1954 was one hell of a year for the Japanese film industry. Other than the fact that they're poor after WW2 ended, 1954 was probably the best Japanese film year to date. The 3 greatest directors of Japan, Kenji Mizoguchi, Akira Kurosawa, and Yasujiro Ozu, release by far their greatest creations. (Although Ugetsu was 1953, Sansho the Baliff was also great) Oh and I forgot that GODZILLA was also 1954 too. There's no denying Japanese Cinema was at their peak in 1954. There was Seven Samurai, Sansho the Baliff, Godzilla, and then there's Tokyo Story which is the film we're going to focus on today.
Tokyo Story tells the most simple and boring tale of family about grandparents visiting their son's place for a while and see how everyone is doing. It is hard to describe the power of this film without spoiling the ending. The ending makes up the emotions. The power of boredom is that it is normal, silent, and yet when something happens, we would end up reacting to it for no reason. Boredom is the weapon that Ozu always chose to tell his story.
Each one of his stories have special messages on life that are worth learning about. His stories might be the same, but they each hold power that many people don't see. The camera never moves a single inch. It is one foot above the ground. Moving the camera would mean you would break the power of boredom and you would expect action out of a character. That's why Kurosawa is so moving with his action. Tokyo Story is the perfect and most Japanese film that you'll ever get. Japanese drinking sake, having nice dinners, and overall living their lives to the best. Keep in mind that this film was after WW2 so the film is like an escapist film. The film is like the only source back then that can get Japanese people happy with their lives and help them forget about the war.
Tokyo Story tells the most simple and boring tale of family about grandparents visiting their son's place for a while and see how everyone is doing. It is hard to describe the power of this film without spoiling the ending. The ending makes up the emotions. The power of boredom is that it is normal, silent, and yet when something happens, we would end up reacting to it for no reason. Boredom is the weapon that Ozu always chose to tell his story.
Each one of his stories have special messages on life that are worth learning about. His stories might be the same, but they each hold power that many people don't see. The camera never moves a single inch. It is one foot above the ground. Moving the camera would mean you would break the power of boredom and you would expect action out of a character. That's why Kurosawa is so moving with his action. Tokyo Story is the perfect and most Japanese film that you'll ever get. Japanese drinking sake, having nice dinners, and overall living their lives to the best. Keep in mind that this film was after WW2 so the film is like an escapist film. The film is like the only source back then that can get Japanese people happy with their lives and help them forget about the war.