Cinema of Ozu Yasujiro

Book excerpt: A re-interpretation of the master of Japanese cinema from a socio-historical perspectiveOne of the most well regarded of non-Western film directors, responsible for acknowledged classics like Tokyo Story (1953), Ozu Yasujiro worked during a period of immense turbulence for Japan and its population. This book offers a new interpretation of Ozus career, from his earliest work in the 1920s up to his death in 1963, focusing on Ozus depiction of the everyday life and experiences of ordinary Japanese people during a time of depression, war and economic resurgence. Firmly situating him within the context of the Japanese film industry, Woojeong Joo examines Ozus work as a studio director and his relation to sound cinema, and looks in-depth at his wartime experiences and his adaptation to post-war Japanese society. Drawing on Japanese materials not previously examined in western scholarship, this is a ground-breaking new study of a master of cinema.Case studies include:Ozus shAshimin films Ozus wartime films, including the script of The Flavour of Green Tea over RicePostwar script of The Moon Has RisenTokyo Story