Customer Reviews

Eclipse Series 10: Silent Ozu - Three Family Comedies (Tokyo Chorus / I Was Born But... / Passing Fancy) (The Criterion Collection)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From the director of such classics as Late Spring, Tokyo Story, and Floating Weeds, Criterion brings us a 3-disc collection from Japanese auteur Yasujiro Ozu. Although he has not yet reached the wide-spread acclaim of fellow countryman Akira Kurosawa, Ozu is starting to gain the recognition that he rightfully deserves.

Ozu began his career as a cameraman, and with hard work and determination he finally ascended the ladder to director. Once his position was earned, Ozu poured his creativity onto film with unmatched diligence, producing nearly half of his 50+ films in the first five years of his career. Sadly, many of these films are now lost, which adds to the enjoyment of these extraordinary, previously unreleased films from Criterion.


As the title suggests, the films in this collection were released during a portion of Ozu's silent career, ranging from 1931-1933. Ozu, along with the majority of the Japanese film industry, was somewhat hesitant about entering into talkies based upon the belief that emotions could be best conveyed with movements, expressions, and atmosphere, not dialogue. Ozu's first talkie was not released until 1936, the same year as Chaplin's final silent masterpiece, Modern Times. This period of his career marked Ozu's transition into social criticism as he both subtly and blatantly expresses his discontent with the culture of pre-WWII Japan.

Included films:

Tokyo Chorus (1931) - A man is fired from his job for reasons that would normally be viewed as commendable. The film from here follows his social and financial downfall as he does anything he possibly can to support his family. As in the other films in this collection, the plot of Tokyo Chorus sounds very dramatic but Ozu has a certain way of shedding a positive light onto each situation.

I Was Born, But... (1932) - A story of the hardships of childhood and the ways in which children view their parents in unappreciative and misconstrued ways. A comedy with some serious overtones.

Passing Fancy (1933) - The final film in this collection is about the unstable relationship of a widower and his son. It focuses on a child's attempts to help an alcoholic parent while also being resentful of the unstoppable forces of change.

And just in case anyone needs to know I'll post the technical aspects of the films as well.

Black and White
1.33:1
Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Not Anamorphic
Japanese

It is a shame that the availability of Ozu films is not more widespread. 'I Was Born But...' exemplifies the concern for family relationships by one of the great masters of Japanese cinema. This film being silent should not be seen as an obstacle (nor should any silent film). It echoes the charming pathos and humour one might expect from a Charlie Chaplin classic.

The film tells the story of a family who relocate to suburban Tokyo. The two sons conflict with the local bullies - one of which is their father's boss's son. The boys deal with the local bullies only to 'lose face' over their father acting like a clown. What arises from this becomes a motif for Ozu - the estranged relationship between children and parents. For Ozu this is part of everyday life and is somewhat auto-biographical in thought as his own relationship with his father was also estranged. Further exemplified, is Ozu's motif of spatial violation and parallel action.

Ozu is the anti-thesis of the Hollywood blockbuster and he possesses a narrow choice of camera positions. Nowhere is the expression "less is more" more appropriate than here. While there is a rare use of a tracking shot, Ozu tends to prefer the static camera and usually shoots from the tatami mat. This sense of mimimalism seems entirely appropriate given that the film spends much time observing the boys everyday encounters.

This great filmmaker has a knack for expressing the tender beauty of everyday life and minimal expression. However, the sense of observation one feels is always pervaded with subtle touches of humour and emotional resonance - that it is impossible to become bored with it. I bless my lucky stars for the offerings that Ozu brought to the world of filmmaking.

No Kidding, if you have any sense of humour you'll love this film. Now I am an admitted Ozu film lover, which means I find his unique cinematography of a camera that isn't darting all over the place and shots at low levels that make you feel like you are standing (or sitting) there watching what is going on, a very enjoyable way of viewing a film.

I also love his simple stories that everyone can relate to, his people are just like our friends, neighbors and families, some of them are sweet, some are stinkers, and many are just doing their best to cope with every day's challenges in life.

But a silent Ozu? I was a little wary, but I did put it on my wishlist, and I'm so glad I did and that one of my sweet relations gave it to me for my birthday, because it is one of Ozu's best! Ozu's films are always full of gentle and sometimes silly fun and this one did not disappoint. The two brothers are real characters and along with the kids they meet up with in their new neighborhood, it really was like watching a Japanese version of the Little Rascals. Did you know eating raw sparrow's eggs will make you strong?

It soon appears that they get their sense of humour from their father, though as usually happens, they are not as appreciative of it in him. And as with all Ozu films, we are left with the feeling that we are all pretty much the same no matter where we come from or even when we lived and we find a good deal of comfort in knowing that as the world changes we can still appreciate the things that never do. You'll hate yourself if you don't see it!

