Urbanization in movies discusses the situation when the city lures everyone to make it the happening place of its own. The process has become rapid and still seems to be accumulating more than it supposed to. Director Yasujiro Ozu in this 1953 story makes it as a back drop and how much it has affected and sucked the energy along with the emotions. But more than the concept of that comes out something which will be a time capsule. It serves as one now and will do it ever for the times to come.
Two old couple (Chishu Riyu and Chieko Higashiyama) from a village head out to meet their son and daughter in Tokyo. Without much details and in fact relationship, things happen over the screen. It takes some twenty minutes to understand who their son, their daughter and daughter-in-law is. It may be a symbolic hint to the viewers that they have become some one else and it takes the same amount of time for the parents to get used to like us. The mother is the softest natured human being you can ever find. She does not speak much against her husband. When they are packing for their trip, she asks her husband where the air pillow is and he says that it was given to her. She again asks him in a while and he says the same. Couple of minutes later, he finds it among his clothes and says here it is. She says that’s good. I mean this is the perfect opportunity for every couple to get into fight or as for her when it is realized that the mistake is on the husband’s side, there will be a sarcastic comment from her, but here nothing happens. And the husband does not apologize either. That two minute scene is their relationship; they are the typical old couple. Two things are that either they perfectly understanding or it is not a big deal to apologize or start a fight for a small issue. Both shows their maturity, they have seen the life and they know it better. This is the detailing the movie takes to.
The style appears to be dragged upon and nothing happening. But that’s how the situation is, nothing seem to happen. When they get there things are nice and the usual greetings are painted upon. The formal enquiries which including them and the viewers know is going to change dramatically. But it does not. It changes like it happens in real life. A small frustration or feeling of being burden brings down their emotions, still in a very small quantity. The son is extremely busy that he cannot spare a Sunday with his parents. They understand it but does not able to digest the fact that life has taken every one so fast that they seem to be left behind. Being a parent and seeing their kids have their own life brings happiness, but also a melancholic shadow in their face. The shadow of them being dependent and the kids being independent. But they know the reality and travel along with it. Still in the midst of this, there is a character which simply goes that extra mile and spends that extra minute for them. Their dead son’s wife Noriko (Setsuko Hara). She lives alone and does not hesitate to take a day off to spend with them and also take them around Tokyo.
Their elder daughter is vocal and believes in exterior emotions in everything. And it is another brilliance of her running a beauty parlour. She tells everything she did in a manner which can irritate any one. She decides for her parents and feels irritated if they did not feel the same. Her affections towards them are with some intentions. She with her brother sends them to an inexpensive vacation. Not being able to spend time with them, this is the best way she realizes. And when they return without notice, she gets even more frustrated. But there seem to be reason for her distress too. The father comes back drunk that night with his buddies. Not a good act but he gets carried away meeting his old friends. And when she hears the news that her mother is ill, she asks his brother whether to take mourning dress. Immediately she says that she will be happy not to use it. And when Kyoko (Kyôko Kagawa), the youngest daughter asks Noriko why they are selfish, we seem to get an honest answer from Noriko. While it is true what she says, she just seems to be nice in covering up for the other daughter.
Either you are in the busiest city or a calm village, during work day there is an unexplainable loneliness and void of silence. Both in the times of the movie and now, it remains the same. The chirping of birds with sunshine so bright to blind the eyes and the shadow of trees, building or hut and being inside the home brings in the peace. At the same time, it also reminds that the world is acting busy and crazy that we are all being left out of it. The television has only increased the loneliness and frustration than to subside it. This feeling is brought in the movie by showing the outside environment in between the calm scenes. Take it the smoke filled industrial outlook of Tokyo, the exotic beach with mountains and the train station in the small village of Onomichi, director uses that technique of solitude in an essence of frustration. You know it is uncomfortable but it is life.
This movie is a drama with no melodramatic moments and yet carries the heavy feeling. We hate some and love some. We don’t know the details. We don’t know the time frame. We also don’t know how good of father and mother they were. We only know that old age is something to be dealt upon and it takes a hard old mind to deal with it. Like Noriko, we want to help them but there is a life developed for everyone and the act of being selfish becomes eventuality.
