Lives of Common People

Not always something extra-ordinary happens in common people's lives. Does that mean that there is no story to tell from their lives? Why most of the movies in popular culture have to be based on some extra-ordinary people or some extra-ordinary events in ordinary people's lives? Partly because the audience wants a way out of their ordinary life through this medium, I guess; and partly because it is hard to tell ordinary stories in a compelling way. That is why even great filmmakers choose a compelling story or resort to an innovative and compelling narrative or style of film-making. But there are few who chose to tell story of ordinary people in ordinary and simple language, and Yasujiro Ozu was one of them.
Till recently my exposure to Japanese movies were limited to animes and Kurosawa. Kurosawa is great, no doubt about it - wonderful story telling and wonderful insight. But those are not stories of ordinary men. So when I came across the first of Ozu in last December, I didn't know what to expect as that was my first exposure to a movie that covers contemporary Japan. And what I found was the kind of movie I was looking for ... story of ordinary days of ordinary men in ordinary language but in an extra-ordinary movie. The movie was 'End of Summer' that marked my beginning of Ozu. Then recently I got hold the entire series of six films 'Late Ozu'. Six films centered on middle class Japanese families - their journey through love, grief, sorrow, betrayal, insecurities, and struggle. Simple stories, simple people, simple narration, yet compelling.
The six films are 'Early Spring', 'Tokyo Twilight', 'Equinox Flower', 'Late Autamn' and 'End of Summer'. In 'Early Spring', a young couple suffers through their distrust and betrayal before each other before reconciling again. Its the restlessness of early youth. 'Tokyo Twilight' chronicles the turbuelent story of an old man and his two daughters whose mother has fled with another man when they were child. The eleder sister has a fragile marriage and the yoinger is suffering from identity crisis as she is betrayed by her lover. The old father in 'Equinox Flower' is often busy in advising trouble friends and their children about romantic relationships, but can't really cope up with his own daughter's relationships. It a classic story of differences of perception of love and marriage between the father and the daughter. In 'Late Autamn' friends of a late Mr. Miwa try to arrange a suitable match for his daughter as well as Mrs. Miwa only to make things complicated in the mother and daughter's life. At the 'End of the Summer' the children of an old businessman tries to cope up with their father's illlicit affair as the father's life comes to an end.
The people in Ozu's films are simple people, most of them are salaried persons. Their relationships are all entangled. They are full of wrongs and rights. They are predictable and that is why they are "ordinary".
The way Ozu tells the stories of these people is also very simple. Mostly static shots. Camera sits in between twe person framing each of them in the center as they converse with each other. It gives an impression of just sitting in between them for the audience. All his indoor shots are taken from a low angle, as if its being seen throgh the eye of someone who is sitting on the mat. It feels as if the viewer is stting right in the room with the characters. Then the transition shots are just some static shots of some objects reflecting the mood of the film. There is nothing catchy, nothing complicated. The characters act calmly as they sort through their lives. The movies are portrayal of life as it is.
Ozu's films make you relaize, as told by one of his characters in 'Late Autamn', "Life is simple, only people make it complicated".

End of Summer

This is my first encounter with Ozu. In fact this is my first encounter with any other Japanese cinema other than Samurai movies (and of course Rashomon, I don't like it to be tagged as Samurai movie). And Samurai movies are always little overwhelmingly active. So when I read in the leaflet that its a family drama, I didn't know what to expect. So I started watching in a free mind.
The story is simple. Manbei, the widowed father has a small sake company in Osaka. He has three daughters, widowed elder daughter Akiko, married second daughter Fumiko and yougest daughter Noriko. Fumiko's husband Hisao now runs the sake shop for his father in law. The movie opens with Manbei's brother bringing a marriage proposal for Akiko. As we go along we find there is a proposal for Norika, too. The family starts discussing over the proposals, whether Akiko is ready to marry again, whether Noriko would like to marry the wealthy guy they have selected, because that will save their business. Meanwhile there is something worng with the father, Manbei; he is spending a lot of time outside. Finally everyone finds out that he has met his old flame Tsune, who now resides at Kyoto, and their old affair is burning again. With this discovery the family gets disturbed. Fumiko tries to intimidate her father. Then one day after a family reunion at Kyoto, Manbei gets ill - a stroke, may be. The family gets concerned. Fumiko feels guilty, may be her taunts about father's affair was too hard on him. As Manbei recovers, we see the eldest and the youngest daughters, Akiko and Noriko discussing over the proposals, what should be good for them, for the family, for everyone; should they marry the persons or not. Then one day when Manbei has almost completely recovered, he sneaks out of the house to meet Tsune. That evening he has another attack, and dies at Tsune's. Everyone gets together again. But now its for the funeral of the cheerful old man who lived his life to the fullest. The movie ends as the family goes to the crematory.
A simple story, no dramatization. A simple narration. It reminded me of Satyajit Ray's style of story telling. Especially of 'Kanchenjungha'. Similar family story, similar kind of tension between generations. Sequences of Akiko and Noriko's discussion about their future generates a playful image of the youth. Whereas when Manbei and Tsune are around a tone of nostalgia floats over. Its a tale of two generations trying to live happy and enjoy the life; and for that reason someone has to refuse a wealthy proposal in spite of dire needs and someone has to go out side the social rules. Thats how life poses a set of choices in front of everyone. And only you can choose you way of enjoying life. The last words of Manbei was "Is that it? Is that all life has got?" Manbei had his share of life. Now its up to Noriko and her sisters to decide how to live theirs.
There is certain kind of warmth that floats around over the whole cinema. Akiko and Noriko discusses bout love and getting older on the riverside; Manbei and Tsune discuss about their first moonlight adventure of life; Manbei and his grandson play hide-and-seek; Fumiko makes whole hearted confessions at the reunion dinner ... all is so homely, so warm. There is nothing special about it; and that is what it is special about! It feels like story of our own lives, lives of common people.
The narrative is very fluent, simple and homely. Not a single event of dramatization. Its so natural. The transitions are very natural. Ozu uses some still shots of objects as a transition - objects of their daily life. A lot of shots are shot in a low angle as if viewed from eyes of someone, who is sitting on the floor. It gives a new perspective, as if the audience become a part of the family. I don't know anything about Japanese families but I never felt out of place while watching it. Thats what a master film maker does, he makes you involved in his way of life!