The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums review – slow-burning storytelling
A favourite of film buffs, this Japanese classic about a Kabuki actor finding his muse is elegant, rich and ultimately heartbreaking
New Yorkers looking to duck into a theater over Christmastime without having their Force awakened have an option whose speed couldn’t be more different from JJ Abrams’ hyperspace velocity. Director Kenji Mizoguchi is best known to wider audiences for his 1950s films Ugetsu and Sansho the Bailiff, but one can see glimpses of his signature style of long takes, dolly shots and an emphasis on strong women characters in his earlier, pre-war work.