Late Ozu - Criterion

This box set of director Yasujiro Ozu’s films includes “Early Spring”, “Tokyo Twilight”, “Equinox Flower”, “Late Autumn”, and “The End of Summer”. Ozu directed 53 films over the years before his death in 1963, and Criterion chose these 5 to represent the later part of his career, when he took a more artistic, yet still minimalistic approach to his filmmaking. Region 1, NTSC, full screen aspect ratio, black & white. Japanese mono audio with English subtitles.

In Early Spring (Soshun, 1956), a young salaryman becomes fed up with his life and has an affair with a flirty female co-worker. His life begins to crumble as his wife leaves him and he’s transferred to Osaka. However, she eventually changes her mind and agrees to start over.

In Tokyo Twilight (Tokyo Boshoku, 1957), a girl returns home to her family with her child after running away from her abusive alcoholic husband. Meanwhile, her pregnant younger sister has been abandoned by her boyfriend and has an abortion. The two sisters eventually discover a secret about their family that has lasting consequences.

In Equinox Flower (Higanbana, 1958), Hirayama seems to be happy that the younger generation has the freedom to choose their own partners. However, he does not share the same open-minded view when it comes to his own daughter, Setsuko. He becomes infuriated when her boyfriend asks him for his marriage blessing, but eventually he’s convinced to visit their home when he receives sage advice from an unlikely source. [Watch trailer]

In Late Autumn (Akibiyori, 1960), a young girl named Ayako delays getting married to take care of her widowed mother, Akiko. Three matchmakers who knew the Ayako’s father attempt set up Akiko with a new husband, causing a strain between mother and daughter.

In The End of Summer (Kohayagawa-ke no Aki, 1961), the sake business-owning Kohayakawa family decides it’s time to marry off their youngest daughter Noriko and arrange for their widdowed daughter-in-law Akiko to find a new husband. Meanwhile the head of the household, Mainbei keeps sneaking out to visit a former mistress, infuriating his daughter Fumiko. When Manbei has a heart attack all ill-will is put aside, but as soon as he recovers he goes right back to his old cheating ways.

Available at the following retailer(s) on June 12, 2007:

• Amazon.com
• Amazon.ca
• YesAsia
• HKFlix