Kbudah- Torah Musah
March 17, 2014
In
Mizoguchi’s film “Sansho the Bailiff”, Mizoguchi presented us with a film that
explains that when something’s are lost they can be found and when you give up
remember. There was a little girl named Anju and she had an older Zushio, who
were separated from their mother during their travels to a new home. Anju and
Zushio were sold to Sansho and their mother Nakagaimi was sold to a brothel. Zushio,
Anju and Nakagaimi longed to be reunited. For a second Zushio lost himself and
Anju was there to remind him of what his father had told him as a child. Zushio
escaped and became a governor who liberated the slaves. During this time Anju
committed suicide. Unfortunately when Zushio and Nakagaimi were reunited Anju
was no longer around.
In
the film “Sansho the Bailiff” there were various sound, imaging and different
forms of narrative techniques used throughout the film by Mizoguchi. Some of
the imaging techniques that were used in “Sansho the Bailiff were
black-and-white print, deep focus shots, master shots, close-up shots, medium
shot, two shot and etc. The sound techniques used when recording this film were
direct sound, back stage musicals, asynchronous sound, nonsynchronous sounds
and dialogue. The narratives that were used are flashbacks and dissolve.
In this shot Zushio is walking on the beach trying to
find the brothel that his mother was sold to. Zushio is being presented as
alone. His sister committed suicide, his father died and he is on a desperate
voyage to find his mother because she is the only person he has left. The film
stock that is being used in this shot is black-and-white print. This is a
master shot because the camera isn’t zoomed in on Zushio, the view of the beach
and the plants that are lying around are in clear view of this shot. We are
being shown Zushio walking away from the audience. The film stock that is being used in this
shot is black-and-white print.
In this shot Zushio has arrived to the island in which
the brothel his mother belongs to is located. It is obvious from Zushio’s
facial expression that he is looking for someone. Zushio is starring in a different direction
from the camera. This is an eye-level shot because the camera is placed at the
height of Zushio. The film stock that is being used in this shot is
black-and-white print. Everything that surrounds Zushio is being presented in
this shot; therefore this is a master shot and a long shot. There is a woman to
the right of Zushio who is kneeling on the ground.
In this shot Zushio is looking at the woman to see if she really is his mother. He places his hat on the ground and kneels so that he can get a better look at the woman who is sitting down. This woman is Zushio’s mother, Nakagaimi. Nakagaimi is sitting in a slouched position. She has a stick in her hands; she is using the stick to keep the birds away from the crops. We can only see the back and side of her. The film stock that is being used in this shot is black-and-white print. This would be considered both a two-shot and master shot. A two-shot because Zushio and Nakagaimi have the same visual weight in this single shot. A master shot because the scenery of the island along with Zushio and Nakagaimi.
In this shot we are being shown Zushio as he moves closer
to Nakagaimi. We now see Naskagaimi’s face. She looks tired and depressed. In
this scene she was singing a song that she created after she was separated from
Zushio and Anju. This is a medium shot. The film stock that is
being used in this shot is black-and-white print. This shot is in deep focus
because we can see Zushio and Nakagaimi along with everything that is
surrounding them.
Zushio has confirmed that this is his mother. Zushio is
very emotional and is on verge of breaking.
This would be considered a close-up shot because the camera is close to
Zushio’s face. The film stock that is being used in
this shot is black-and-white print. In this shot Zushio is presented as
vulnerable. He reminds me of child who has been through a traumatizing
experience and has come running to his mother for comfort. The film stock that
is being used in this shot is black-and-white print.
The film stock that is being used in this shot is black-and-white print. Nakagaimi does not believe that this is the real Zushio because she was used to people coming along and trying to trick her by posing as Zushio and Anju. She began to push Zushio away in this close-up shot. From Zushio’s facial expression, you can see that he is hurt because Nakagaimi has rejected him and told him that he couldn’t fool her anymore.
This is a close-up shot. Zushio is both hurt and in shock
from the way his mother reacted to him. In this shot his mother has walked away
and left him sitting on the ground crying. At this point Zushio is no longer
facing the camera, he is looking in the direction that his mother has walked
towards. The film stock that is being used in this shot is
black-and-white print. This is a deep focus shot.
Zushio is begging his mother to believe that it is actually him and not someone who is trying to trick. He has handed her the bodhisattva that his father gave to him as a child. The light that is shining through the side of Nakagaimi’s home would be considered emulsion. The film stock that is being used in this shot is black-and-white print.
Zushio has handed Nakagaimi the bodhisattva that his
father gave to him before they went their separate ways. When he handed the
statue to Nakagaimi, she appeared to be in a state if disbelief. She began to
walk away from Zushio so she could get a better look at the bodhisattva. In the
background you can see Zushio reaching for his mother, as she walks into the
light. The
film stock that is being used in this shot is black-and-white print.
This is a close-up shot of Nakagaimi examining the bodhisattva. Nakagaimi is using her hands as her eyes because she could not see. This is a close-up shot of Nakagaimi examining the bodhisattva. The film stock that is being used in this shot is black-and-white print.
Nakagaimi has come to the realization that this man truly is Zushio. She begins to touch his face because she cannot see. Nakagaimi’s mouth is slightly open. Her face shows the amount of disbelief she is feeling because she never thought that she would see her children again. This is a close-up shot.
Nakagaimi has asked Zushio where is Anju and his father.
Zushio has to tell his mother that Anju and his father are dead. This is a two
shot because Nakagaimi and Zushio are at the same height. Zushio began to cry
because it hurt him because his father and his sister were no longer alive. He
has to relay this information to his mother.
Zushio has told Nakagaimi that Anju and his father are
dead. Nakagaimi is now moving away from Zushio after hearing this information.
This is a deep shot because everything including the actors are being shown and
aren’t being presented as if they are fading away. The film stock that is being
used in this shot is black-and-white print. This is a master shot because
everything surrounding Zushio and Nakagaimi are being shown in this clip.
These two cliffs with the space between made me think of
the distance between Nakagaimi, Zushio, Anju and Masauji. The empty made me think of the emptiness that
each main character may have felt. Nakagaimi as a mother who was not allowed to
raise, teach and guide her children. Masauji, who was exiled and separated from
his wife and children, Anju and Zushio, who were sold into slavery at a young
age and had to grow up without their parents. This is a master shot of the
island.
