Yasujiro Ozu

[Michael Kerpan]

YesAsia has it in stock. If Criterion ever releases this title, the quality (esp. subtitles) will be much higher, but who knows when that will be (cue inevitable Ozu/Criterion joke)? This is not terribly expensive and will tide you over until then--assuming you are multiregion, that is.

I am hoping that if Criterion gets around to this they can fix the sound. I once saw a horrid-looking nth generation copy of a PAL-to-NTSC converted video (taped of TV) that had less annoying sound quality than the (unsuccessfully audio-doctored) Shochiku DVD (and the Panorama DVD apparently has the same damaged sound)..

[Sanjuro]

As you said, sanma is a seasonal thing particular to Autumn and generally eaten in the evening and most people I've asked seem to agree that the title Sanma no Aji (without taking the film content into consideration) evokes a feeling of those Autumn afternoons (well, evenings technically). So the American title, despite feeling like a 'generic Ozu title', actually conveys more of the original feeling than something like "The Taste of Green Tea over Rice" which, unless you're familiar with it, doesn't really evoke anything at all (except perhaps nausea in some people).

End of Summer is an odd one though.

[Michael Kerpan]

But maybe titles that demand we learn a little about context are better than bland, generic ones. ;~}

I've had ochazuke -- it was okay but a little bland -- I think I like the taste of curry over rice more.

[fiddlesticks]

So the American title, despite feeling like a 'generic Ozu title', actually conveys more of the original feeling than something like "The Taste of Green Tea over Rice" which, unless you're familiar with it, doesn't really evoke anything at all (except perhaps nausea in some people).

Donald Richie on Ochazuke no Aji:

After his return [from two years' military service 1937-39], he wrote a very good script, The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (Ochazuke no Aji). It was never produced, though he used the title later for a different picture. It was about a man and a wife who take the customary final meal together before he leaves for the front. Rather than customary rich ceremonial food, they decide on a dish that is among the most simple, the most Japanese. It was to have been a gentle, intimate, reflective film, filled with observations of Japanese character in times of stress. It was rejected by the Censorship Office of the Home Ministry, [who] declared the script fumajime ("unserious.") [... Then in 1952, Ozu said] "I took this film out of the drawer where it had been since I'd written it, after the Army wouldn't let me make it. [...] Because the times had changed, I rewrote it." He rewrote it to such an extent that it is unrecognizable, and the sharing of the ochazuke (green tea over rice) at the end loses its original point.

Excerpted from Ozu, UC Press, 1974, pp. 226-27 and 238.

[Jack Phillips]

He rewrote it to such an extent that it is unrecognizable

. . . except as a remake of What Did the Lady Forget?

[Sanjuro]

But maybe titles that demand we learn a little about context are better than bland, generic ones. ;~}

I've had ochazuke -- it was okay but a little bland -- I think I like the taste of curry over rice more.

Yes, I quite agree with this. But to what extent? Certainly I can understand intellectually the feeling of nostalgia that some Japanese people might have for the evenings spent dining on Sanma with their grandparents, but might it be possible to evoke a similar feeling in a guy from the UK with an English title? Personally I think probably not, but I can understand why you might try.

I wouldn't expect a typical Japanese person to understand the social implications behind my working class drama 'Chip Butty and a Fight' and would be happy with a title change to convey what my movie might be about to the common Japanese DVD shopper.

Right now I'm actually sitting looking at my Throne of Blood DVD while contemplating the feeling of mystery and fear evoked by the kanji for cobwebs. But at the same time I'm thinking how kind of silly title Cobweb Castle sounds in English.

[Michael Kerpan]

Spider(web) Castle -- however -- might work.

I don't know about other people -- but I really prefer knowing the meaning of film's real title (even if this is disclosed only parenthetically).

In any event would think that one could come up with a more accurate and evocative name for Sanma no aji -- something like "The Joys of Autumn" -- which would be closer to the meaing (and spirit) of the original.

I think it is interesting that both Akibiyori and Sanma no aji both convey a real sense of active pleasure that is missing in the English titles -- and that this sort of re-naming matches the contemporaneous Western attempt to portray Ozu as more "serene" than he ever (in fact was in his films.

[otis]

I wouldn't expect a typical Japanese person to understand the social implications behind my working class drama 'Chip Butty and a Fight' and would be happy with a title change to convey what my movie might be about to the common Japanese DVD shopper.

So which title would you suggest for the Japanese edition of your hypothetical film?

