BFI: 32 Ozu Films

[fiddlesticks]

32 films! Isn't that just about everything that survives in complete form? That news is a hell of a belated Christmas present!

It seems to be, and even appears to include the 1935 short Kagami Shishi (Kagamijishi on their list), something I didn't know still survived.

[Wu.Qinghua]

32 films! Isn't that just about everything that survives in complete form?

Well, on the one hand, it is good news. But on the other hand, I am afraid that the BFI's effort to release so many films made by a director, who is not really underrepresented on DVD, might involve, that of lot of other, lesser know films, which were made by more unsung, lesser canonized and more subversive directors, actors etc. (guess whom I am talking about), will remain in the vaults for quite some time.
I would be much happier if I had just read that the BFI is planning to release about 5 Art Theatre Guild productions in the next 5 years, as I am quite happy with the few Criterion discs lurking on the shelf behind me.

[Felix]

There's 34 titles in the BFI Southbank Ozu season, of which END OF SUMMER & FLOATING WEEDS are already out from AE DVD in UK/IRL R2, so the remaining 32 titles are presumably what we can expect from BFI on DVD (& sometimes Blu Ray)...

Wow, 32. That is pretty impressive, wish I had seen the news before Christmas... I have all the current releases (26?) but would love to get my hands on those I don't have and get some of the Panoramas in better editions, if they are better editions.

Based on Michael's comment it is a pretty fast track release schedule, averaging one a month (!), so I don't know how viable it is commercially and I wonder if they are releasing the best known first to see what the level of interest is. I hope it is sufficient after Tartan and CC both having been there already (my BluRay bete noire may assist in getting people to double dip, loathe though I am to admit it) and I hope nothing puts the blockers on until they get the rarities out there. Not sure how keen they would be to do the book given that it is available online already, but a book would be more user friendly to be sure.

[Caged Horse]

A quick peek at one of my Ozu books, and it seems he directed 54 (!!!) films, with 18 lost completely and 2 (A Straightforward Boy and A Mother Should Be Loved) only existing in incomplete versions.

Presumably then the BFI's 32 titles together with the 2 DVDs currently available from Artificial Eye would represent his entire intact, extant output on R2 DVD.

[MichaelB]

But on the other hand, I am afraid that the BFI's effort to release so many films made by a director, who is not really underrepresented on DVD, might involve, that of lot of other, lesser know films, which were made by more unsung, lesser canonized and more subversive directors, actors etc. (guess whom I am talking about), will remain in the vaults for quite some time.

I don't know the precise ins and outs of the Ozu deal, but I suspect the source masters aren't being created in-house from scratch by the BFI - and that these releases will therefore entail a fair bit less production time and resources than, say, the BFI's various documentary or Flipside sets, where they really do go right back to celluloid basics.

Also, with the best will in the world, you can't just release the obscure rarities and hope for the best. These forums are not representative of the DVD-buying public as a whole, and the fact is that it's the likes of Tokyo Story and Late Spring that will subsidise the lesser-known titles, both financially in terms of stronger sales and culturally in terms of providing an easy way in to the rest of Ozu's work.

And, talking of taking impulse plunges, isn't this the first time Ozu's films have been released individually on DVD in Britain?

[zedz]

Much as I'd love to see a 'Complete ATG' box set (or even a few choice titles) from the BFI, releasing what amounts to 'The Complete Ozu' is about as far from a safe option as anybody anywhere is doing with DVD at the moment. The fifties films may have been around the block a few times, but the thirties and forties ones have hardly seen the light of day in decent subtitled versions. Having these films finally available is as important to film culture as having all of Shakespeare's plays in print, not just Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet.

And those who consider Ozu 'the establishment' have short memories (it's only in the last ten years that more than a handful of his films have been generally accessible) and need to catch up with his wilder silents like Dragnet Girl.

[Wu.Qinghua]

Er, I think you got me wrong ... I wasn't complaining about the BFI releasing those 30+ discs. And I wasn't asking for all the ATG productions but just a handful of them spread over a few years (I didn't even do that, to be exact). I am neither a collector nor a completist and I know that it's hard to get the rights.
But: First, I was just wondering what the consequences of the BFI releasing all those Ozu discs might be - and keep in mind, that Criterion's just published the AK box and announced BluRay versions of quite a few of those films, haven't they? Well, first thing to happen is, that retailers have reduced the prices of older versions and other Japanese discs. Fine with me. But what will happen in the longer run? Will someone else release some kind of a huge Mizoguchi box? And will there be enough space or demand to release other movies by Japanese etc. directors like Oshima, Yoshida, Wakamatsu etc., who aren't as well-known as Ozu, Kurosawa and Co? We'll see ...
Second, I don't claim to be an Ozu expert, but I think it can't be denied that his movies share a kind of middle-class sensibility, can it? And I guess that's also true for those early films I have seen yet (Eclipse and Weeds), though I will most likely grab one or two or even more of his silent and early sound movies when they will have been released by BFI.

