Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

Discuss releases in the Janus Contemporaries, Eclipse, and Essential Art House lines and the films on them.
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Michael Kerpan
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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#276 Post by Michael Kerpan » Thu Aug 26, 2010 3:16 pm

There is humor in Early Spring, but much of it tends to sting a bit. I think it is sort of a more somber version of Green Tea in some ways, but while Green Tea affirmatively shows a strained relationship _can_ be rebuilt, Early Spring only shows tentative signs that this _might_ happen.

I know I was quite impressed when I first saw this (eons ago, it now seems).

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#277 Post by Minkin » Thu May 23, 2013 8:25 pm

Shochiku is restoring Late Autumn and Equinox Flower (also Good Morning).

Perhaps these two films will escape Eclipse then?
(Yes, I know the BFI Blus are out, but I'm interested in seeing how the new restorations will compare).

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#278 Post by Michael Kerpan » Thu May 23, 2013 10:07 pm

The existing Shochiku DVD versions of both these films are lovely -- and this is largely carried over into the BFI Blus. I suppose it is _possible_ for the films to look better, but I find it hard to imagine a huge degree of improvement.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#279 Post by FrauBlucher » Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:47 pm

Being that most of these have been given 4k restorations, what are the chances some or all make it to the mainline? Or could this be the first eclipse that goes from DVD to blu?

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#280 Post by yoloswegmaster » Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:16 pm

FrauBlucher wrote:
Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:47 pm
Being that most of these have been given 4k restorations, what are the chances some or all make it to the mainline? Or could this be the first eclipse that goes from DVD to blu?
Most of the films form this set are available to theater in DCP format on the Janus website which means that an upgrade could be coming soon or it could be part of an u[coming Ozu boxset.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#281 Post by aox » Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:29 pm

yoloswegmaster wrote:
Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:16 pm
FrauBlucher wrote:
Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:47 pm
Being that most of these have been given 4k restorations, what are the chances some or all make it to the mainline? Or could this be the first eclipse that goes from DVD to blu?
Most of the films form this set are available to theater in DCP format on the Janus website which means that an upgrade could be coming soon or it could be part of an u[coming Ozu boxset.
Ozu getting the Tati or Bergman treatment would be incredible. Are there any of films CC doesn't have access to that would preclude the set from being "complete"?

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#282 Post by Michael Kerpan » Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:45 pm

I suspect that they may not have access to Munekata Sisters -- and, of course, some of the early films exsist only in very deteriorated condition (especially the wonderful Tokyo Inn).

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#283 Post by HinkyDinkyTruesmith » Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:45 pm

aox wrote:
Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:29 pm
Ozu getting the Tati or Bergman treatment would be incredible. Are there any of films CC doesn't have access to that would preclude the set from being "complete"?
The Munekata Sisters, which I like much more than others, but which I could see Criterion being willing to deal with leaving out if they can't get the rights.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#284 Post by aox » Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:31 pm

Michael Kerpan wrote:
Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:45 pm
I suspect that they may not have access to Munekata Sisters -- and, of course, some of the early films exsist only in very deteriorated condition (especially the wonderful Tokyo Inn).
I guess one out of 49 isn't bad. But also, aren't a few of his early films missing and presumed lost?

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#285 Post by Michael Kerpan » Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:37 pm

aox -- Quite a few early films (including one of his late silent ones) are lost. Not much likelihood of any of these ever showing up at this point. (Only recent "find" was a few extra minutes of the condensed 12mm "home version" of Tokkan kozo). OTOH -- one of Naruse's post-war talkies is lost (made by a minor studio during the era of the labor strife at Toho).

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#286 Post by aox » Mon Apr 22, 2019 7:34 am

Michael Kerpan wrote:
Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:37 pm
aox -- Quite a few early films (including one of his late silent ones) are lost. Not much likelihood of any of these ever showing up at this point. (Only recent "find" was a few extra minutes of the condensed 12mm "home version" of Tokkan kozo). OTOH -- one of Naruse's post-war talkies is lost (made by a minor studio during the era of the labor strife at Toho).
Good info. Thanks.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#287 Post by FrauBlucher » Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:14 pm

Tokyo Twilight is will be playing at the Film Forum Here... It’s a new 4k restoration. Look for this to make an escape from the Eclipse to the mainline.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#288 Post by Matt » Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:50 pm

That's what we all thought six-and-a-half years ago when Shochiku restored Late Autumn and Equinox Flower in 4K. My beard has grown long and white waiting for these from Criterion.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#289 Post by FrauBlucher » Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:58 pm

Maybe it’ll be an eclipse set that goes blu. I can’t see CC not releasing the 4ks at some point. But just in case keep the clippers on hand.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#290 Post by artfilmfan » Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:48 pm

