Article: Ozu's 'Late Spring' a breath of fresh air

LATELY the films of Yasujiro Ozu (1903-1963) seem farther away than ever.

Yes, there was a giant touring retrospective of his work in 2003, the 100th anniversary of his birth, and yes, there have been five top- quality DVDs from the Criterion Collection, and yes, many filmmakers, including Jim Jarmusch, