WASEDA SHOCHIKU CLASSICS NO. 228
Three Masterpieces by Ozu
Venue(s): Waseda ShochikuJanuary 4 (Sat) to January 10 (Fri), 2025
Language: Japanese with English subtitles
Official website: wasedashochiku.co.jp/english
Theater website: wasedashochiku.co.jp/english
Tariff: Adults: ¥1,500, Seniors/children: ¥1,100, Students: ¥1,200, Morning/late Show: ¥1,200. Some films are double bills.
Advance tickets: Ticket sales start: Morning Show from 9:20, Double feature after 9:20, Subsequent show/last one from 10 minutes after the previous show starts.
Title: 小津安二郎特集 のりこ 三部作 (Ozu Yasujiro Tokushu Noriko Sanbusaku)
Waseda Shochiku continues bestowing gifts on the international community, with more English-subtitled classics from Yasujiro Ozu: Tokyo Story, Late Spring and Early Summer. Mark your calendars now so you don’t miss this opportunity to see these masterpieces on the big screen.
Considered Japan’s greatest filmmaker, Ozu (1903–1963) often explored themes revolving around life’s natural rhythms, focusing on family relationships as time passed, capturing unexpected emotions with an empathetic eye, in an unhurried, restrained approach to narrative. His films resonate universally for their humanity and simplicity, making him a cornerstone of world cinema.
TOKYO STORY / 東京物語
January 4 (Sat) to 10, 2025 (Fri): 14:25, 19:20
1953 / 135 min / DCP/ B&W
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Casts: Chishu Ryu, Chieko Higashiyama,
Setsuko Hara, Haruko Sugimura, So Yamamura, Kuniko Miyake
Considered Japan’s greatest filmmaker, Yasujiro Ozu (1903–1963) often explored themes revolving around life’s natural rhythms, focusing on family relationships as time passed, capturing unexpected emotions with an empathetic eye, in an unhurried, restrained approach to narrative. His films resonate universally for their humanity and simplicity, making him a cornerstone of world cinema.
His 1953 Tokyo Story follows an elderly couple who travel from their rural home to visit their grown children — a son, daughter and widowed daughter-in-law — in Tokyo. From the moment they arrive, their presence is treated as a burden more than a pleasure. But their daughter-in-law (played by Ozu favorite Setsuko Hara) shows them genuine kindness. Despite the inevitability of aging and the solitude of loss, this is a brilliantly moving film that you will never quite shake off. Nor will you want to.
LATE SPRING / 晩春
January 4 (Sat) to 10, 2025 (Fri): 10:00
1949 / 108 min / DCP/ B&W
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Casts: Chishu Ryu, Setsuko Hara, Yumeji Tsukioka, Haruko Sugimura
A hallmark of Ozu’s oeuvre, tells the poignant story of Noriko (again portrayed by Setsuko Hara), a young woman devoted to her widowed father, Shukichi (Chishû Ryû). As societal pressures mount for Noriko to marry, her deep bond with her father and their serene domestic life are gently tested. Through Ozu’s meditative pacing and minimalist visuals, Late Spring becomes a deeply moving exploration of familial love, sacrifice, and the quiet heartbreak of letting go.
EARLY SUMMER / 麦秋
January 4 (Sat) to 10, 2025 (Fri): 12:05, 17:00
1951 / 124 min / DCP
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Casts: Setsuko Hara, Chishu Ryu, Chikage Awashima, Kuniko Miyake, Ichiro Sugai
A masterful portrait of family dynamics and societal expectations. The film follows the extended Mamiya family as they navigate the question of marriage for their 28-year-old daughter, Noriko (played by Setsuko Hara). The warm but tense interactions between Noriko and her family highlight generational and cultural tensions in post-war Japan. With its delicate exploration of love, duty, and personal freedom, Early Summer captures the profound complexity of life’s choices and the inevitable changes brought by time.
Waseda Shochiku
Please be sure to check with the theater before going.