Talking About Kenji Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu with our guest, production designer Yôhei Taneda
In this episode of Movies We Like, we are thrilled to have production designer Yôhei Taneda join us to discuss his fascinating career and one of his favorite films, Kenji Mizoguchi’s 1953 classic, Ugetsu. Taneda shares his journey into the world of production design, from his early days as an art student to his experiences working on both Japanese and American films, such as Kill Bill: Volume 1, The Hateful Eight, the Monster Hunt films, The Flowers of War, and When Marnie Was There.
Throughout the episode, Taneda offers unique insights into the art of production design, discussing the intricacies of creating immersive worlds for both live-action and animated films. He delves into the challenges of balancing the director’s vision with his own artistic sensibilities, and the importance of collaborating with other departments to create a cohesive visual experience.
As the conversation turns to Ugetsu, Taneda explores the film’s haunting aesthetic and the ways in which Mizoguchi’s use of space and design elements contribute to its ghostly atmosphere. He draws comparisons between Ugetsu and other Japanese films of the era, highlighting the symbolic significance of water and the influence of Noh theater on the film’s visual style.
Ugetsu remains a timeless masterpiece, a testament to Mizoguchi’s artistic vision and the power of cinema to transport audiences to otherworldly realms. Taneda’s passion for the film and his deep appreciation for its craft make for a captivating discussion that will leave listeners eager to revisit this haunting classic. We had a wonderful time delving into the artistry behind Ugetsu and exploring Taneda’s remarkable career in production design.
A very special thanks to Hiroshi Tominaga for being our translator for this episode!
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More About Yôhei Taneda
For the past two decades, Yôhei Taneda has collaborated with filmmakers from across the globe, amassing an impressive list of accolades and credits, including Kill Bill: Vol. I with Quentin Tarantino, Flowers of War with Zhang Yimou, and the animated Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence with Mamoru Oshii. For The Flowers of War, an epic film about the Nanjing Massacre, Taneda recreated the period sets for the film in Nanjing. Released in 70 countries, the film was at the time one of the highest budgeted and most successful Chinese films ever made. Taneda’s other international credits include the Keanu Reeves-directed Man of Tai Chi, Raman Hui’s Monster Hunt, Tarantino’s western The Hateful Eight, John Woo’s Manhunt, and Wash Westmoreland’s Netflix feature Earthquake Bird.
Among Taneda’s many notable non-English language productions are Swallowtail Butterfly, directed by Shunji Iwai; Sleepless Town, directed by Le Chi Ngai; The Wow–Choten Hotel and The Magic Hour, directed by Koki Mitani; and Hula Girls and Villain, directed by Sang-il Lee. Taneda’s work helped foster the remarkable success of Koki Mitani’s Ghost of a Chance (Suteki Na Kanashibari) and Wei Te-Sheng’s Taiwanese film Warriors of the Rainbow, which earned the Best Film Award at the Tapei Golden Horse Festival.
Taneda has also collaborated with Studio Ghibli on such animated films as the critically acclaimed When Marnie Was There, which earned among its many awards and nominations an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Film. With Studio Ghibli, he also curated Karigurashi no Arietty x Yohei Taneda, an art exhibition giving the public an opportunity to view “film art” as a stand-alone presentation. Hosted by the Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art, the event attracted more than 700,000 people during its tour.
In addition to an Art Directors Guild Award nomination in the U.S. for his work on Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Taneda has been awarded the prestigious Purple Ribbon Medal in Japan and the Incentive Award from the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Beyond representing a substantial body of cinematic work, Taneda’s artistic endeavors span art installations, stage art, special images, jacket designs for CDs and DVDs, and several books that he has authored.
