217 Tokyo Story

[ambrose]

A. O. Scott looks back at Yasujiro Ozu's Tokyo Story.

[manicsounds]

Well, got a ticket to see the remastered version of "Tokyo Story", screening in Tokyo in 2 weeks. I'm guessing this is the same remastered version shown on NHK TV earlier this year, which I haven't seen. Hopefully a remastered Blu-ray will happen in Japan, as well as a new Criterion in the future.

[Michael Kerpan]

I can't say that the BFI Blu-Ray looks dramatically better than the Shochiku DVD. So one wonders how far the University of Tokyo ever got in its attempt to _really_ restore this film -- and whether the fruits of this project will ever actually be seen in public!

[hearthesilence]

Is the remastered Tokyo Story taken from a better source? I'm guessing not, but that would be amazing if they found something close to the original negative. (If I'm not mistaken, the original neg is still lost, correct?)

[Michael Kerpan]

The original negative burned up in a studio fire. If I recall correctly, this may even have happened before the film officially premiered. All existing copies are based (ultimately) on copies of an exhibition print. The University of Tokyo project found all sorts of interesting bits and pieces that were in better shape than Shochiku's master print -- but nothing has ever surfaced from its restoration project.

[eljacko]

Well, got a ticket to see the remastered version of "Tokyo Story", screening in Tokyo in 2 weeks. I'm guessing this is the same remastered version shown on NHK TV earlier this year, which I haven't seen. Hopefully a remastered Blu-ray will happen in Japan, as well as a new Criterion in the future.

Where and when is this? I would be very interested in going, if possible, and a google search has not been helpful.

[manicsounds]

TIFF, October 24th

[manicsounds]

Watched it today. The restoration? Like the restored "Rashomon", looked very good. No nicks, scratches, or specs in the print. Blows away the Criterion or the BFI easily. If Criterion is thinking of putting this out in the future, hopefully they will use this version instead of their old one. The American-English (Donald Ritchie) subtitles were projected electronically, not burned in. Although the translation wasn't as full as the Criterion disc. A lot of minor passages or moments weren't subtitled at all (not really a problem for me though).

[Mozart]

... (not really a problem for me though)

hahahhahaha
Thanks for your report. Waiting fot this restored version to be released.

[movielocke]

Pretty cool to see the directors rate this number one in the latest sight and sound poll. Amazing this film is one of two that dethroned Citizen Kane. I wonder if this will accelerate Criterion's presumably planned bluray?

[ryannichols7]

they'll almost surely capitalize on this. the BFI will push their disc, and I don't blame Criterion if they get one out quickly.

hopefully it'll come alongside An Autumn Afternoon as well.

[whaleallright]

Tokyo Story was #12 or #13 or so on the directors' poll in 2002.

My hunch is that they polled significantly more Asian filmmakers this time--not that Asian filmmakers are the only ones to appreciate Ozu by any means but he seems to figure more prominently in the canon there (see the Cinemaya poll of Asian critics that landed Tokyo Story at number one in the 1990s). I have to say of all the likely films to unseat Citizen Kane this is the most worthy of them.

[hearthesilence]

It's more interesting given the rest of the directors' poll. I told someone the results, and she immediately said, "that's a pretty 'masculine' selection of films." Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, The Godfather...it'll be interesting to see the ballot breakdown.

[whaleallright]

Directors in general are a pretty masculine--or at least male--bunch, unfortunately.

[Matt]

Which is not to say, of course, that female directors can't like masculine movies and male directors can't like feminine movies.

[onedimension]

It's more interesting given the rest of the directors' poll. I told someone the results, and she immediately said, "that's a pretty 'masculine' selection of films." Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, The Godfather...it'll be interesting to see the ballot breakdown.

Pretty masculine and pretty 70's American cinema, with those 3 in the top ten. I was surprised to see them all up there in what might be considered one version of the canon's canon..

