Page 8 - Cine Appétit Issue 01
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Shantaneel Nandi Cine Appétit
clean up the house, walk, etc. He often shoots ignores immersive storytelling, not respecting
from a medium or long shot and very rarely the ‘180 degree Rule’ with reversing camera
chooses a Close-up Shot, showing the placement that disconnects the lines of sight,
audience all the characters together and how keeping the audience at bay and also allowing
they interact with one another, rarely them to understand the feelings of the
highlighting certain actions or expressions of characters & thus to relate or connect with the
the characters for dramatic emphasis. He characters at far deeper level. “Tokyo Story”
places his faith in the audience that they will addresses numerous social issues that not only
be intelligent enough to catch the small applies to Japanese society but universally to
actions & interactions and understand the the whole of the modern civilization. These
objectives & goals of the characters. Within social issues are still relevant and important
the film, cuts are usually used for transitions even to this current generation, which is
between the scenes. Ozu uses shots of amazing considering that the film is already
environment like a ‘lantern’ or view of the more than six decades old. It talks about the
‘Sea’, something mundane to introduce the often exploited conflict of the children &
audience to the next scene and unlike most parents but focuses on the commonly
conventional Hollywood dramas which make overlooked aspects such as the disappointments
use of overwhelming, dramatic music to of parenthood' and the growing change of
emphasize emotion of the characters, in children as they slowly mature and get their
“Tokyo Story” almost all the dialogues are of independence. All these themes are shown in
very calm nature and music only being used “Tokyo Story” through an unbiased and subtle
during scene transitions. It is also worth way. It creates a melodramatic flair but at the
noting that Ozu enjoys using the ‘Rule of heart of this film lies deep ‘Humanism’ &
Thirds’ employing them in his long shots and ‘Emotional Distress’ remaining eternally heart-
transitional shots. Through this he has much aching. To conclude, I must say that this film is
more depth in his shots, truly making every very simple and elegant with an uncomplicated
frame in the film a painting itself. It is through plot tied together by the exemplary use of
this simplistic and anti-climatic film-making cinematography, editing and sound. Ozu has
style by which Ozu forces the audience to truly transformed the simple everyday things
view the scenes from an objective perspective, into insights of society and its people, thus
thus allowing the audience to further deserving of the title as one of the greatest film-
appreciate the subtlety of his scene makers who has ever lived. I therefore conclude
compositions and the actor performances, this review with a quote made by one of the
rather than having the audience to see the greatest film critic: “Sooner or later everyone who
emotions of the characters through dramatic loves movies, comes to Ozu.”-Roger Ebert
close-ups & background music to highlight
emotions like most conventional Hollywood
movies. He
THE EASTERLY ISSUE 01 | SEPT ‘20 |PAGE 08
