A Question of Realism: Ozu vs. Hollywood

Our class readings define realism as the practice of using art to accurately portray something as it would happen in real life. This concept has been executed in countless mediums, be it paintings, portraits, books, video games, or films, and it's always served to make its subject all the more powerful. In films, realism can be attained in a variety of ways. The film's actions and images, if edited in just the right fashion, act as powerful tools of realism. Whenever we see a realistic film, the images on-screen speak out to us because of their realistic nature, and how similar it all could be to our everyday lives. This process of realistic identification gives the film an even greater impact in our minds.

Yasujiro Ozu's classic Tokyo Story is a perfect example of a realist film. The film is about an elderly Japanese husband and wife, who visit their children in Tokyo in attempt to spend more time with them but ultimately find themselves estranged in their own family. Throughout the film, we see the different day-to-day lives that each of these characters lead. The sons and daughters of the elderly couple each have jobs and families of their own, making it difficult for them to pay more attention to their immediate family from which they all came. In addition to detailing the lives of this dysfunctional family, Ozu also pays great attention to the environment in which they live. The widowed daughter-in-law, Noriko, brings the couple out on the town, showing them the different sights of Japan. We can see the structure of this integral Japanese city, and how it relates to the lifestyle of this family.

Although thematically and narratively, Ozu presents a realistic film, his style of filming and editing it is different than the conventional Hollywood continuity edits. As I read in Film Art, the standards of Hollywood continuity editing typically make use of a 180-degree line in which each of the characters maintain a position on-screen, presenting a much crisper, easier way to focus on each character. It is also much easier to maintain position, therefore, establishing a sense of realistic continuity. Ozu, on the other hand, is well-known for his distinctive tatami-level camera shots, which are low to the ground and unmoving. With this shooting style in effect, the 180-degree line is often completely ignored, creating a scene with shots and character positioning that are not entirely within continuity. Though it might not seem like the worst thing that could happen, the breaking of film continuity may create a disjointing effect that may turn some viewers off. In some respects, the editing style of a classical Hollywood film may present a bit more realism, maintaining a continuous stream of shots with a consistent focus. That's not to say Ozu ignores realism. On the contrary, Ozu's primary focus is on character development, narrative, and main themes. With a consistent focus on these three things, Ozu maintains dramatic film realism---albeit different from the conventions that we're all accustomed to.