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ARCHIVE

14th(2012)



Girls of Dark

TANAKA Kinuyo

  • Japan
  • 1961
  • 93min
  • 35mm
  • black and white
  • µå¶ó¸¶

SYNOPSIS


 Synopsis
 Kuniko, a prostitute, was sent to a rehabilitation facility when a law prohibiting prostitution was implemented in 1958, Japan. As a model inmate, Kuniko was sent out into society and was also given a job. Even though she was constantly harassed by prejudice and discrimination, Kuniko tried to hold onto her freedom and dignity.


 


 Program Note
 Train appears time after time in this film. Each time the train appears, Kuniko, the heroine, faces life altering crisis. The antagonists of the movie entrap her using the fact that she was once a prostitute in the past. However, this film does not depict the crisis in a suggestive or violent manner like many other films that handle similar subject matter. Even though it is painful to watch her determination break down, the film does not depict her as a mere victim of the society nor does it choose to emphasize her tragedy. Instead, the long shots continue on calmly to show men and women with various appearances and personalities. They are the women who were or are prostitutes, the men involved with them, the somewhat hypocritical intellects, the woman factory workers and the self-centered members of lower middle class. Also, the character Kuniko herself also shows various aspects of her persona. Depending on the situation, she changes her clothes, hair style and state of her mind.
 Therefore, when the train does not appear once more as expected, we realize how much this film wanted to be freed from the established structure, formula and stereotype, and furthermore, how different Girls of Dark, which was made by a woman author, screenplay writer, director and actors, is from that of men¡¯s. (LEE Yumi)
 

PROGRAM NOTE


 Synopsis
 Kuniko, a prostitute, was sent to a rehabilitation facility when a law prohibiting prostitution was implemented in 1958, Japan. As a model inmate, Kuniko was sent out into society and was also given a job. Even though she was constantly harassed by prejudice and discrimination, Kuniko tried to hold onto her freedom and dignity.


 


 Program Note
 Train appears time after time in this film. Each time the train appears, Kuniko, the heroine, faces life altering crisis. The antagonists of the movie entrap her using the fact that she was once a prostitute in the past. However, this film does not depict the crisis in a suggestive or violent manner like many other films that handle similar subject matter. Even though it is painful to watch her determination break down, the film does not depict her as a mere victim of the society nor does it choose to emphasize her tragedy. Instead, the long shots continue on calmly to show men and women with various appearances and personalities. They are the women who were or are prostitutes, the men involved with them, the somewhat hypocritical intellects, the woman factory workers and the self-centered members of lower middle class. Also, the character Kuniko herself also shows various aspects of her persona. Depending on the situation, she changes her clothes, hair style and state of her mind.
 Therefore, when the train does not appear once more as expected, we realize how much this film wanted to be freed from the established structure, formula and stereotype, and furthermore, how different Girls of Dark, which was made by a woman author, screenplay writer, director and actors, is from that of men¡¯s. (LEE Yumi)
 

Director

  • TANAKA KinuyoTANAKA Kinuyo

    Born in 1910 in Shimonoseki, Japan. She became a leading actress appearing in OZU Yasujiro\'s I Graduated, But... in 1929. She had a close working relationship with director MIZOGUCHI Kenji, having parts in 15 of his films. As the second woman film director in Japanese film history, she directed her debut featrure Love Letter in 1953, and five more films.

Credit

  • ProducerNAGASHIMA Ichiro, SHINO Hideyuki
  • Cast HARA Chisako, KITA Akemi, TOMINAGA Misako
  • Screenwriter TANAKA Sumie
  • Cinematography NAKAI Asakazu
  • Music HAYASHI Hikaru
  • Sound NAGAOKA Kenji