Eclipse Series 15: Travels with Hiroshi Shimizu

[Tommaso]

I must say that this is great news and that it excites me more than the Mizoguchi set, for the simple reason that I'm not among the three people who have the Shochiku set and so must confess that I've never seen any film by Shimizu (but the constant praise for him here has watered my mouth, apart from my general thinking that practically anything from Japan before WWII is a must see, if only to get some better idea of Japanese cinema). Michael K, you mentioned that the Shochiku box is 'lavish', so on what extras are we missing out with the Eclipse set?

As to Sosin: well, I remember vaguely that even Schreck said something good about his score for "Warning Shadows" (which I also find quite nice), and though he did some pretty awful things earlier in his career, just wait and at least give him another chance. Nobody seems to have complained about his 'Silent Ozu' scores, for instance. And bashing him before we hear the results is at least unfair. Actually reminds me about the preliminary dismissive comments on del Toro doing an audiocommentary on "Vampyr", and now everyone is (justly) raving about it.

[Michael Kerpan]

The Shochiku Shimizu sets are lavish in terms of the packaging and the booklets. No substantial on-disc extras that I can think of (just a trailer for the re-make of The Lady and the Masseur). The booklets surely would be a nice thing to have in English form. Included is a complete list of Shimizu's films (about twice as many as listed by IMDB),

I'd actually seen most of the Shimizu films well before the box sets came out, thanks mainly to Shochiku's older video releases (not subbed)..

I have become resistant to all non-original musical scores to Japanese pre-talkie films. I just don't need them -- and find them quite distracting.

[zedz]

The Shochiku Shimizu sets are lavish in terms of the packaging and the booklets.

This is an understatement. They come in thick textured cardboard hard-cover 'books' (with gorgeous minimalist cartoon covers) all housed in a thick textured cardboard box. About the most exquisite DVD packaging I own (see images in the Shimizu thread). The discs themselves are barebones: the lavishness is purely in terms of eye-candy for your shelf.

I think this signals the start of the 'Decadent Phase' of DVD collecting (says twelve 'Hail Kevyips').

[Finch]

Not for the first time, an Eclipse release excites me more than anything the main line offers in the same month (in fact, this is currently my most-anticipated title in CC's 2009 line-up): Shimizu is completely unknown to me and I can't wait to see these films for myself. That said, I'd have liked to see more contextualising bonus material than the two or three-page liner notes we'll presumably get with this Eclipse set. I would have loved to hear the jazz score from the Japanese set but I assume this would have increased the licensing costs (or am I completely off-base)? That said, I enjoyed Sosin's score for Silent Ozu...

[ByMarkClark.com]

I'm psyched, too. Sometimes it pays to be a foot-dragger.

[Michael Kerpan]

The jazzy scores we were talking about are actually attached to Shimizu films that have not yet gotten released on DVD in Japan yet. We only _hope_ Shochiku will eventually release these too.

Zedz's description of the set is absolutely correct -- but I'm not as good at describing "packaging porn". ;~}

As to "Anma to onna", I think the standard title is wrong -- based on the content of the film this should be "The Masseur and the Lady" -- although there are indeed two traveling masseurs who come to the spa village -- only one of them plays a significant role throughout the film (and interacts with the female protagonist).

[Andreas]

hm...recived my Shochiku set last week...
are they gonna release more then two shimizu-volumes?

[Michael Kerpan]

hm...recived my Shochiku set last week...
are they gonna release more then two shimizu-volumes?

Time will tell. If the first two sets had really poor sales, maybe not....

[sidehacker]

On a completely different note, has anyone gotten around to seeing Katsuhito Ishii's Anma to onna remake? The DVD came out last week.

[ryan11]

I would pay good money for a deluxe set, extras, booklet etc. (Image the story Donald Richie et al could bring to life regarding this wonderful film maker!)

Kind of seems like a lost opportunity to REALLY introduce an important film maker to the world at large.

I also would pay good money for a deluxe Late Ozu. (Seems I'm not alone there!)

Having said that, the fact we are having this discussion at all is testament to Criterion's wonderful work.

So, ultimately, it's a big Mr Thank You from me!

[Matt]

A lavish box set costing $80-$100 is not the best way to convince people to take a chance on an unknown-to-them director. The liner notes will provide some context, and articles and discussions freely available online can provide more to the intrigued.

