One of the trademarks of Yasuhiro Ozu’s family dramas is the remarkably realistic presentation of everyday life in Japan. “The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice” also entails this characteristic, but also moments of comedy that deem the movie quite approachable.
The film revolves around a childless, middle-aged couple in post-war Japan, Taeko and Mokichi. Taeko is deeply unsatisfied with her wedding, and channels her frustration through behaviour that could be perceived extreme at the time, cheating her husband to go on a trip with friends, or going on trips without notifying anyone. Furthermore, she mocks her husband to her girlfriends every chance she gets. Mokichi on the other hand, seems almost oblivious to his wife’s mentality, as he eventually starts frequenting a pachinko parlor run by a former army comrade, along with a young friend, Non. In the middle of this situation is their niece,...
The film revolves around a childless, middle-aged couple in post-war Japan, Taeko and Mokichi. Taeko is deeply unsatisfied with her wedding, and channels her frustration through behaviour that could be perceived extreme at the time, cheating her husband to go on a trip with friends, or going on trips without notifying anyone. Furthermore, she mocks her husband to her girlfriends every chance she gets. Mokichi on the other hand, seems almost oblivious to his wife’s mentality, as he eventually starts frequenting a pachinko parlor run by a former army comrade, along with a young friend, Non. In the middle of this situation is their niece,...
- 5/31/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
There’s nothing like the term ‘Transcendental Style’ to intimidate a filmgoer, but have no fear: Yasujiro Ozu’s tale of a domestic trial is as accessible as I Love Lucy… only more substantial. The transcendental effect is being drawn into Ozu’s minimalist, precisely simplified and mysteriously profound directing style. Ten minutes in you wonder what the big deal is, but not much later one is hanging onto every cut, absorbed by tiny gestures and facial expressions. And yet it all seems natural. The Ozu ‘stasis’ some people mention is not at all static, but an X-Ray into everyday dramatic realities. With an entire second feature by Ozu, What Did the Lady Forget?
The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 989
1952 / B&w / 1:37 flat Academy / 116 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date August 27, 2019 / 39.95
Starring: Shin Saburi, Michiyo Kogure, Koji Tsuruta, Chishu Ryu, Chikage Awashima,...
The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 989
1952 / B&w / 1:37 flat Academy / 116 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date August 27, 2019 / 39.95
Starring: Shin Saburi, Michiyo Kogure, Koji Tsuruta, Chishu Ryu, Chikage Awashima,...
- 8/27/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Picking your favorite Akira Kurosawa film is a tricky choice for any movie fan. From "Rashomon" to "Ran," the great Japanese filmmaker, one of the most beloved and influential directors of all time, knocked out a string of classics in a career that lasted well over 40 years. But more often than not, at the top of the list for Kurosawa fans is "The Seven Samurai," the 1954 samurai epic that redefined the action movie for generations.
Following six samurai (and one pretender, iconically played by Toshiro Mifune) who are recruited by a village of farmers to protect them from bandits, it remains to this day one of the most stirring, thrilling adventures in cinema history, and landed Kurosawa firmly on the map in international cinema. The film was released in Japan 58 years ago today, on April 26th, 1954 (a U.S. release, heavily cut down, would follow 30 months later), and to mark the occasion,...
Following six samurai (and one pretender, iconically played by Toshiro Mifune) who are recruited by a village of farmers to protect them from bandits, it remains to this day one of the most stirring, thrilling adventures in cinema history, and landed Kurosawa firmly on the map in international cinema. The film was released in Japan 58 years ago today, on April 26th, 1954 (a U.S. release, heavily cut down, would follow 30 months later), and to mark the occasion,...
- 4/26/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
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