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Yasujiro Ozu (1903-1963) was one of the most influential
post war Japanese directors, who was famed for not only working
in the area of neo-realism prior to Vittorio de Sica but also
for developing his singular vision of film. Unlike any other
directors before or after, Ozu felt that each shot should
be seen as a single composition. His single-minded vision
of composition meant that his films contain no zoom and very
few panning shots.
In
each case the camera remains static giving the viewer an image
that looks more like a moving photograph than a contemporary
film. This can be a bit unnerving as in many of his films
the actors appear to be looking directly at the audience.
Whilst this helps to turn the viewer from voyeur to participant
it can take a little while to get used to.
Like
Claude Chabrol's obsession with the French middle classes
Ozu's work, almost without exception, examined the small dramas
which happen within families, though Ozu does not feel the
need to wrap this examination in murder or grandiose infidelity.
What duplicity there is, is of the common type and set against
the backdrop of ordinary families, all the more painful as
it is closer to his audience's real lives.
This
new set from Tartan showcases three of Ozu's films. Given
their age they have all survived remarkably well. The films
are all in Japanese with the option of subtitles.
Tokyo
Twilight (1957) is a black and white film, and his last
in this format, which tells the story of a divorced father,
Shukichi, and his problems with his two daughters. One daughter,
Takako, has moved back into the family home following her
separation from her husband, the other, Akiko, is his youngest
who gets pregnant and hides this, and her final decision to
have an abortion, from her father. Akiko tires desperately
to try and find the father of her child and finally gets arrested
for being out late. Whilst her quest for the father is ultimately
frustrating and fruitless, she does discover her long lost
mother only for more tragedy to engulf the family.
This
is one of Ozu's most unremittingly dark films, examining as
it does what Ozu saw as the breaking down of Japanese family
life in the post-war period. The film uses Ozu's locked off
camera motif and as I said before this can take a little getting
used to as for much of the film the actors appear to be staring
straight at you.
The
film is presented in the original 4:3 aspect ratio with a
stereo soundtrack, but with a superbly restored print. The
disc also contains a feature about the restoration. However,
unless I've had a sudden loss of hearing, this consisted of
a few 'before and after' scenes with no dialogue or explanation.
It only runs for a meagre minute and a half, but had me playing
with the TV all the while trying to get the non-existent sound
to work.
The
second movie in the set is Good Morning (1959) and
the world has burst into vibrancy as Ozu moves into his third
colour film. This film moves away from the claustrophobic
realms of the middle class family unit to examine the effects
of westernisation on a small working class community. It is
also an examination of the power of passive aggressive behaviour.
When two boys fail in their attempt to get their parents to
buy them a television set they refuse to speak. I'd do the
same for a plasma TV, but I think that people would just be
happy I'd shut up. The boys ultimately are rebelling against
what they see as the meaningless banal chit-chat which their
parents engage in, and in this case Ozu seems to be on the
boy's side. It's an odd concept for Ozu as on the one hand
he decries what he sees as the breaking down of the family
unit due to progress, yet at the same time seems to be railing
against stale and stagnant traditions. That said, Ozu is able
to examine the clash of cultures with a keen and entertaining
eye.
The film is once more 4:3 stereo with a great restored print.
On the extras side we get another short 'before and after'
restoration piece, with me still checking my hearing, and
the original theatrical trailer.
The last film, and Ozu's first in colour, is Equinox Flower
(1958), based on a novel by Ton Santoni. You know how it is
easy to give other people advice but not so easy to sort out
your own life, well this is the situation that Hirayama finds
himself in when his daughter wants to choose her own husband
against her father's own choices. This is another examination
of both cultural change and the clash that inevitably happened
between the generations. This could be best described as a
light romantic comedy about the father having to come to terms
with the changes that were coming about due to post-war westernisation.
Thematically it is similar to Good Morning, but in
Equinox Ozu seems to want to place the older generation
in a much kinder light - a little afraid of change but ultimately
their love for their families breaks their inflexibility.
Once
more the extras consist of the auditory challenged restoration
scenes and the original trailer. We are still in 4:3 with
a stereo soundtrack.
A great set if you want to get to know Ozu's work as it contains
not only his darkest film, but gives a good overall impression
of his work as a whole. It's a pity that over three discs
more in the way of extras couldn't be found.
Charles
Packer
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