The Ozu Collection
Three Melodramas
By Yasujiro Ozu

Three Melodramas by Yasujiro Ozu, released on 18 June, is the latest addition to the BFI’s DVD strand The Ozu Collection. Melodrama is a word rarely associated with the work of the master Japanese director, whose beautifully constructed films capture the poetry of everyday life. Spanning his career, these three films, Early Spring (1956), Tokyo Twilight (1957) and the rare silent Woman of Tokyo (1933), demonstrate the director’s ability to apply his exquisite style to darker themes.

Disc One

Woman of Tokyo (Tokyo no onna)

Ozu’s silent Woman of Tokyo sees the director experimenting with the cutaways that were to become so associated with his later style. Chikako (Yoshiko Okada) works hard to pay for her brother Ryoichi’s (Ureo Egawa) college fees. When Ryoichi learns the true nature of this work disaster ensues. This tragic tale of misunderstood sacrifice features a new score by Ed Hughes.

Early Spring (Soshun)

Made just after his celebrated Tokyo Story, Ozu’s Early Spring tackles the problems of young salaried workers. Shoji (Ryu Ikebe) and his wife Masako, played by the multitalented Chikage Awashima (Late Spring), struggle to come to terms with a family tragedy. When the office flirt ‘Goldfish’ (Keiko Kishi) starts to interest Shoji, the couple’s fragile peace is severely threatened.

Japan / 1933 + 1957 / black and white / silent with optional score, Japanese intertitles and audio with English subtitles; Japanese, English subtitles / DVD 9 / 45 mins + 139 mins / Dolby digital 320kbps / Original aspect ratio 1.33:1

Disc Two

Tokyo Twilight (Tokyo Boshoku)

Abandoned by their mother when they were young, sisters Akiko (Ineko Arima) and Takako (Setsuko Hara) live with their father Shukichi (played by Ozu’s favourite actor Chishu Ryu). Each nurses her own personal sorrow but when Akiko falls into desperate trouble she turns away from her family. Ozu’s last film in black and white, Tokyo Twilight is a masterpiece of atmospheric chiaroscuro.

Japan / 1957 / black and white / Japanese, English subtitles / DVD 9 / 135 mins / Dolby digital 224kbps / Original aspect ratio 1.33:1

Special features

• Optional score for Woman of Tokyo by Ed Hughes commissioned exclusively for the BFI;
• Illustrated booklet including a newly commissioned essay from Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns and other contributions

Release date: 18 June 2012
RRP: £29.99 / cat. no. BFIVD950 / Cert 12

Please let Dragnet Girl be in the next batch. Ozu Hoods anyone?

There is one issue that separates Early Spring from Tokyo Twilight however, and that is what appears to be some sort of interlacing or de-interlacing “glitch” that mire the Tokyo Twilight transfer at periodic intervals throughout the film. This appears as jagged lines running through the image in a sort of “wave”, and can be quite distracting for brief amount of time it occurs.

The latest volume in the BFI's ongoing releases of the works of Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu focuses on his crime films. These rare, silent works mix the thrills of western filmmaking with compositions that served as a forerunner to his renowned, mature, post-war style. All films are here presented with newly commissioned scores by Ed Hughes.

Titles comprise: Walk Cheerfully, That Night's Wife & Dragnet Girl

I am beginning to worry that Tokyo Inn might not be included in BFI's release plans -- maybe they consider the source to damaged?

Please let Dragnet Girl be in the next batch. Ozu Hoods anyone?

I've heard folks refer to Tokyo Inn, Passing Fancy, and A Story of Floating Weeds as the 'Kihachi trilogy.' I wonder if those three might be released together at some point (assuming, of course, that the BFI does not have the rights to Floating Weeds).

I've heard folks refer to Tokyo Inn, Passing Fancy, and A Story of Floating Weeds as the 'Kihachi trilogy.' I wonder if those three might be released together at some point (assuming, of course, that the BFI does not have the rights to Floating Weeds).

It's just been confirmed that the BFI doesn't have the rights to Floating Weeds...
...because it's coming out as a dual-format release in December, courtesy of Masters of Cinema.

How does that contradict what Michael posted?

Nobody's suggesting that the BFI doesn't have the rights to A Story of Floating Weeds.