Yeah, maybe they are just taking their time and wait for The End of Summer to be restored and then go Blu with all five films in a box set.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#291 Post by FrauBlucher » Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:51 pm

Or perhaps a whole kit and caboodle Ozu box

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#292 Post by Michael Kerpan » Wed Nov 06, 2019 10:58 pm

FrauBlucher wrote:
Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:51 pm
Or perhaps a whole kit and caboodle Ozu box
I used to dream of this happening :-(

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#293 Post by tenia » Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:20 am

For those interested, Carlotta just released in France a 11-BDs set with the 10 4K/2K existing restorations, and I reviewed it for Retro-HD.
You'll find screencaps for all these movies but also comparative caps with older BDs (the BFI mostly).
It's indeed missing The End of Summer, for which I'm wondering what the Shochiku is waiting for. They restored 5 color Ozu (4 in 2013) (Floating Weeds is missing from the set because Carlotta had the theatrical rights but sadly not the video ones), I don't understand why they haven't done The End of Summer too.
Side note : Tokyo-Ga was also restored in 2014 (4K scan + 2K restoration).

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#294 Post by NABOB OF NOWHERE » Thu Nov 07, 2019 8:10 am

tenia wrote:
Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:20 am
For those interested, Carlotta just released in France a 11-BDs set with the 10 4K/2K existing restorations, and I reviewed it for Retro-HD.
You'll find screencaps for all these movies but also comparative caps with older BDs (the BFI mostly).
It's indeed missing The End of Summer, for which I'm wondering what the Shochiku is waiting for. They restored 5 color Ozu (4 in 2013) (Floating Weeds is missing from the set because Carlotta had the theatrical rights but sadly not the video ones), I don't understand why they haven't done The End of Summer too.
Side note : Tokyo-Ga was also restored in 2014 (4K scan + 2K restoration).
I think it's Toho not Shochiku and is perhaps one reason it was sidelined to Artificial Eye instead of Criterion or BFI

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#295 Post by tenia » Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:11 am

It's indeed Toho.
I thought only The Munekata Sisters was (one of his later work done) outside Shochiku.
This probably explains that indeed.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#296 Post by Michael Kerpan » Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:43 am

Ozu made only 3 non-Shochiku films ever -- Munekata Sisters for Shintoho, Floating Weeds for Daiei and Autumn of the Kohayagawa Family (End of Summer, in inexplicably, in English) for Toho. ;-) Interestingly, while definitely Ozu films, the two latter films are also clearly products of their respective studios (and not entirely typical of Ozu). Munekata Sisters is just plain atypical (no Shintoho housestyle -- just a hodge podge of "prestige" films in its early days). Floating Weeds features very "bravura" lead performances (very unlike those in the earlier silent version) and Kohayagawa Family features a very sprawling plot, very much like some of Naruse's Toho films made around the same time.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#297 Post by whaleallright » Thu Nov 07, 2019 5:17 pm

End of Summer has a searing score that's quite different from anything in the Shochiku films, and I even seem to recall reading that Ozu was not happy with it. I admit it's fascinating to watch the few extant Ozu films that don't quite work, because they somehow clarify what's so singular and precious about his approach... as well as revealing that he was not, after all, quite superhuman. I also often wonder what Ozu's films would have looked like had he lived another 20 years or more and continued making films through the 1960s and 1970s (or even the 1980s!). He would have probably had to adjust to more of the changes in the film industry, toward more sexual frankness and "adult" genres, widescreen, etc. How might be have responded to the New Wave? (Granted, maybe he would have just ignored these things, or "addressed" them with extreme obliquity, as he mostly did in his very last films.) Would his aesthetic (or even talent) have unraveled, and how would that have affected our view of his (as it is, close to artistically pristine) body of work?

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#298 Post by tenia » Thu Nov 07, 2019 5:38 pm

Michael Kerpan wrote:
Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:43 am
Ozu made only 3 non-Shochiku films ever -- Munekata Sisters for Shintoho, Floating Weeds for Daiei and Autumn of the Kohayagawa Family (End of Summer, in inexplicably, in English) for Toho.
Thanks for the clarification. I knew he only made 3 non-Shochiku movies ever, but for some reasons, I thought the other 2 were much earlier movies.
I've seen Floating Weeds new 4K/2K (4K scan / 2K restoration) restoration in theaters this summer. It's akin to the other color restorations. I however wasn't too taken by the movie, which I found to be quite overlong.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#299 Post by Michael Kerpan » Thu Nov 07, 2019 6:41 pm

tenia -- there are lots of things I love about the later Floating Weeds (especially the cinematography), but I must say I love the silent b&w version more overall.

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Re: Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu

#300 Post by tenia » Fri Nov 08, 2019 2:38 pm

I havent seen the silent one but it's included on the new French boxset. I'll try looking at it while it's hot.

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