Yasujiro Ozu

[vsski]

This weekend I had friends in town and decided to show them the temples in Kamakura. When we visited Engaku-ji I decided to visit Ozu’s grave while my friends where exploring the more common sites and was amazed that even 60 years after his death his grave was richly decorated and not with the usual flowers you would expect but it was filled with full sake bottles and cigarettes to an extent that you may think his funeral was rather recently. When you see Kurasawa’s grave in comparison it has no decorations at all (or at least not when I was there a few years ago). To me that shows how much revered Ozu still is to this day and at least in Japan is not forgotten and replaced by the latest idol coming along. Sorry I wanted to post a photo, but couldn’t get it to work and maybe it’s not allowed by forum rules, although I didn’t see anything to that regard.

[Michael Kerpan]

I think Ozu's grave is never lacking gifts from his fans.

[zedz]

When I went there there were a lot of carefully half-smoked cigarettes and several half-drunk bottles of whisky, along with the expected flowers and notes.

Kamakura's a wonderful day-trip from Tokyo and you can also take the quaint Eno-Den train along the coast to Enoshima, an area used in Kurosawa's High and Low.

[Aunt Peg]

Spent the day in Kamakura and visited Ozu's grave in 2018 and it was exactly as Vsski described. Also, spent one of my days in a Tokyo cometary looking for Mizoguchi's grave only to discover that his grave was in fact in Kyoto. That was all thanks to 'Miss Information' who is very active on the internet.

[Michael Kerpan]

I love Enoden. And you can take the monorail (part of the way) back from Enoshima (for variety).

[andyli]

A five-film box set planned for December in Japan. In addition to the three new 4k restorations from the upcoming BFI set, it will also include There Was a Father and I Was Born... But, the former from a reconstruction that expanded the film from 87 min. to 92 min., the later for the first time restored in 4K. Since it's Shochiku one can probably assume English subs will be there for the main features.

[ryannichols7]

I was able to catch a couple of the Ozu screenings at Film Forum over the past few weeks: Early Summer (my favorite), Late Spring, and Late Autumn. Of those, Late Autumn was the only one I hadn't previously seen. And much like heartthesilence's reaction, this one bowled me over. In the most reductive terms, it's Late Spring reconfigured as a comedy, though even that description is selling the film short. It's probably the most I've ever laughed in an Ozu film. There's also a striking moment at the end of the film that I haven't seen discussed before:

SpoilerShow

After Aya's wedding, her friend Yuri pops by Akiko's place. She leaves, and we hold on a wide shot. Akiko walks to the door, locks it, and turns off the light. I found this moment remarkable. The simple action of her locking her door - something we've never seen her do up to this point - speaks volumes about Akiko's new situation: She is alone, her daughter has left her, and she no longer has a reason to leave her door unlocked. I'm not sure if locking one's door at night would've been common in 1960s Japan, but even if it was, the fact that Ozu lingers on the moment tells me that that it's significant. The film ends on a couple ambiguous shots of Setsuko Hara, where she seems halfway between smiling and crying. But to my mind, that door locking moment is this film's equivalent of Chishū Ryū peeling the apple in Late Spring, and it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Anyway, wonderful film, and the 35mm print looked gorgeous.

I was in London last month and they had their Ozu 120 series going on (though I met the curator after and he informed me he didn't get to screen all the films he wanted), and Late Autumn is the one I got to catch too, but it's long been my favorite of the three he made in the 60s. it was rather incredible to finally see a movie by my favorite director on the big screen, in a pretty packed house. everyone laughed along with the whole movie too - which was something I'd hoped (and dreamed) would happen, and I could even hear sounds whenever Ozu regulars like Chishu Ryu, Shin Saburi, and of course Setsuko Hara made their first appearances on screen. the deafening silence from the audience in the last ~10 or so minutes was honestly awe inspiring, and made the ending (as you beautifully describe) even more powerful. I think it's one of his most brilliant "revisits", though I like Floating Weeds a great deal more than A Story of..., I find Late Autumn fascinating since I hold it in almost near-equal regard to Late Spring, which was my first Ozu and still remains a favorite. props to the BFI for showing it at the NFT 1 and giving the spotlight to a not-as-major title like Tokyo Story (which screened daily, and often in the smaller theatres) and instead choosing to spread the love