[ptmd]

I am hoping that if Criterion gets around to this they can fix the sound. I once saw a horrid-looking nth generation copy of a PAL-to-NTSC converted video (taped of TV) that had less annoying sound quality than the (unsuccessfully audio-doctored) Shochiku DVD (and the Panorama DVD apparently has the same damaged sound)..

Unfortunately, it's not likely that the film will ever sound better than it does on the Panorama DVD because the original materials are in dire shape, the negative is gone, and all existing prints have these same sound problems. At least with prints, it's easier to sift out the track distortions and focus on teh dialogue. There Was a Father is a masterpiece, but, like several of the best Japanese films of this era, it was not taken care of very well.

[Tommaso]

Spider(web) Castle -- however -- might work.

Much better than "Throne of Blood" (which sounds like a second-rate action film) in any case. I love the German title of it: "Das Schloss im Spinnwebwald", which conveys a beautiful air of fairytale-like lyricism.

I don't know about other people -- but I really prefer knowing the meaning of film's real title (even if this is disclosed only parenthetically).

I completely agree, especially with Ozu. Every time I come across a title of an Ozu film from the 50s, I have to think for a few moments whether I've seen that particular film or not and then what exactly it was all about. Thanks for the explanations above about the literal translations, btw.

[esl]

This past Friday I went to the Community Center in Fukagawa (a district of Tokyo). They were going to be showing Tokyo Story and the Shiinomi Gakuen (Shiinomi School) by Shimizu. I could not take off work so I was not able to see Tokyo Story, which started at 2PM and I have seen many times anyway, but I did not know what to expect when I arrived at the community center and was pleasantly surprised. Several rooms of the center have been made into a mini museum about Ozu and his films including original drawings and paintings by Ozu, scripts, clothing, photos, etc. I had arrived just as Tokyo Story was ending. A gentleman, who seemed to either run the place or was heading up this weekend’s activities, showed me around and was very excited to introduce me to others as I was the only westerner there. As it was going to be an hour and a half before the next movie, he asked that I join him and several others for some tea and pastries. Well, two of the others turned out to be Ozu's sister and the actress Kyôko Kagawa. My Japanese is very limited so there was no real conversation with them. We were soon joined by a several others, both professors, who spoke English. The general feeling of the group was surprise that most of Ozu's films were available on DVD in the west. They really were surprised that I even knew of the films of Shimizu. They stated that while alive Shimizu's films were popular but that he is now mostly forgotten.

I did not ask if the Ozu displays are permanent but from flyers in lobby it appears that this place shows a lot of Showa era films on a regular basis. Cost was 500 yen per film and seating is on banquet chairs in the main hall.

[Michael Kerpan]

esl --

What an experience! How wonderful to meet Kyoko Kagawa (who is still a wonderful actress) and Ozu's sister.

I hope that the West takes enough of an interest in Shimizu that it makes Japanese film lovers more curious about his works (leading to more of his films available on DVD).

Thanks for the report on the Ozu "exhibition".

[Saturnome]

Please excuse me if this have been discussed before, but IMDb list a film based on Ozu's last script he was working on before passing away. It's cast feature some actors who worked with Ozu, all it's missing is Ozu directing it I guess. I'm a bit curious, anybody have information about it? I've found no more than the fact that it is a comedy, and a small footnote by Donald Richie stating it got nothing to do with a Ozu.

[Michael Kerpan]

Please excuse me if this have been discussed before, but IMDb list a film based on Ozu's last script he was working on before passing away. It's cast feature some actors who worked with Ozu, all it's missing is Ozu directing it I guess. I'm a bit curious, anybody have information about it? I've found no more than the fact that it is a comedy, and a small footnote by Donald Richie stating it got nothing to do with a Ozu.

The film was directed by Minoru Shibuya (a slightly younger colleague of Ozu) who was best known for his "nonsense" comedies in his early years and for his post-war "No Appointments Today" (a day in the life of an elderly doctor trying to take a day off). The title of Ozu's script refers to what we'd call "ham actors".

Alas, I do not believe this film has ever been issued in any home video format (even as an unsubbed VHS tape) -- and it does not seem to have been screened during the Ozu Centennial.

[aox]

I just need some advice:

I have seen Tokyo Story, Good Morning, An Autumn Afternoon, and will view Last Spring tonight...

An Autumn Afternoon is my favorite so far. Where would you suggest I go from here?

[psufootball07]

Yeah, I too loved An Autumn Afternoon.

But my absolute favorite is the color version of Floating Weeds, it is an absolute perfect film. I also enjoyed some of the Late Ozu boxset but not nearly as much as those two.

Late Spring is pretty amazing as well, definitely take the time to check out the documentary on disc 2 by Wim Wenders.

