My first Ozu film. I thought this film is a great story about generational change and conflict in Japanese society. Filmed in a simple, minimalist style, the themes which it deals with are definitively trademarks of Ozu's style.
The story begins simply enough in a village outside of Tokyo. An elderly couple plans on making a trip to Tokyo to see their children who have all moved to Tokyo. One by one the children refuse to show the elderly couple around Tokyo
Eventually, the mother dies and the children are forced to come back to the village. In the climax of the film,. the death of the mother, the children are confronted about their lack of respect for their dead mother. Still, the children pay little head to mourn their dead mother. They leave and head back to Tokyo as soon as they are able.
I think Tokyo Story presents a contradiction to what is traditionally percieved to be Japanese society. Most people think of Japan as being very traditional and that the young always honor their ancestors in the confucian way. Perhaps this film serves as a reminder to it's viewers to honor your parents and ancestors. It also shows how Japanese society was changing, Tokyo Story was released back in the 1950s, when Japan was modernizing and changing into a pluralistic, democratic society, leaving behind its medieval, Imperialist past.
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