[zedz]

Well, I don't see it as an either / or situation. For the longest time nobody was much interested in issuing Oshima or Ozu. I'm glad the latter has finally (and this is only after about forty years of critical insistence in the west) achieved the kind of profile that makes this sort of release programme possible. And if these releases are successful, then we might see some more movement into more 'challenging' areas of Japanese cinema - and I can only say, bring it on! (And there are some spiffing Yoshida masters out there awaiting the attention of an enterprising English language company).

But I don't think we should use the mere existence of more politically or stylistically radical Japanese cinema as a stick to beat up on Ozu's supposedly 'middle class' cinema. They're two very different kettles of mackerel and two very different kinds of release prospects.

And I'd also take issue with the kneejerk 'middle class' characterisation. Familiarity breeds contempt, I guess, but formally Ozu's films are anything but conventional or conservative. Dragnet Girl might have an overt visual eccentricity closer to Seijun Suzuki, but I consider Ozu's mature style far more radical in the way it handles cinematic space. And a lot of those early films are more concerned with proletarian and sub-proletarian (or criminal) characters than anything recognisably 'middle class'.

[Tommaso]

But I don't think we should use the mere existence of more politically or stylistically radical Japanese cinema as a stick to beat up on Ozu's supposedly 'middle class' cinema. They're two very different kettles of mackerel and two very different kinds of release prospects.

Furthermore, Oshima/ATG and Ozu come from two different time periods with only a little overlap at the very end of Ozu's career. So the complaint should rather read: why the complete Ozu and not an extensive collection of Naruse, Shimizu or the complete (only three films) Yamanaka? But as has been said before, apart from his post 1950-work, the Ozu-on-DVD situation isn't as good ( in terms of quality releases) as it might seem at first glance, so this project is very welcome, though I would assume that at least the lesser known silents might end up in box sets instead of individual releases. We'll see.

[MichaelB]

So the complaint should rather read: why the complete Ozu and not an extensive collection of Naruse, Shimizu or the complete (only three films) Yamanaka?

Well, the simple reason is that Ozu is widely recognised, even amongst those who haven't seen any of his films (or just Tokyo Story) as one of the cinema's tiny handful of supreme masters. By contrast, the other three were all but unknown outside Japanese specialist circles until very recently, and I'd be quite surprised if the majority of even reasonably well-informed British film buffs could place Yamanaka or even Shimizu without prompting.

You also have to bear in mind that it's not exactly a secret that the Naruse and Mizoguchi box sets released over the last couple of years haven't exactly been commercial blockbusters, despite their extremely high technical and curatorial standards - considerably higher than Ozu has received in Britain to date. And as Zedz points out, once you stray off the familiar 1950s/60s beaten track, you're exploring largely unknown territory if you haven't been importing - and the percentage of the BFI's target market that's gone as far as importing the Japanese Panorama discs must be small to the point of statistical irrelevance.

[ellipsis7]

I'll certainly be replacing my Panorama discs - there's 9 of them still in service on my shelf (PASSING FANCY have been superseded by the Eclipse disc) - plus I think a further 9 titles in the BFI Southbank season not released anywhere on DVD with Eng subs - so that's about 18 BFI DVDs to be picked up, plus all Blus they release of what I have in Criterion/Eclipse editions, starting with TOKYO STORY... BTW the Panorama discs are Hong Kong originated, not Japan, their silent releases having the quaint feature of a loud Dolby Digital sting prefacing complete silence over the features!...

[Caged Horse]

As far back as 1929's I Graduated, But..., wannabe revolutionaries have criticised Ozu's satirical sense of resignation for being insufficiently ideological.

I thought it was generally agreed upon now that Ozu's unique approach to plotting, continuity editing and conspicuously meticulous, low-height mise-en-scene developed over his career into a radical, modernistic departure from the classical cinema.

[MichaelB]

BTW the Panorama discs are Hong Kong originated, not Japan

Which rather proves my point - I myself haven't imported any!