[Michael Kerpan]

A lavish box set costing $80-$100 is not the best way to convince people to take a chance on an unknown-to-them director. The liner notes will provide some context, and articles and discussions freely available online can provide more to the intrigued.

I agree. Shimizu (unlike Yasujiro Shimazu, or Daisuke Ito or Tadashi Imai or Kozaburo Yoshimura -- and lots of other Japanese greats) has plenty of tantalizing (and often very good) background information online. And -- if these materials don't answer people's questions -- they can ask questions here -- or on the KineJapan list (where real scholars might actually have an answer).

[Sanjuro]

A lavish box set costing $80-$100 is not the best way to convince people to take a chance on an unknown-to-them director. The liner notes will provide some context, and articles and discussions freely available online can provide more to the intrigued.

Well, the box was followed up after a while with a big colour remake of Anma to Onna starring some cute idol girl which I guess might have reminded the type of people who buy box sets of classic directors of his existence. "From legendary director Hiroshi Shimizu, comes this... blah blah blah". And box sets in Japan tend to cost $80 - $100 whether they're lavish or not (although they tend to be).

Of course, I'm still kind of doubtful of the impact remakes have on sales of the original versions.

[PillowRock]

Of course, I'm still kind of doubtful of the impact remakes have on sales of the original versions.

It wouldn't surprise me if the originals get somewhat more widely distributed to the rental places around the release of remakes, because of some extra demand to just check out the original.

[manicsounds]

The day I get that third Yamanada film (Soshun Kochiyama) subtitled is a day I open a big bottle of sake to celebrate.

I've seen the Japanese DVD of Soshun and it was a terrible print, the sound was almost impossible to hear and the picture was just as bad. I'm surprised that they released it in that condition and expect people to buy it for such a high regular price. I hope someone can restore this film to a more watchable state. It just took me out of the movie while watching it.

Back to Shimizu, the remake had a big buzz around it, but only made $2 million at cinemas.... The DVD will be available soon, but I don't think it will be that big

[TheRanchHand]

I have a hard time relating with the "DVD shelf fanatics". In all my years of collecting DVDs (and I do have a lot) I have very little interest in staring at it or inviting others to. A nice box is great, but I am much more interested in content, the film being #1. The Eclipse looks to be a good release and unless something else comes up with a better transfer or more DVD content, I'll be happy if it comes in a paper bag 8-)

[Michael Kerpan]

I've seen the Japanese DVD of Soshun and it was a terrible print, the sound was almost impossible to hear and the picture was just as bad. I'm surprised that they released it in that condition and expect people to buy it for such a high regular price. I hope someone can restore this film to a more watchable state. It just took me out of the movie while watching it.

I'm afraid that the chances of a major restoration of Kochiyama Soshun (Btw -- Soshun is just the character's "first" name) are close to nil. With these olld Japanese films, one can only be thankful that the films even exist. I have no trouble looking past this film's deteriorated state -- and am very pleased (and grateful) that Nikkatsu released this on DVD.

[czechpointcharlie]

The day I get that third Yamanada film (Soshun Kochiyama) subtitled is a day I open a big bottle of sake to celebrate.

I've seen the Japanese DVD of Soshun and it was a terrible print, the sound was almost impossible to hear and the picture was just as bad.

I was very fortunate to be in Paris at the exact time the Cinematheque Francais was showing the Shochiku retrospective (and may I add it was VERY well attended), and one of the films I managed to see was Shimizu's 1929 "Oya" (Parents). Need I say it was one of the films that most stuck with me? Even though the plot was of a didactic nature and the film was only 35 minutes long, it was so well done that the ridiculous polemic was easily ignored. Wouldn't it be nice to think that the Eclipse box does well enough that Criterion might someday bring out *more* Shimizu, and include short films such as "Parents" as Extras??

I contacted Criterion to find out how they compare their Shimizu/Eclipse set to the Shochiku, and I was told that their DVD masters are the same as Shochiku's releases, however "we've done our usual audio and video restoration on them, and they also include new English subtitle translation."

As for the Yamanako - In 2005 the Venice Film Festival included an amazing sidebar of early Japanese & Chinese films, and they showed ALL THREE of the Yamanakos - WITH English subtitles - albeit beamed, but perfectly legible and well done!!!

I keep a database of films I see, and checking my comments, I made no mention of the film being of poor quality - therefore I think we can still hope that *if* we get the other two Yamanakos that "Kochiyama Soshun" stands a chance of being of decent quality as well. My memory of them in fact is that they were all wonderful prints. (One of the major discoveries for me was the curiously discounted Naruse film "Tale of Archery at Sanjusangendo", which I found absolutely glorious.)

