BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Moderator: MichaelB
- MichaelB
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Mondo Digital on The Student Comedies.
- MichaelB
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Full specs announced:
The Ozu Collection
Three Melodramas
By Yasujiro Ozu
Three Melodramas by Yasujiro Ozu, released on 18 June, is the latest addition to the BFI’s DVD strand The Ozu Collection. Melodrama is a word rarely associated with the work of the master Japanese director, whose beautifully constructed films capture the poetry of everyday life. Spanning his career, these three films, Early Spring (1956), Tokyo Twilight (1957) and the rare silent Woman of Tokyo (1933), demonstrate the director’s ability to apply his exquisite style to darker themes.
Disc One
Woman of Tokyo (Tokyo no onna)
Ozu’s silent Woman of Tokyo sees the director experimenting with the cutaways that were to become so associated with his later style. Chikako (Yoshiko Okada) works hard to pay for her brother Ryoichi’s (Ureo Egawa) college fees. When Ryoichi learns the true nature of this work disaster ensues. This tragic tale of misunderstood sacrifice features a new score by Ed Hughes.
Early Spring (Soshun)
Made just after his celebrated Tokyo Story, Ozu’s Early Spring tackles the problems of young salaried workers. Shoji (Ryu Ikebe) and his wife Masako, played by the multitalented Chikage Awashima (Late Spring), struggle to come to terms with a family tragedy. When the office flirt ‘Goldfish’ (Keiko Kishi) starts to interest Shoji, the couple’s fragile peace is severely threatened.
Japan / 1933 + 1957 / black and white / silent with optional score, Japanese intertitles and audio with English subtitles; Japanese, English subtitles / DVD 9 / 45 mins + 139 mins / Dolby digital 320kbps / Original aspect ratio 1.33:1
Disc Two
Tokyo Twilight (Tokyo Boshoku)
Abandoned by their mother when they were young, sisters Akiko (Ineko Arima) and Takako (Setsuko Hara) live with their father Shukichi (played by Ozu’s favourite actor Chishu Ryu). Each nurses her own personal sorrow but when Akiko falls into desperate trouble she turns away from her family. Ozu’s last film in black and white, Tokyo Twilight is a masterpiece of atmospheric chiaroscuro.
Japan / 1957 / black and white / Japanese, English subtitles / DVD 9 / 135 mins / Dolby digital 224kbps / Original aspect ratio 1.33:1
Special features
• Optional score for Woman of Tokyo by Ed Hughes commissioned exclusively for the BFI;
• Illustrated booklet including a newly commissioned essay from Asian cinema expert Tony Rayns and other contributions
Release date: 18 June 2012
RRP: £29.99 / cat. no. BFIVD950 / Cert 12
-
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Preordered this in March from Amazon.co.uk and just received an e-mail from them notifying me it's been shipped. Can't wait!
- NABOB OF NOWHERE
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Please let Dragnet Girl be in the next batch. Ozu Hoods anyone?
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
I wish this new set constituted an _upgrade_ from the Criterion versions of Early Summer and Tokyo Twilight. ;~}
- Anthony
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
I hear ya, big time... wink, wink.NABOB OF NOWHERE wrote:Please let Dragnet Girl be in the next batch. Ozu Hoods anyone?
- manicsounds
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- antnield
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
...as does MovieScope.
- Peacock
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:47 pm
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Weird... I'm guessing this is the same source that Criterion used then? I didn't think the Tartan disk had this issue. Really kicking myself for selling that...The Digital Fix wrote:There is one issue that separates Early Spring from Tokyo Twilight however, and that is what appears to be some sort of interlacing or de-interlacing “glitch” that mire the Tokyo Twilight transfer at periodic intervals throughout the film. This appears as jagged lines running through the image in a sort of “wave”, and can be quite distracting for brief amount of time it occurs.
- MichaelB
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
In virtually all cases (I think Good Morning is the only exception), the BFI either used Shochiku's or Criterion's masters.
- antnield
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
The Gangster Films
The latest volume in the BFI's ongoing releases of the works of Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu focuses on his crime films. These rare, silent works mix the thrills of western filmmaking with compositions that served as a forerunner to his renowned, mature, post-war style. All films are here presented with newly commissioned scores by Ed Hughes.
Titles comprise: Walk Cheerfully, That Night's Wife & Dragnet Girl
- MichaelB
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
No great surprise (after the Student Comedies, this box was all but inevitable), but I'm delighted it's definitely on the horizon.
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Looks like a must-have set. I guess, though, it should be "Gangster" Films (as these would-be American-style gangsters had very little resemblance to anything in real life).
I am beginning to worry that Tokyo Inn might not be included in BFI's release plans -- maybe they consider the source too damaged?
I am beginning to worry that Tokyo Inn might not be included in BFI's release plans -- maybe they consider the source too damaged?
Last edited by Michael Kerpan on Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Cash Flagg
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
According to that Play.com link, the one extra is 'The only surviving fragment of A Straightforward Boy'.
