A Short Guide to the Films of Ozu

The Japanese film director Ozu Yasujirō is widely regarded as one of the greatest masters of twentieth-century cinema. Ozu’s films, such as Tokyo Story, have been watched all over the world and gained recognition as outstanding works of art with deep social concerns. Ozu began directing during the era of the silent film in the 1920s, and concluded his career with sublime color features in the 1960s. Sadly, many of his early films have been lost, but those surviving include comedies and home dramas that continue to entertain and inspire viewers today. This book brings together detailed information on all of Ozu’s films, surviving and lost, together with engaging short essays about many of them. It also includes some unique features, such as a list of nearly four hundred actors who appeared in Ozu’s films, many of whom were regulars who reappeared in film after film, as part of Ozu’s “family” of actors and crew. This book aims to serve as an essential companion for watching and enjoying Ozu’s films, which even after many decades have not lost their charm, poignancy, and unique artistic vision.