A Few Screenings of The Makioka Sisters (1983) in Los Angeles This Week

Janus Films is doing a limited run of Kon Ichikawa's The Makioka Sisters (Sesameyuki) (1983), which comes to Los Angeles this week on June 9th, 11th and 12th at both the Laemmle's Playhouse 7 in Pasadena and Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex in Santa Monica, only on the 11th and 12th at Laemmle's Claremont 5 in Claremont and Laemmle's Town Center 5 in Encino and an other screening the following week on the 14th at the Laemmle Sunset 5 in Hollywood (too many times to read Laemmle, no?). Not as wide as a release as last years House (Hausu) (1977) or Kuroneko (Yabu no Naka no Kuroneko) (1968), but it's getting a release at a few theaters equipped with digital projection, so this won't be a 35mm print of the film, but a pretty close digital approximation.

Based on Jun'ichiro Tanizaki's novel of the same name, The Makioka Sisters was a briefly serialized novel about a declining upper-class family from Osaka who has problems finding a husband for their third daughter in the waning years of World War 2. Banned at the time for its interest of femininity and a family in financial and social turmoil in a time where the virtues of a strong, proud Japan was being encouraged. Directed by cinematic chameleon, Kon Ichikawa, it's a highlight of his sketchy late, post-Natto Wada period. Also his second Tanizaki adaptation after Odd Obsession (Kagi) (1959). Starring Keiko Kishi, Yoshiko Sakuma, Sayuri Yoshinaga, Yuko Kotegawa and Juzo Itami.

For those who can't see it in theater, Criterion will be releasing the film on Blu-Ray and DVD June 14th. It doesn't come with any special features aside from a trailer and an essay by Audie Bock, but it will come at a discounted price (compared to other Criterion releases).

Here's a trailer: