Kenji Mizoguchi - 1956
Known as 'Street Of Shame'... Mizoguchi isn't quite so much for the closer views in here is very last. It is however pretty busy, often compartmentalised, as we go through the different prostitutes. There are some great shots of the street, always of course in long. Of course the singular use Mizoguchi makes of off-screen space, not only in still eyelines, but how characters come from somewhere, walk through, leave on the other end.
Mizoguchi's sheer sympathy is remarkable; there are more simple things to say than the obvious, the hatred of what they do. It is difficult to love them and not then defend what they do, but I felt the balance was struck. Perhaps partly due to the narrative strategy; slow unfoldings of pretty clear stories.
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