tokyo story is probably the best entry point. but late spring ain’t too shabby
Go early. Watch him progress as a filmmaker.
Now that criterion has released his first sound film and one of only two films he made in WWII you can actually check out how he evolved in almost every era of his career from his early silent comedies to his evolution to more mature silent fair to his early sound works and then his post-war period and his “mature” late period.
…and after that go early summer.
I’ve only seen one thus far…the color version of Floating Weeds. I thought it was a good enough film, and at times quite beautiful…Part of me wants fast pacing and tracking shots, but another part of me can accept and admire his peaceful, still, calm style of filmmaking.
Any idea where I should go from there?
I’d suggest “Equinox Flower” which is quite similar, HBtS.
Oh thank you…
Many consider the so-called “Noriko Trilogy” of Late Spring, Early Summer, and Tokyo Story as his greatest achievement, and you really can’t go wrong with any of these masterpieces. However, Ozu’s filmography is so full of riches that it’s probably worth taking a chance on whatever comes your way first.
Here’s a link to a similar thread with some great suggestions:
http://mubi.com/topics/9377
One excellent “hidden gem” of Ozu’s is TOKYO TWILIGHT (tokyo boshoku)
Part of me wants fast pacing and tracking shots
Silent Ozu is full of tracking shots.
^ I Was Born, But…
The tracking in the school then the cut to the tracking shot at the father’s work. Devastating. One of the saddest things I’ve ever seen on film.
Don’t think there is a “best” Ozu film … depends what kind of tofu you feel like on the day!
I’ll be sure to check out I Was Born, But…
thanx.
Some of his films are indeed better than others. His films are all about families. When he started making films the characters were more working class, but as he grew older and more wealthy, his characters moved up the ladder with him.
A good chunk of his films involve trying to find a husband for one of the leading ladies. His films are like a well made soap opera. His camera and editing techniques are as basic as you can get, but he made a good decision to essentially shoot EVERY film the same for his entire career, thus he develops a consistency, and his viewers immediately feel comfortable and familiar with each of his films, and there are no embarrassing experiments in his work for him to be ashamed of, because he never tried anything different.
His work is not particularly philosophical or intellectual, but there is a way that he treats each scene with the same kind of weight that helps his films maintain a balance. He never overplays anything, whether too serious or too funny, he maintains an even keel; and when we get to the end of the film he’ll add a slight flourish that will give you a slight bump. He also deftly adds these here and there in each film.
He is a master of pacing, because despite the lack of adventure in his films, he keeps you from going to sleep, and you feel like you learn a little about Japanese society in each of his films. It also helps that he uses the same actors over and over again, because when you see Setsuko Hara or Chisu Ryo, you immediately feel comfortable and are willing to accept the characters and situations before you, no matter how mundane.
I’ve ranked my 19 favorite Ozus here on Mubi:
http://mubi.com/lists/6916
If you are able to watch R1 dvds, and are looking to buy some Ozu, I would recommend starting with the Late Ozu set from Criterion/Eclipse. It contains Equinox Flower, which is a beautiful color Ozu film, and my personal favorite, as well as Early Spring-which is top 5 Ozu, and Tokyo Twilight which is a darker Ozu film that I have ranked at #11 on my list of 19 films. The other two films are End of Summer, and Late Autumn, are some of Ozu’s last films and not among my favorites, but may offer something for you.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=late+ozu&x=0&y=0
Japanese architecture did wonders for Ozu’s career.
Thank you everyone, especially Jason for the very detailed answer.
I’ll definitely check out your list, Jason! And your link Mono No Aware.
Oh my God, you’ve asked the wrong person! Tokyo Story, Late Spring, Good Morning, The Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice (for some reason more appreciated in Europe than in the US), Tokyo Twilight, Early Summer… you can’t go wrong.
Record of a Tenement Gentleman
record of a tenement gentleman is hilarious.
I would agree with Brian P that Tokyo Story is a good starting point but if you really want to go the extra mile do a double feature of A Story of Floating Weeds (1934) and Floating Weeds (1959). Really fascinating to see a master film maker make the same film in such vastly different ways (eg: silent/sound; BW/colour).
but he made a good decision to essentially shoot EVERY film the same for his entire career
Completely false. How many Ozu films have you seen?
sorry about the link
http://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-Twilight-Equinox-Criterion-Collection/dp/B000OPPAF6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1278825011&sr=1-1
Jerry, I have seen 19 of Ozus films, spanning from A Story of Floating Weeds, The Only Son, and What did the Lady Forget in the 30s; all the way to Late Autumn, End of Summer, and an Autumn afternoon in the 60s.
There are some little touches that he did away with, or added over the course of his career, but his development as a filmmaker was very little. He was good in the beginning and he was good in the end, and he didn’t mess with what worked for him very much, be that subject matter or camera and editing techniques, casting, or the way that he told his stories.
I have at least a dozen more of his films that I have to get around to watching, but I don’t think that seeing “An Inn in Tokyo” or “A Mother Should Be Loved” is going to change my understanding or appreciation for Ozu very much, one way or the other. Maybe “Dragnet Girls” will have that effect.
A story of Floating Weeds may be a fine starting point and it can be had brand new for 30-35 dollars, but for the money I would recommend getting the 5 movie “Late Ozu” set for 50-60 bucks.
For some people “Tokyo Story” is Ozu’s best film, but not for me. I miss the tension and humour of the marriage pictures, which touch on all of the same familial subject matter as this one(aside from the death-which “The Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family” did have!, so there), and those pictures had other things as well-especially the humour and lighter sides of life. This film is just too heavy at times, and Tokyo Story is such a long film too dwell on so few themes for the entire picture, as compared to Ozu’s better films
Late Spring and Early Summer are two that I would recommend before Tokyo Story. I would make Tokyo Story one of the last Ozu films that you see, if only to avoid a letdown from the hype surrounding its reputation.
but he made a good decision to essentially shoot EVERY film the same for his entire career
Yup, I agree with Jerry. Completely false. I don’t know how someone who’s seen 19 of Ozu’s films can come to this conclusion.
In what ways did Ozu evolve as a filmmaker during his career?
And making the transition from silent to sound, and B&W to color don’t count.
If you have seen 19 filmy by Ozu and you think he shoot every film the same that means nothing but Altzheimer.
I just watched Tokyo Story a few days ago—my first Ozu film. I enjoyed it immensely. I almost regret not having seen some of his stuff sooner, but I will go with “better late than never” and look forward to checking out more of his films in the future. I Was Born, But… comes highly recommended and is front runner for being the next.
Just last week Roger Ebert posted a review of The Only Son that I think is very relevant to this topic because it covers more than just that single film, addressing the sentiment that Ozu makes “the same film every time,” his consistently mature filmmaking even early in his career, and pointing out a little trivia about a tea pot. Here’s the link to the review.
Basically, what I can discern is that one likely couldn’t go wrong wherever starting with Ozu.
Thanks for that link Eddie Mac. I didn’t know Criterion was putting The Only Son out. I am really looking forward to seeing it.
Toyko Story. Sublime.
David Koteles
I’ve never seen an Ozu film for some reason, and I need to fix that. What do folks recommend, hmmm?