I cried a lot watching Tokyo Story and woke up today with swollen eyes. It was unexpected. When Tokyo Story began I thought it would at most be a mildly emotional ride, but I could feel my heart unravelling along with the film as it went on. The way Ozu does it is masterful. There is always this sense that you can’t know what to expect next. A tension that clings to your sticky skin (you can almost taste the summer that’s being portrayed in the film) even though everything seems no normal. The cinematography is beautiful to the point of making me jealous but, again, so damn simple. So simple it makes you fall in love. Just perfect black and white tones and a low, watchful camera angle.
I don’t want to write too much in case you haven’t seen it. But this is a film about elemental humanity and universal human emotions. This is why after 70 years the film still resonates. It will probably resonate for as long as we still want to watch films.
Now I understand why they say this is Ozu’s masterpiece and also the film that Wim Wenders said has had a life-long pull on him.
Of course I went down the rabbit hole and realised that Wim Wenders was so obsessed he went to the small coastal town where “the story begins and ends” and made a book. I love it. And the coolest coincidence? I’m going to Japan in a couple of weeks and I was planning to visit Onomichi!