Akasen Chitai/Yokihi DVD – Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori 

Filmed shortly before the Japanese government’s introduction of an anti-prostitution bill Akasen Chitai is a compelling study of women torn between financial necessity and questions of conscience. It was nominated for the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and inspired French critic Jean Douchet to proclaim: “”For me along with Chaplin’s Monsieur Verdoux and Renoir’s La Rgle du Jeu the greatest film in the history of cinema””. Set many centuries earlier Yokihi [Imperial Concubine Yang aka Yang Kwei Fei] recounts the Chinese legend referred to in its title. In eighth-century T’ang China widowed Emperor Hsan-tsung (Masayuki Mori) reigns alone devoting his life to the composition of music. When he meets and falls in love with a beautiful young woman (Machiko Kyo) who will become his imperial concubine a tale of political intrigue and rival dynasties is set in motion with ultimately tragic consequences. Sumptuously filmed in vibrant colour Yokihi is the most ancient of Mizoguchi’s costume dramas yet its central themes of passion sorrow and the conflict between love and power remain timeless – it was also nominated for the Golden Lion at Venice.