[Napier]

But my absolute favorite is the color version of Floating Weeds, it is an absolute perfect film.

Ditto here, Criterion's transfer is a knockout too.

[Michael Kerpan]

I just need some advice:

I have seen Tokyo Story, Good Morning, An Autumn Afternoon, and will view Last Spring tonight...

An Autumn Afternoon is my favorite so far. Where would you suggest I go from here?

Floating Weeds is a good pick -- as it gets you not only the 50s version, but the silent one from the 30s (which was one of Ozu's most visually impressive silent films). The Late Ozu box set is also a good pick -- with Equinox Flower and Late Autumn, which are humorous in the style of Autumn Afternoon. Then again, there is the stand-alone Early Summer DVD -- which gets you one of Ozu's most easy to love films.

FWIW -- I find the coloration of Criterion's Floating Weeds not quite right (yellow deficient -- leading to some pinkish faces and some blue-greens that just look blue). But it is easily the best-available subbed version.

[aox]

Floating Weeds it is! Thanks! Then I think I will work through the five films in the "Late" box.

[Michael Kerpan]

Floating Weeds it is! Thanks! Then I think I will work through the five films in the "Late" box.

when you get around to the silent version, you might want to see whether you prefer it with or without the rather inappropriate and distracting score Criterion provided. I (and others) prefer either no sound or some sort of unobtrusive background music of our own choosing.

[aox]

Floating Weeds it is! Thanks! Then I think I will work through the five films in the "Late" box.

when you get around to the silent version, you might want to see whether you prefer it with or without the rather inappropriate and distracting score Criterion provided. I (and others) prefer either no sound or some sort of unobtrusive background music of our own choosing.

Is this the film that the original score (and sheet music) is completely lost? So, it isn't like the film was intended to be silent, but guessing and producing an alien score is really no better? If so; tough decision. I would probably just watch it silently with no score.

Dreyer's Joan of Arc is much more impacting and pleasurable completely silent, but I think that it was originally intended that way, so I guess it isn't an apt comparison.

[Tommaso]

]when you get around to the silent version, you might want to see whether you prefer it with or without the rather inappropriate and distracting score Criterion provided.

Sosin again, if I remember correctly. I have similar problems with the scores he provided for the three silent Eclipse films. Not that the music per se is poor or badly executed, on the contrary. But he simply plays too many notes in too short a time, and also pushes the films into one specific direction where they should remain ambivalent, and bitter-sweet. If you don't want to watch them completely silent, which I always find somewhat exhausting, try some Satie. The most 'objective' piano music that I can think of.

I would also give my recommendation for "Floating Weeds"; these two films finally really converted me to Ozu, with whom I had been struggling for quite a while. Watch the silent version first, I'd say. This is one of the very few instances where I actually prefer the re-make to the original. Which doesn't mean to say that the older version isn't top-notch; it is, but the later version simply blew me away with its use of colour. Semi-psychedelic almost, and I really don't care if that is only because CC again didn't get the colours right . Incredibly beautiful, really, and certainly one of Ozu's most accessible and engaging films.

[Michael Kerpan]

Ozu's "silents" (like all Japanese films of the era) were no such thing. Not only would they have had music, they would have had a narrator -- who provided all the dialog (including stuff not included on intertitles) in a variety of voices, as well as color commentary.

I've used Gershwin solo piano pieces and Stravinsky and jazzy bits of early Shostakovich (among other things) as do-it-myself silent scores.

I might like the early version of Floating Weeds a bit more, but the later one is what helped cement my devotion to Ozu back in 2000. Except for the pinkish faces, one would not find much wrong with the overall color of the Criterion DVD -- it's nothing like the dreadful Criterion Good Morning and awful UK version of End of Summer. ;~}

[Erikht]

I don't want to sound like a complete philistine, but I have only seen "A story of Floating Weeds" (the silent version) once, and then I listened to the commentary track with Donald Richie. One of the best commentary tracks I have heard, and not really disturbing in any way. A great way to see this film.

[stalker_ozu]

Michael Kerpan:

How is the quality of the image of the shochiku dvds? I want to get the films even if I dont understand japanese, I have seen almost all his films (with the exception Lady and the beard and Straightforward boy) but I have seen poor qualities dvds rips from the Panorama and spanish dvds. I want to get the Only Son, this film is a masterpiece. There was a father has a good spanish dvd, I have a copy and the print doesnt look that awful. I love all Ozus and I die to get those expensive japanese sets. Criterion is really missing a lot of great titles (an inn in tokyo, there was a father, record of tenement gentleman and the only son are personal favorites missing from the collection).