[Michael Kerpan]

I am envious -- Oya is not anything I've seen (or even particularly even heard of before). So far, I have enjoyed all the Shimizu films I've seen -- and am desperate to see yet more.

I have really been disappointed once by Naruse (in over 60 films) -- by Bara gassen (Battle of the Roses). While Tale of Archery at Sanjusangendo (only seen once, alas) will never be one of my top Naruse films, it had many wonderful aspects (icluding the two starring adults -- though not the young hero to the same degree). I will, however, hopefully see the real Sanjusangendo sometime before the end of next month. ;~}

[artfilmfan]

I will, however, hopefully see the real Sanjusangendo sometime before the end of next month.

Is MK finally going to Japan, five years after receiving the invitation to tour Shochiku? Don't forget to talk the Shochiku executive(s) into releasing more Japanese classics with English subtitles (if you're going there). I've always thought that you were at least partially responsible for getting them to think about releasing the Shimizu films with English subtitles.

[Michael Kerpan]

Alas -- my travels will take me nowhere near Ozu land (or Shochiku's headquarters). This visit is limited to Kansai (Osaka, Nara, Kyoto -- with a little side trip to Himeji hopefully).

I tried to contact the Shochiku people I met back in 2003, to thank them -- but all have either moved too high to reach or have (seemingly) retired. As much as I would like to take some credit for the Shimizu subtitles, I'm sure it was not _my_ entreaties that moved Shochiku, but those of Donald Richie.

I just saw two wonderful films by Torajiro Saito tonight (thanks to Digital Meme's Talking Silents series) -- but these also served to show just how much more sophisticated Ozu, Naruse, Shimizu, Yamanaka, Uchida, Mizoguchi, Shimazu et al were -- compared to the next tier of fine directors.

[artfilmfan]

Glad to know that you will be taking this trip.

Ozu land: Don't forget that Ryu and Hara took a trip to Kyoto in "Late Spring". I hope you'll be able to visit the two temples in Kyoto that are featured in LS.

This being a thread on the Shimizu set, I guess I'll have to say something about this Eclipse set. I really hope that it will sell well. With Criterion redoing the subtitles and adding music to "Japanese Girls", it will be a bargain for people to get this set at the Eclipse price.

[Michael Kerpan]

Ozu land: Don't forget that Ryu and Hara took a trip to Kyoto in "Late Spring". I hope you'll be able to visit the two temples in Kyoto that are featured in LS.

I wonder which two temples these were? We would have to be in Kyoto for several (many?) months before we could see _most_ of the temples in and around that city.

This being a thread on the Shimizu set, I guess I'll have to say something about this Eclipse set. I really hope that it will sell well. With Criterion redoing the subtitles and adding music to "Japanese Girls", it will be a bargain for people to get this set at the Eclipse price.

The set would be a (huge) bargain even as a straight port of the Japanese discs. I feel a bit bad about not buying this myself -- but it really would be superfluous for me. And I would hope that all my sometimes intensive shilling for Shimizu (for several years now) would have done more for sales of the set than simply buying one copy. ;~}

[arigato-san]

I'm quite satisfied with these releases, since there's no way a poor student like me can afford the Shochiku releases =D>
I hope Criterion can dig up even more prewar Japanese cinema in the future.

Btw, the temples in Banshun are Kiyomizudera and the old Imperial Palace. Especially Kiyomizudera is worth a trip if you've never been there, always loaded with tourists though.

[artfilmfan]

Kyoto temples in "Late Spring": Yes, indeed, they are Kiyomizudera (in the sequence starting around 1:24 in LS) and Ryoanji Temple (in the sequence starting at 1:28:57). These are two of best and most popular temples in Kyoto. If one's been to these temples, it's easy to see how appropriate they are to have been chosen by Ozu to depict those two sequences in the film.

Kiyomizudera is located on a hillside. Some walking is necessary to get to it; but once you get there you'll have a nice view of Kyoto. If you study the sequence at Kiyomizudera in LS carefully, when you get there to the temple, I'm sure you'll be able to stand at one of the very exact spots where Setsuko Hara once stood. How about that for an extra incentive?

Back to Shimizu: In "Ornamental Hairpin", did anyone else find the sequence in which Chishu Ryu trying to cross the bridge very funny? I had quite a laugh watching this sequence.