- reno dakota
- Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:30 am
Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
I've heard folks refer to Tokyo Inn, Passing Fancy, and A Story of Floating Weeds as the 'Kihachi trilogy.' I wonder if those three might be released together at some point (assuming, of course, that the BFI does not have the rights to Floating Weeds).Michael Kerpan wrote:I am beginning to worry that Tokyo Inn might not be included in BFI's release plans -- maybe they consider the source to damaged?
- NABOB OF NOWHERE
- Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:30 pm
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
This is the luckiest I've ever been I think it might be time to try the lottery.NABOB OF NOWHERE wrote:Please let Dragnet Girl be in the next batch. Ozu Hoods anyone?
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Story of Floating Weeds seems (to me) to be in good enough shape to justify a Blu-Ray release (unlike almost all the other silents).reno dakota wrote:I've heard folks refer to Tokyo Inn, Passing Fancy, and A Story of Floating Weeds as the 'Kihachi trilogy.' I wonder if those three might be released together at some point (assuming, of course, that the BFI does not have the rights to Floating Weeds).
The films featuring Takeshi Sakamoto as Kihachi are no more a "trilogy" than the films starring Setsuko Hara as Noriko. I guess it's okay a pure marketing gimmick... ;~}
- MichaelB
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
It's just been confirmed that the BFI doesn't have the rights to Floating Weeds...reno dakota wrote:I've heard folks refer to Tokyo Inn, Passing Fancy, and A Story of Floating Weeds as the 'Kihachi trilogy.' I wonder if those three might be released together at some point (assuming, of course, that the BFI does not have the rights to Floating Weeds).Michael Kerpan wrote:I am beginning to worry that Tokyo Inn might not be included in BFI's release plans -- maybe they consider the source to damaged?
...because it's coming out as a dual-format release in December, courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
- effigy105
- Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 1:30 pm
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Amazon.co.uk currently claim the Gangster set is being released April 29th, 2013. I'm kind of hoping Play.com's December release date is a little more on the mark as I've already got all excited about this.
- feckless boy
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 4:38 pm
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Floating Weeds (1959) and A Story of Floating Weeds (1934) are of course two different films...The latter is also a Shochiku production like the rest of the Ozu films that BFI has released so far. So unless MoC has acquired the rights for A Story of Floating Weeds I don't see why it wouldn't end up being released by BFI.MichaelB wrote:It's just been confirmed that the BFI doesn't have the rights to Floating Weeds...reno dakota wrote:I've heard folks refer to Tokyo Inn, Passing Fancy, and A Story of Floating Weeds as the 'Kihachi trilogy.' I wonder if those three might be released together at some point (assuming, of course, that the BFI does not have the rights to Floating Weeds).Michael Kerpan wrote:I am beginning to worry that Tokyo Inn might not be included in BFI's release plans -- maybe they consider the source to damaged?
...because it's coming out as a dual-format release in December, courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
- zedz
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm
Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
How does that contradict what Michael posted?
Nobody's suggesting that the BFI doesn't have the rights to A Story of Floating Weeds.
Nobody's suggesting that the BFI doesn't have the rights to A Story of Floating Weeds.
- feckless boy
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 4:38 pm
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
As you can see I'm quoting more than one poster, and I thought that reno and MichaelBs post were potentially confusing to anyone not familiar with Ozu's filmography. If my post in any way muddied the water further, I apologize to all involved.zedz wrote:How does that contradict what Michael posted?
Nobody's suggesting that the BFI doesn't have the rights to A Story of Floating Weeds.
-
- Joined: Sat Jul 28, 2012 6:46 pm
Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Is anyone keeping track of the remaining films to be released? By my count, excluding December's release, the following titles are still candidates:
Tokyo Chorus
An Inn in Tokyo
A Story of Floating Weeds
Record of a Tenant Gentleman
The Munekata Sisters
The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice
Floating Weeds
End of Summer
Three of these are already available through Criterion, but it would be so nice to see BFI cover all the remaining titles. Did I miss anything?
Tokyo Chorus
An Inn in Tokyo
A Story of Floating Weeds
Record of a Tenant Gentleman
The Munekata Sisters
The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice
Floating Weeds
End of Summer
Three of these are already available through Criterion, but it would be so nice to see BFI cover all the remaining titles. Did I miss anything?
- Askew
- Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:23 pm
Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
Floating Weeds will be released by Masters of Cinema.
- MichaelB
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Re: BFI: 32 Ozu Films
The BFI originally promised 32 titles, and we already know the identity of 25 of them (i.e. 22 released, three announced). If we assume that The End of Summer is the other one that the BFI doesn't have (because, like Floating Weeds, it was also licensed by Artificial Eye at the time the BFI struck a deal with Shochiku), that leaves these as the most likely candidates:
• Tokyo Chorus
• An Inn in Tokyo
• A Story of Floating Weeds
• Record of a Tenant Gentleman
• The Munekata Sisters
• The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice
• Tokyo Chorus
• An Inn in Tokyo
• A Story of Floating Weeds
• Record of a Tenant Gentleman
• The Munekata Sisters
• The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice