture with all the lighting, cinematography, actual sets and locations is something beautiful. I love how this movie takes the perspective of the simple lower class workers during 16th century Japan. Usually with Japanese movies that are set during this time, we always see things from the perspective of the higher class or samurais that are fighting in wars. It's wonderful to see a fresh perspective on things. This story proves why the man of the house should never abandon his family to pursue his personal selfish desires and dreams. Especially during a fucking civil war! A man should stay and protect his family. I did love the whole idea of how we see ghosts of the things we want most. In Genjuro's case, he wanted luxury and money so he imagined seeing Lady Wakasa who could give him the desires he wanted. Then when he returned home, he was longing to see his wife whom he was able to see but he only imagined her in ghostly form since samurais killed her. What a tragic and sad tale but an impactful one. I don't think I'd watch it again but it was great.

One of the better things old Asian films. An entertains extended parable of man's ambition blinding him to the simple and humble pleasures available to him.

Although the movie is old, the pace is slow, the cinematography is pretty 'simple' (it's all black & white and the resolution is pretty bad) the movie deals with the same old things that we still don't have answers to- love, fame, poverty vs rich, etc. I'll admit the movie was boring at times but the ending is very strong in my opinion

Two guys find success then encounter the law of unintended consequences. I'm not sure I would call this a "classic," but it's still a pretty good movie.

It dives deep into an interesting period with family groups, but compared to other Japanese classics you may find yourself snoozing.

A perfect combination of realism with the supernatural. Masterfully crafted.

The soundtrack is so haunting, it feels like it's a modern film. The story is beautiful, the message, the cinematography, the actors. A masterpiece.

A Japanese classic with very skillful directing by Mizoguchi in his magnum opus

Fantastically immersive, Ugetsu combines exceptional direction and cinematography with emotional performances to provide an incredible period piece. Themes of greed, ambition, and unintended consequences are interwoven with supernatural elements that are peculiarly Japanese, and provide a sincere, hard-hitting climax. (5/5)

Sometimes slow, sometimes too gratuitous of shots. Overall good and the tonal shifts between mournful, frenzied, and evilly ethereal were well done.

At times, it's hard to know which direction this film is going in. I mean that in a good way. The interlocking narratives conclude perfectly and the visuals are stunning. The camerawork is great and the songs and dances are beautiful. A tragic and thoughtful film.