This weekend I had friends in town and decided to show them the temples in Kamakura. When we visited Engaku-ji I decided to visit Ozu’s grave while my friends where exploring the more common sites and was amazed that even 60 years after his death his grave was richly decorated and not with the usual flowers you would expect but it was filled with full sake bottles and cigarettes to an extent that you may think his funeral was rather recently. When you see Kurasawa’s grave in comparison it has no decorations at all (or at least not when I was there a few years ago). To me that shows how much revered Ozu still is to this day and at least in Japan is not forgotten and replaced by the latest idol coming along. Sorry I wanted to post a photo, but couldn’t get it to work and maybe it’s not allowed by forum rules, although I didn’t see anything to that regard.

I visited on my first trip to Japan in 2016 and was amazed this was the case, I'm glad people are still doing it. it's wild how Kurosawa's grave is one train stop away (for those reading, Ozu is at Kita-Kamakura, which also appears in Late Spring and Kurosawa is at the main Kamakura stop) but gets so much less fanfare. I wonder if this is because Kurosawa's grave is more "protected"? but my experience was the same, no one left anything there. Ozu certainly seems to be more regarded each time I go back to Japan, I find more things related to him.

A five-film box set planned for December in Japan. In addition to the three new 4k restorations from the upcoming BFI set, it will also include There Was a Father and I Was Born... But, the former from a reconstruction that expanded the film from 87 min. to 92 min., the later for the first time restored in 4K. Since it's Shochiku one can probably assume English subs will be there for the main features.

Now it's up to Toho to top them with a barebone release of The End of Summer.

I'm probably gonna buy this once there's confirmation it has English subs (though they're basically guaranteed, as you said Shochiku is usually pretty good about it). it's frustrating, as I wish we knew if Criterion were doing an Ozu box of their own (kinda insane if they let that anniversary slip), cause the BFI release covers 3/5 suitably (and with actual extras!). but I love I Was Born, But... in particular and would like to see it in a better state than it's currently in on the Good Morning disc from CC. The Munekata Sisters and especially The End of Summer need to see English friendly releases - particularly the former as at least the latter is in print on DVD. but we also desperately need the new restoration of Floating Weeds with English subs, it's maddening Kadokawa didn't include them on their disc

[Michael Kerpan]

I think Kurosawa is viewed as a more "god-like" figure -- whereas, if people know of Ozu, he is more like a "pal".

I hope we eventually see US/UK releases of the upgraded films -- with ample extras....

[yoloswegmaster]

Ozu retrospective happening at BAMPFA from December to February.

[pistolwink]

What I believe is an original poster for Nagaya shinshiroku featuring a cartoon of Ozu himself. I wouldn't have thought he was sufficiently well-known as a "personality" to feature on a poster like this, but what do I know! Pretty neat.

[Michael Kerpan]

pistolwink -- Ozu would have been Shochiku's most prestigious director when Nagaya shinshiroku came out.

[andyli]

His name is prominently featured on the poster as well. The orange line of kanji says "Ozu's first feature since his return."

[ryannichols7]

The Munekata Sisters - who knows what's going on with this? supposedly owned by Toho but it's basically the one surviving film not on the Criterion channel, also the only surviving film I haven't seen

making its channel debut on 01 December. the film has been restored by Toho, as has The End of Summer.

as it stands, all of Ozu's films from 1942-1962 have received 4K restorations, as well as I Was Born, But... and Dragnet Girl. this covers all but his first four talkies. still awaiting the release of many of these in the west, and thanks to the BFI for their efforts on three of them!