[Tommaso]

You also have to bear in mind that it's not exactly a secret that the Naruse and Mizoguchi box sets released over the last couple of years haven't exactly been commercial blockbusters, despite their extremely high technical and curatorial standards - considerably higher than Ozu has received in Britain to date. And as Zedz points out, once you stray off the familiar 1950s/60s beaten track, you're exploring largely unknown territory if you haven't been importing - and the percentage of the BFI's target market that's gone as far as importing the Japanese Panorama discs must be small to the point of statistical irrelevance.

Yes, I'm fully aware of that; I was just commenting on the Ozu-Oshima comparison. The question is, however, how many BFI customers will stray off the track to buy Ozu silents, even if they come from the BFI. Those who will buy these (and I surely will be among them) are probably the same minority that would also buy Shimizu or Naruse discs if they were available.

[MichaelB]

The question is, however, how many BFI customers will stray off the track to buy Ozu silents, even if they come from the BFI. Those who will buy these (and I surely will be among them) are probably the same minority that would also buy Shimizu or Naruse discs if they were available.

Not necessarily - Ozu is a much bigger name in terms of basic recognition, and there's bound to be an element of people buying the silents just out of completism.

[ellipsis7]

BTW the Panorama discs are Hong Kong originated, not Japan

Which rather proves my point - I myself haven't imported any!

The Panorama discs provided a great stopgap with otherwise missing titles, but this BFI project is simply fantastic!... Clearly very few punters in the UK/IRL region will have gone for the (albeit quite cheap) HK releases, and obviously there's quite some room for improvement now in the new transfers and the felicity and flow of the English subtitling...

Michael, might BFI Publishing reissue a new edition of David Bordwell's 'Ozu & the Poetics of Cinema'? It might help to contextualise the DVD/Blu Ray releases, and was of course originally published by BFI with Princeton... Precedent would be Nowell-Smith's 'Luchino Visconti' reissued in new edition to coincide with I think NFT Visconti season and release of LA TERRA TREMA & OSSESSIONE on DVD back in 2003...

[Wu.Qinghua]

Oh, I am a bit late now ...

I'm definitively not complaing about the BFI releasing Ozu's oeuvre on DVD. I am sorry, if I gave that impression. I admit that I was some kind of surprised when I checked this morning how many of his films have been released by American and British companies. I thought much more of his films would be available in decent editions than there actually are. Furthermore, I just received some packages with Asian discs, which reminded me that the Panorama discs most likely feature not only poor transfers, but also dreadful English subtitles throughout. Hence I really appreciate BFI's plans, today even more than yesterday.

Another thing is, that I am still wondering about the long time consequences of these huge DVD/BR edition projects. Will MoC come up next with a Mizoguchi's Collected Works? Will there be enough discursive space as well as temporal and financial ressources (on the side of the publishers as well as on the side of the potential customers) left for less canonized Japanese/Asian DVD/BR releases in the nearer future? I am not sure about that. I don't see it as an either/or situation, as I am well aware, that Criterion, BFI etc. may also help to create a demand for less well-known movies by releasing the works of Kurosawa, Ozu etc. in the first place. But we can't take that for certain, can we? I am very curious about any further developments.

@ Tommaso: Well, I got your point, but I dissent in some way. I think both requests are legitimate and viable as there's not one sole alternative to Ozu, is there? Some may ask for more and different early and silent cinema, some for more New Wave or leftist or else ... I guess all those requests should be considered to be possible?

@Zedz: Well, many thanks for making me aware of 'Dragnet Girl'. I'll rent it over the weekend if I'll find the time to watch it. As I have already written, I haven't seen many Ozu films and can't claim to make definitive statements, but I still hold up my impression that his movies share some kind of middle-class sensibility. Saying this, I don't mean to label them as 'bourgeois' through and through or brand them as aesthetically conservative or something like this. I am not that familiar with aesthetic debates, but I concede that, as far as I have seen them, his movies were beautifully crafted; I hope I don't discredit myself by writing these plain words. Speaking of a middle-class sensibility I refer mostly to the narratives Ozu develops and the way he portrays and frames his characters, like, for example, those acquiescent salarymen in these early family dramas, trying to make a living, keep their family together and find their place in society.

[MichaelB]

Michael, might BFI Publishing reissue a new edition of David Bordwell's 'Ozu & the Poetics of Cinema'? It might help to contextualise the DVD/Blu Ray releases, and was of course originally published by BFI with Princeton... Precedent would be Nowell-Smith's 'Luchino Visconti' reissued in new edition to coincide with I think NFT Visconti season and release of LA TERRA TREMA & OSSESSIONE on DVD back in 2003...

