Few movies are as important to the history of color filmmaking asGate of Hell.Released in 1953, it was one of Japan’s earliest filmsto be shot in color, and directorTeinosuke Kinugasatook full advantage of this new technology by filling the screen with dazzling images. Yet it isn’t just its technical significance that makesGate of Hella lasting classic. The film,which won OscarsforBest Foreign Language FilmandBest Costume Design, starts off as a samurai epic before burrowing deeper into something moreShakespearean. The result is a visually stunning study of how love can turn into obsession, and how obsession can lead to madness.
‘Gate of Hell’ Explores Classic Themes of Jealousy and Mania
Gate of Hellis set against the backdrop of the Heiji Rebellion, a civil war that briefly ravaged Japan in the 12th century. During a siege on the daimyō’s palace, lady-in-waiting Kesa (Machiko Kyō) disguises herself as the royal sister so that the family can escape in secret. The samurai warrior Endō Morito (Kazuo Hasegawa) accompanies Lady Kesa to safety, and falls in love with her. Upon learning that his brother is planning an insurrection, Morito thwarts it by informing Lord Kiyomori (Koreya Senda). Kiyomori seeks to reward Morito’s loyalty by granting him a single wish, and Morito asks for Lady Kesa’s hand in marriage. Yet, Kesa is already married to Imperial Guardsman Wataru Watanabe (Isao Yamagata), which sends Morito into a jealous tailspin that leads to tragedy.
Although the majority of his films have been largely forgotten, Kinugasa was one of Japan’s most prolific directors, beginning his career inthe silent eraand continuing to work into the mid-1960s.Gate of Hellwas his career highlight, an international success that came at a time whenfilms from Asia and Europewerebeginning to find growing audiencesin the United States. One can attribute part of its success to American obsessions withsamurai films—Akira Kurosawa’sRashomonandSeven Samuraiwere earning raves around the same time — butGate of Hellalso benefits from the simplicity of its story, which is based on classic universal themes.
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The central drama ofGate of Hellhas its roots in Shakespeare, particularlyMacbethandOthello.Morito is the classic tragic hero, a man whose unyielding obsession and megalomania ultimately lead to his downfall. His intentions start out as noble: he wants to protect Lord Kiyomori, to protect Lady Kesa’s life, to wed her. Yet his intentions are also steeped in narcissism, and his love for Lady Kesa stems from a feeling that hedeserves herafter saving her and serving the daiymō honorably. His jealousy towards Wataru grows as he tries to repeatedly show him up, including during a horse race and a ceremonial dinner that turns violent. Yet, he can’t win Lady Kesa’s heart because it belongs to another, and he soon tries forcing her tolove him against her will.
‘Gate of Hell’ Kicked Off a Golden Age of Japanese Color Cinema
Gate of Hellwas shot in Eastmancolor, which wasa cheaper alternativeto the traditional three-strip Technicolor used at the time. Whereas Technicolor produced a more vibrant image, Eastmancolor created a more desaturated one, which works in the film’s favor. There’s a sense of everyday reality to the recreation of 12th Century Japan, with splashes of lush color to emphasize the beauty of nature, the elegance of the ruling class, and the poverty of those rebelling. At the same time, the use of color steeps the film in melodrama, putting it in league withDouglas Sirkclassics likeAll That Heaven AllowsandWritten on the Wind.Its approach might be naturalistic, but the drama is heightened nonetheless.
More than anything,Gate of Hellwas a touchstone for bringingJapanese cinemaout ofblack-and-whiteand into color.Horror filmslikeKwaidanandHouseutilized color in expressionist ways;Yasujirō Ozuused it inFloating WeedsandGood Morningto create a greater sense of reality; and Kurosawa jumped to color in his late-career samurai masterpiecesKagemushaandRanto blend expressionism and reality. One can only imagine what Japanese cinema would have looked like withoutGate of Hellto guide the way.