[ryannichols7]

The Munekata Sisters - who knows what's going on with this? supposedly owned by Toho but it's basically the one surviving film not on the Criterion channel, also the only surviving film I haven't seen

making its channel debut on 01 December. the film has been restored by Toho, as has The End of Summer.

as it stands, all of Ozu's films from 1942-1962 have received 4K restorations, as well as I Was Born, But... and Dragnet Girl. this covers all but his first four talkies. still awaiting the release of many of these in the west, and thanks to the BFI for their efforts on three of them!

it's on the channel with Criterion and Janus logos, and even is the new 4K restoration from Toho (and opens with that card). not a single one of the other films that have been restored got updates with their newer restorations - unless Criterion already released it in a 4K restoration (An Autumn Afternoon, The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice, and Good Morning)

[jwd5275]

Is there a reason why Days of Youth is not in this otherwise complete collection? Criterion used to have it streaming, but haven't made it available for some time now...

[fiendishthingy]

I was wondering about Days of Youth as well, and also Fighting Friends, both of which disappeared from Criterion’s streaming library at some point. I think the only other extant title missing from the collection is The Lion Dance, but that’s sort of an outlier, and I don’t recall Criterion ever having that one streaming.

Edit: Sorry, I think I'm wrong about Fighting Friends -- it exists in an abridged form, but I may have watched it somewhere other than Hulu/Filmstruck/Criterion Channel. As for Days of Youth, it's not included in this Letterboxd list of Filmstruck's library when it shut down in 2018, so it appears that it's been gone at least that long.

[Matt]

120th anniversary of Ozu’s birth, 60th anniversary of his death — today, December 12, 2023

[andyli]

Yet another Ozu set is upcoming next March from Carlotta, this time including the newest restorations of six films: Dragnet Girl, There Was a Father, Record of a Tenement Gentleman, A Hen in the Wind, The Munekata Sisters, and The End of Summer (presumably a newer transfer than in the previous set).

[Stefan Andersson]

Shiguéhiko Hasumi´s Ozu book now in English:
https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520396 ... sujiro-ozu

[Michael Kerpan]

Translation and introduction provided by friends of mine. I put this on my Christmas list -- so I hope to be reading it soon. (I've been relying on the French version up to now).

[andyli]

A five-film box set planned for December in Japan. In addition to the three new 4k restorations from the upcoming BFI set, it will also include There Was a Father and I Was Born... But, the former from a reconstruction that expanded the film from 87 min. to 92 min., the later for the first time restored in 4K. Since it's Shochiku one can probably assume English subs will be there for the main features.

Confirmed to have English subs. I Was Born... But is indeed a fresh 4k scan, though still limited by the source material. So don't expect a sharp image. Also, no soundtrack for this silent film probably because Shochiku don't approve of or don't have rights to the Western musical accompaniment prepared elsewhere.

[pistolwink]

jeez, why would you release a silent film w/o any accompaniment? surely they could have commissioned a new score?

[knives]

Maybe they are dedicated to the ideals of Henri Langlois.

[Michael Kerpan]

I consider I Was Born But one of the noisiest non-talkies ever made. It has an immense amount of implied/virtual sound -- that becomes much harder to "hear" with a conventional silent movie musical score (good or bad). (So This Is Paris is sort of like this too).

[Stefan Andersson]

Yet another Ozu set is upcoming next March from Carlotta, this time including the newest restorations of six films: Dragnet Girl, There Was a Father, Record of a Tenement Gentleman, A Hen in the Wind, The Munekata Sisters, and The End of Summer (presumably a newer transfer than in the previous set).

Box extras include Ozu´s short kabuki dance docu "Kagamijishi" (4k resto) and the TV movie "Seishun hoka go" (1963), co-written by Ozu:

https://www.cinefeel.fr/dvd/35450200874 ... ujiro-ozu/
https://www.dvdclassik.com/forum/viewto ... &start=300 - see Jan. 2, 2024 post by Jack Carter