I've no idea, but you can probably take it as read that someone connected with this project has thoroughly researched every scrap of Ozu documentation that's been previously published by the BFI, if only in search of booklet copy.

[ellipsis7]

Yes, there's also a slender BFI Dossier on OZU from 1976 edited by John Gillett and David Wilson, my copy bears the princely pricetag of 25 pence! Absolutely know this will be a superb collection coming from BFI...

[MichaelB]

Another thing is, that I am still wondering about the long time consequences of these huge DVD/BR edition projects. Will MoC come up next with a Mizoguchi's Collected Works? Will there be enough discursive space as well as temporal and financial ressources (on the side of the publishers as well as on the side of the potential customers) left for less canonized Japanese/Asian DVD/BR releases in the nearer future? I am not sure about that. I don't see it as an either/or situation,

It categorically isn't an either/or situation. The BFI has no track record in releasing obscure Japanese titles, and it has no pretensions towards being a specialist Asian label - Masters of Cinema has gone much further down that particular route, along with other independents like Yume and the old Tartan.

For a practical demonstration, if you look down its current list of Japanese DVDs, you'll see that the overwhelming majority are by Kurosawa, three by Naruse, and and the rest are firmly canonical entries like Kon Ichikawa's An Actor's Revenge and the original Godzilla: the kind of thing that would conceivably have across-the-board arthouse appeal.

So I assure you that the fact that the BFI is releasing 32 Ozu films does not mean that 32 alternative Japanese titles are being pushed off the schedule to make room!

[Tommaso]

I think both requests are legitimate and viable as there's not one sole alternative to Ozu, is there? Some may ask for more and different early and silent cinema, some for more New Wave or leftist or else ... I guess all those requests should be considered to be possible?

Oh, absolutely, and I didn't want to come across in any negative way. I just see little similarities between Ozu and Oshima, and that was why I mentioned these other names; also because I remembered the 'Ozu bashing' in the CC Forthcoming Releases Thread from last year or so and wanted to point out that these BFI releases are more welcome than they might appear at first glance. But I also would myself want to see more Oshima, for instance. But as Michael has already explained, it is not the case that the BFI would release the same amount of discs from any other Japanese director instead, sad as this market situation may be.

[Dr Amicus]

Genuinely exciting news all round - even moreso than I dared hope when I first posted on the subject.

Dragnet Girl - the very first Ozu film I ever saw. Back in my 1st year Undergrad days at Kent Uni, I went along to most film screenings (they were 16mm or 35mm back then). On the main second year film theory course, one week was spent on Ozu - and the screening in my first year was D.G. But the print only had Japanese intertitles, and so one of our tutors sat at the front and read out translations - which despite our initial scepticism, actually worked rather well. Oh, and the film was wonderful.

[fiddlesticks]

Re: Ozu on Blu-Ray--
Does this mean I need to start saving/shopping for a region B-capable machine? I'd like to hope that the Blu-ray offerings from this series will be all-region, but the looming spectre of Criterion makes me doubt that this will be the case.

[MichaelB]

Re: Ozu on Blu-Ray--
Does this mean I need to start saving/shopping for a region B-capable machine? I'd like to hope that the Blu-ray offerings from this series will be all-region, but the looming spectre of Criterion makes me doubt that this will be the case.

I don't know either way, but the mere fact that they're from a Japanese major studio source suggests that region-locking is far more likely than otherwise. If you remember, even when Criterion was mostly region-free a decade ago they usually still had to lock their Japanese titles.

But I'll confirm for definite as soon as I know.

[tajmahal]

Re: Ozu on Blu-Ray--
Does this mean I need to start saving/shopping for a region B-capable machine? I'd like to hope that the Blu-ray offerings from this series will be all-region, but the looming spectre of Criterion makes me doubt that this will be the case.

I imagine Criterion will do as they do, and cherry pick the most popular titles, maybe with a another Eclipse set.

I'm encouraged by BFI's recent blu-ray output, so here's hoping many of the titles will get the blu treatment. The early silents, and many of the 30's films probably won't benefit much, unless decent prints are available. Someone, somewhere, someday, must look at the ATG catalogue. So many great films. I cherish my custom-subbed ATG collection, and would willingly cough for decent editions. The films really need some love and attention. Terayama not only in English, but in Blu, would be the ducks nuts.