Ozu - Vol. 2 on DVD

K from Staffordshire , 15/02/2006

Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice is an honest and beautifully observed tale of a marriage that has ground to halt. Touching and honest but also filled with humour and vivacity, this film is a real delight. Great dialogue, flawless performances and Ozu’s masterful direction make the film a truly absorbing and rewarding experience. It may not be as well known as Tokyo Story and Late Spring but by no means is this a minor work. Anyone already familiar with Ozu’s delicate style will love both this and Record of a Tenemant Gentleman; and those who have yet to experience the work of one of the true greats of cinema could do worse than begin here.

  11 out of 12 people found this review helpful

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Kevan Brighting from Birmingham , 13/07/2005

This review is for Record of a Tenement Gentleman only. This is an exquisite gem of a movie - short (at only 72 minutes) and very sweet.

The excellent Choka Iida plays a crusty old widow who reluctantly takes in an apparently abandoned small boy. The child does not endear himself as he is sullen and a bed-wetter. But slowly she grows fond of the child, so when unexpectedly, the boy's father returns to claim his lost son, she is left with an aching heart. There is a pretty cloying speech at the end of the film, but I think you have to put that in the context of when the film was made (1947) and the state of post-war Japan.

At turns both funny and sad, this is a must-see for all Ozu fans.

  8 out of 9 people found this review helpful

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Savage from London, England [Highly rated reviewer] , 14/07/2006

'Record of a tenement gentleman' is a simple, really detailed study of a small group of people, all of whose lives are affected when they temporarily take in a small boy, apparently abandoned by his father. Ozu barely moves his camera but ensures that every frame counts for something, and etches his characterisations quite beautifully. It must have been terrifically moving in the immediate aftermath of the war.

'Flavour of green tea over rice' is a much more complex affair and one of Ozu's most penetratingly, carefully directed films. It moves from an overview of Tokyo social life, with a wife trolling about town with her friends, while her husband discovers pachinko parlours and cycle races. Gradually, however, its subject becomes clear: the nature of their marriage, the idea of arranged marriages (such as the wife's niece is rebelling against), and the clash between the traditional and the modern. Charateristically, Ozu takes no sides - although the wife is clearly shown to be in the wrong - but balances the argument with precision. Only a very weak coda, explaining 'the moral' of the film weakens it. Otherwise, this is amongst his best work.

  7 out of 7 people found this review helpful

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A customer from London , 26/02/2006

Ozu was a master of his craft and this is apparent in the way that his films have retained their beauty and relevance with the passing of time. The framing of the scenes is exquisitely simple yet carefully considered and the pace of the films, calm and measured. The stories are ordinary tales of everyday family life, which, fifty years on, makes the films even more watchable as they capture the little details of an era gone forever. Ozu clothes all the characters with dignity and strength, but is nevery heavy-handed with sentimentality or judgment. A must for any person interested in the history of film!

  5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

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