JAPANESE FILMS

Analysis of “There Was A Father”, 00:48:00 – 00:53:59

The father and the son visit the small hot-spring resort to spend a weekend. From what I can gather, the location is Shiobara Onsen in Tochigi prefecture. I was not able to identify the exact location of the inn and the hot spa. In any case, the visit to a hot-spring resort plays a pivotal role in Ozu’s films. For example, in “The Flavor of Rice Over Green Tea”, Taeko and her friends visit the (very expensive and luxurious) hot-spring resort in Shuzenji and have fun. In “Tokyo Story”, the resort is the least pleasant place for the elderly couple. …

  /
Uncategorized

Analysis of “There Was A Father”, 00:42:00 – 00:47:59

Shohei Imamura, a very prominent Japanese film director (Pigs and Battleships, The Ballad of Narayama, The Eel), was once Ozu’s assistant. He immensely hated Ozu’s style of film direction and asked to be relieved from the position. To him, Ozu had always picked the worst take out of tens of retakes. Ozu’s endless retake was infamous in the studio, as he kept saying no until actors and actresses were so exhausted that their uniqueness were stripped off. Imamura found nothing to be learned from Ozu’s direction. It is true that many of the acting in Ozu’s films look unnatural and …

  /
JAPANESE FILMS

Analysis of “There Was A Father”, 00:36:00 – 00:41:59

A visit to Hirata’s home is another example of two-room staging coupled with a small room in the back. This scene echoes the earlier scene at Horikawa’s home when they discussed about Horikawa’s decision to resign his position. While the earlier scene opened with a troubled expression on Hirata’s face, here we have the more jovial smile on his face. Hirata is also a widower, but lives with his daughter (Nami) and young son (Seiichi). The contrast with Horikawa’s father-son relationship is revealing. They are living together, they have a home of their own, and they have their own privacy. …

  /