[hearthesilence]

Forgot, she also asked (sarcastically) "Where's Rocky?"

I'm surprised Tokyo Story did so well with the filmmakers - total speculation, but I would guess that it's the foreign filmmakers who really pushed it to the top. I only say that because for years, most aspiring filmmakers that I talked to (in film school and out) rarely discussed Ozu the way they discussed more visceral filmmakers like Scorsese or Hitchcock (or for a while, Tarantino). Before I became familiar with contemporary world cinema, I honestly thought his biggest supporters were in academia, not in the industry.

[MichaelB]

they'll almost surely capitalize on this. the BFI will push their disc, and I don't blame Criterion if they get one out quickly.

I was standing next to someone from Masters of Cinema when the poll was formally announced at BFI Southbank yesterday.

It's safe to say that he wasn't entirely unhappy about The Passion of Joan of Arc getting a massive publicity boost just before its Blu-ray debut.

[stagefright50]

Restoration trailer/demo for Japanese Blu-Ray.

[Michael Kerpan]

Restoration trailer/demo for Japanese Blu-Ray.

I wonder if this is based on the started-long-ago University of Tokyo restoration project? It looks remarkably different from what has been available up to this point.

[feckless boy]

Restoration trailer/demo for Japanese Blu-Ray.

I hope we get some screen-shots soon, because from this restoration demo it's hard to tell if it's been "too" scrubbed. The sepia tint I can live with as long as it hasn't been "grain managed" to the point of Children of Paradise.

[Jonathan S]

I've always been a bit puzzled and disappointed by the presentations of this film in the digital era, as even the battered prints I saw in the 1970s and 80s were photographically superior - less dupey with more shadow detail. It's not rose-tinted memory, as I still have an off-air recording which (despite the limitations of VHS) reveals a greater tonal range than the Criterion, etc. It will be great to see the film in a restoration that not only equals but surpasses the prints I remember from 30 or 40 years ago.

[kindaikun]

Just thought I'd add some details on the new Japanese release from the Amazon listing:

The transfer is from the 4K master shown at the Berlinale as well as on digital TV last year.
This new master was supervised by the chief assistant cameraman Kawamata Takashi in order to recreate Ozu's original intent as closely as possible. The sound was also remastered and was supervised by Tanaka Kogi, an assistant director, as well as Shimizu Kazunori who has been in charge of all Shochiku's remastering.

The first 5,000 units also include a limited outer case and a Tokyo Story script and photo book.
The main feature has both English & Japanese subtitles. Also included is a audio commentary by Ryu Chishu, Kawamata, Saito Buichi (assistant director) and Shirai Yoshio (film critic) recorded in 1984.

So they seem to be trying to make it as authentic as possible hopefully they won't mess up the transfer. We'll find out in a few days anyway.
It'll be interesting to see if Criterion get the commentary for their eventual re-release.

edit: grammar!

[Orlac]

I've always been a bit puzzled and disappointed by the presentations of this film in the digital era, as even the battered prints I saw in the 1970s and 80s were photographically superior - less dupey with more shadow detail. It's not rose-tinted memory, as I still have an off-air recording which (despite the limitations of VHS) reveals a greater tonal range than the Criterion, etc. It will be great to see the film in a restoration that not only equals but surpasses the prints I remember from 30 or 40 years ago.

Most Japanese transfers I've seen in general look far too bright and soft - something to do with their tv settings being different?

[Jack Phillips]

Restoration trailer/demo for Japanese Blu-Ray.

The new J-Blu-ray does have the same--what?--"chromatic values" displayed in this demo trailer. I can't believe Criterion will release their version this way--it won't match the hues of any of their other b&w Ozus. The image is amazingly clean. Compared to the CC Blu of Late Spring, which has tram lines and scratches galore, the transfer is immaculate. The image is soft, but again, compares favorably with the Late Spring Blu. Grain, to my eye, is similar to how it appears on Late Spring.