Gate of Hell

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Virgo V @vision Aug 3, 2025 Gate of Hell (Jigokumon) is a 1953 Japanese jidaigeki film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa. It was based on the play Kesa's Husband by Kan Kikuchi. It stars Kazuo Hasegawa and Machiko Kyō. It was distributed and produced by Daiei Film Company Limited. Filmed using Eastmancolor, Gate of Hell was Daiei Film's first color film and the first Japanese color film to be released outside Japan. It was digitally restored in 2011 by the National Film Center of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo and Kadokawa Shoten Company, in cooperation with NHK. The film won Best Costume Design and Best Foreign Language Film at the 27th Academy Awards and the Grand Prize at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival. Vision wrote: “the film tells the story of a samurai (Kazuo Hasegawa) who tries to marry a woman (Machiko Kyō) he rescues, only to discover that she is already married. A samurai saves a sleuth. Story of its time in Japan. I admired the cinematography and some of the production design elements. I disliked the lack of a proper build-up. Nothing happened in all attempts. The premise is off-base and the film was nothing out of the ordinary. Two fries for trying.” See more Leaburn O @RT35452347 Jan 17, 2024 A really good, old Samurai film. Almost Shakespearean and far more character driven than Kurosawa's stuff. Plot was tort and gripping. Watched this one on YouTube. See more william d @acsdoug Feb 24, 2022 Despite a good horse race scene, the acting is over the top and the costumes look like a movie producer's idea of 12th century apparel. There are better samurai movies out there. See more Aug 15, 2020 Absolute scenes. Sumptuously shot and compellingly told tale of ambition, jealousy, duty and loyalty in 12th Century Japan. Huge set pieces, a cast of thousands, beautiful costumes, a vat of sake. Kinusaga allows our sympathy to move between characters as their strengths and weaknesses reveal themselves to the viewer and themselves through the film with, ultimately all ends in regret. A masterpiece. See more Mar 18, 2018 I'm not onside with either the critics or the audience consensus on this one. The colours and costumes are beautiful, and there is the occasional shot which is artistic. Otherwise, it's terribly over-acted with a boring, slow beginning and then an over-dramatic conclusion. One of the most poorly executed Best Foreign Language Film Oscar winners I've watched. I can't believe it won. See more Jan 22, 2017 Different than most samurai movies of the era. While a good story, there seems a disconnect between the two halves of the movie See more Read all reviews

Gate of Hell

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