I have spent too many years not knowing about Ozu and his brilliant films!! That being said, I Was Born But... is one of my all-time favorite films now. It reflects a more simple time but the underlying human conditions are exactly the same. It has one of the best -if not THE BEST-child actors. Tomio Aoki was a very young child when he made this film but brought humor, emotion, and realism to his acting. It is certainly a credit to Ozu that Aoki was cast along with the other superb actors. I have also watched Floating Weeds and Passing Fancy with Aoki cast and spent many happy hours enjoying these movies. I suppose I have conditioned myself to watch silent films because when I watch them with the musical scores I never once think about it. The actors, of course, were more demonstrative in keeping with this restriction but, as in a good book, the mind fills in the conversation. The subtitles are more than adequate. I am a very hard-to-please film watcher. I seldom find loud, brash, silly American action films to my liking. My preference is for internation and art-house films that take one into different times and worlds. The films in this particular Ozu collection made me laugh, made me think, and brought tears to my eyes which, I assure you, is not something easily accomplished. I would pay twice as much for these films and consider it money very well spent. We are privileged to have the opportunity to view them.

The release of "I was Born But" last year on video is such good news for all the Ozu fans, because this is his silent classic, as "Tokyo Story" is his "Family Cycle" classic. The film is also a warm, gentle, and humorous exploration of the innocence of childhood and the double-standards of adults. The film is silent, but no sound is needed, since the visual impact is so stunning! Do not let the steep price stop you from getting a copy. The price will never come down, and you know what, it may well be soon out of print. So grab your copy of this little seen gem fast, and you will find yourselves enveloped in this touching and funny exploration of the pains of growing up, certainly one of the best silent movies ever! Ozu reworked this film in "Good Morning", but was not as successful.

Ozu, Yasujiro: Japan's greatest director creates a funny, touching silent film about humor and pain between parents and their children as they all struggle to grow up. Very touching film. Now available on DVD.

Hideko Takamine, one of the three classic Japanese actreses, with a 60-year-long career died in Tokyo on December 27, 2010 at the age of 86. Lung cancer. (Only Setsuko Hara remains of the great three.)

Tokyo Chorus was probably Ms. Takamine's second film; she was approximately 6-years-old and just starting a long, varied and successful career. (Aside: approximately 25 years ago the New Yorker ran a three issue detailed portrate of Ms. Takamine, in which it was revealed that she spent much of her career supporting her extended family, first as a child-star and then through-out her career.) Unfortunately, her only "mature" film the 1960 "When A Woman Ascends the Stairs" remains the only other of her films available on DVD on Amazon.


Do not be put off by the lack of sound. This is a classic about childhood seen from a child's eye-view. A rarity, apparently newly available.

No other director in the world focused on the day-to-day goings on in an average family. Even his sound films seem to be almost silent in their straight-forward appreciation of the subtle changes that family members go through while going forward through time.

Of the 3 films in this package, I have only watched 'Tokyo Chorus' so far, but found it highly enjoyable. It depicts a Tokyo based husband who is under seige by his children, his wife, and his boss. When he loses is job, he and his family have to make some 'adjustments'. The film is filled with comic sequences and is obvious that Ozu was influence by the Hollywood clowns Chaplin, Lloyd, Sennet, etc., although most of the film is quite naturalistic and lacks the 'herky-jerkly' quality of hand cranked silents. Having spent several years in Japan, it is interesting to observe the similarities and differences in Japanese life in the 1930's compared to life at the end of the 20th century. The lead actor is capable of a wide range of emotions and all of the actors are very good. It is obvious that Ozu is a real director. In fact, he is considered the most 'Japanese' director. The fact that the film is silent is no deterrent.

I wish I had time to write a detailed review. I have yet to see an Ozu film that wasn't first-rate. If you haven't seen any of his movies maybe you should start with one of his later ones, but this is a fine series. If you don't understand Japanese and don't like subtitles this collection would be a good place to start.

Everything everybody here has said about these superb silent movies is true. Beyond that, these fine films show that silent Japanese films were every bit as good as our American movies then, and that the values, natures and problems in Japan and America then were pretty much the same. (Of course I've haven't yet run into a Chaplain, Keaton or Laurel and Hardy in Japanese silent films. But Oza certainly measures up to our best directors, then and now.)

I expect our societies and arts today are very parallel
too. People is people, times are times. Zen-sekai no."

it was my first time to watch a silent movie and i thought this movie was quite fun! this movie is based on the time frame that when Japan's economy grew and more people moved to a big city to work; emergence of white collar workers. the ordinal family decided to move outside the city in order to live closer to father's boss. the story tells us how kids encounter this change and society.

in one part, a kid forgot to bring his chopsticks. this was pretty funny and it reminds me my school days. now, most of the elementary schools provide lunch. but my high school didn't so I had to bring lunch box every day along with chopsticks. i sometimes forgot to bring chopsticks and I can't forget that feeling "oh Shoot!"

The director Ozu is a leading figure in early Japanese films. I think it is pretty amazing that he was sucessful in both silent movies and voiced ones. His camera is always low angle. And, he controlled so much what should be in screen. He uses a long shot inbetween for transition porpose.

I hope you will like this movie;)