As I've just made my way through the BFI set, too, your post is a good reminder that I wanted to say something about these films and the BFI extras, too. First of all I think that Naruse finally clicked for me with these three films, quite unlike the films in the MoC set two years ago. I don't know what it is exactly, but it may have something to do with at least "Floating Clouds" and "Woman Ascends" having a far more immediate, direct visual 'surface attractiveness' to them than the other films. God, I was simply blown away by the style of those night-clubbers in "Woman" and the utterly beautiful Hideko Takamine in both films (while Setsuko Hara in Naruse reminded me too much of her usual type in Ozu, and thus left me pretty cold). Also the more general melodramatic feeling (in a positive sense) in both films attracted me very much; "Floating Clouds" is a knock-out in this respect, there's so much intensity in the playing without ever sinking into cheap tear-jerking that I felt touched at a very deep emotional, sublime level. Add to this the incredible cinematography, especially near the end where they go towards that island, and you have a film that immediately caused me to revise my Top Twenty All-Time-List, not just of Japanese films.
HerrSchreck wrote:Late Chrysanthemums, which just dazzled my brains with it's unusual structure and narrative, atomic performances (Haruko Sugimura may have just inched into the number one spot of my favorite all time Japanese actress, Hara's sensitive cuteness and incredible acting depth be damned), and deft editing scheme.
I agree on this, too, especially as narrative and performance is concerned; still, I liked this less than the other two films (and was happy to have watched it first of the three). It's certainly not a problem of the film, but on a purely personal level Haruko Sugimura does as little for me as Hara does. Her role here is rather unsympathetic, though very well motivated and gorgeously acted, and this makes it more difficult to connect with her as much as with Takamine in the other two films, looks not even considered.
As to the unusual filmic structure: I was REALLY, REALLY thankful for the Willemen bit; the way he explains the kaleidoscopic effect of those short takes and shots that Naruse edits together for the first time really made me understand what everybody is talking about when they say that Naruse is so special. He certainly is, but this visual specialness is so understated that you might simply miss it, like I did with the MoC films, and might wonder what all this fuzz about Naruse is actually about. I understand where you come from, Schreck, but Willemen perhaps just pointed those things out for me that made me finally understand Naruse (I hope).
As to Freiberg: she says some nice things in the interviews and comes over as a completely wonderful person (spit-cottons or not), but man: these audio-commentaries?? Whoever let her do it, he was at least wise enough to let the torture not go on full-length. Even in the 15 minutes alotted to her, does she ever say anything not already said in the interviews or what we can see on the screen for herself: "Now Takamine and her barkeeper friend, who is played by Tatsuya Nakadai, are crossing a bridge and she says this and that..." And so on for the next 10 min...
Anyway, I treasure this whole set very much and am thankful that I finally chose to give Naruse another try. I'll re-watch the MoC films soon, for sure, and perhaps they now click as well. But for a newcomer to Naruse, I would imagine the BFI set is a far better start.
