poliphilo: (Default)
poliphilo ([personal profile] poliphilo) wrote2007-06-08 11:23 am

Ozu

Ozu is like a dogme director in the way he restricts himself.

The camera never moves, it's always positioned low down, the screenplay fastidiously sidesteps drama. 

But unlike the dogme directors, he's not just exercising his virtuosity.

When his characters sit and look at one of those raked sand gardens with rocks in them, they're doing what he expects his audience to do.

The camera puts us on our knees before his people. We pay them respect.

We contemplate their lives- their very ordinary lives.

The longer we gaze on the surface the more we see into the depths.

[identity profile] karenkay.livejournal.com 2007-06-08 12:06 pm (UTC)(link)
raked gravel

This is a good description of Ozu. "Tokyo Story" is one of my favorite films ever.

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2007-06-08 12:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I just bought myself a boxed set of 3 Ozu films- including Tokyo Story- and am working my way through it.

[identity profile] seaslug-of-doom.livejournal.com 2007-06-09 07:10 am (UTC)(link)
Odd you should bring him up just as I'm going to watch the latter of the two versions of his film, Floating Weeds.

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2007-06-09 09:06 am (UTC)(link)
I just bought a boxed set of three of his movies and I'm working my way through it.