Two old couple (Chishu Riyu and Chieko Higashiyama) from a village head out to meet their son and daughter in Tokyo. Without much details and in fact relationship, things happen over the screen. It takes some twenty minutes to understand who their son, their daughter and daughter-in-law is. It may be a symbolic hint to the viewers that they have become some one else and it takes the same amount of time for the parents to get used to like us. The mother is the softest natured human being you can ever find. She does not speak much against her husband. When they are packing for their trip, she asks her husband where the air pillow is and he says that it was given to her. She again asks him in a while and he says the same. Couple of minutes later, he finds it among his clothes and says here it is. She says that’s good. I mean this is the perfect opportunity for every couple to get into fight or as for her when it is realized that the mistake is on the husband’s side, there will be a sarcastic comment from her, but here nothing happens. And the husband does not apologize either. That two minute scene is their relationship; they are the typical old couple. Two things are that either they perfectly understanding or it is not a big deal to apologize or start a fight for a small issue. Both shows their maturity, they have seen the life and they know it better. This is the detailing the movie takes to.
The style appears to be dragged upon and nothing happening. But that’s how the situation is, nothing seem to happen. When they get there things are nice and the usual greetings are painted upon. The formal enquiries which including them and the viewers know is going to change dramatically. But it does not. It changes like it happens in real life. A small frustration or feeling of being burden brings down their emotions, still in a very small quantity. The son is extremely busy that he cannot spare a Sunday with his parents. They understand it but does not able to digest the fact that life has taken every one so fast that they seem to be left behind. Being a parent and seeing their kids have their own life brings happiness, but also a melancholic shadow in their face. The shadow of them being dependent and the kids being independent. But they know the reality and travel along with it. Still in the midst of this, there is a character which simply goes that extra mile and spends that extra minute for them. Their dead son’s wife Noriko (Setsuko Hara). She lives alone and does not hesitate to take a day off to spend with them and also take them around Tokyo.
Their elder daughter is vocal and believes in exterior emotions in everything. And it is another brilliance of her running a beauty parlour. She tells everything she did in a manner which can irritate any one. She decides for her parents and feels irritated if they did not feel the same. Her affections towards them are with some intentions. She with her brother sends them to an inexpensive vacation. Not being able to spend time with them, this is the best way she realizes. And when they return without notice, she gets even more frustrated. But there seem to be reason for her distress too. The father comes back drunk that night with his buddies. Not a good act but he gets carried away meeting his old friends. And when she hears the news that her mother is ill, she asks his brother whether to take mourning dress. Immediately she says that she will be happy not to use it. And when Kyoko (Kyôko Kagawa), the youngest daughter asks Noriko why they are selfish, we seem to get an honest answer from Noriko. While it is true what she says, she just seems to be nice in covering up for the other daughter.
Either you are in the busiest city or a calm village, during work day there is an unexplainable loneliness and void of silence. Both in the times of the movie and now, it remains the same. The chirping of birds with sunshine so bright to blind the eyes and the shadow of trees, building or hut and being inside the home brings in the peace. At the same time, it also reminds that the world is acting busy and crazy that we are all being left out of it. The television has only increased the loneliness and frustration than to subside it. This feeling is brought in the movie by showing the outside environment in between the calm scenes. Take it the smoke filled industrial outlook of Tokyo, the exotic beach with mountains and the train station in the small village of Onomichi, director uses that technique of solitude in an essence of frustration. You know it is uncomfortable but it is life.
This movie is a drama with no melodramatic moments and yet carries the heavy feeling. We hate some and love some. We don’t know the details. We don’t know the time frame. We also don’t know how good of father and mother they were. We only know that old age is something to be dealt upon and it takes a hard old mind to deal with it. Like Noriko, we want to help them but there is a life developed for everyone and the act of being selfish becomes eventuality.
1 comment:
Dey,
just saw the movie review in "anandha Vikatan" last week and infact i wanted to tell you about this movie and ask you to watch it...unakku sollanumaa....enjoy maadi...
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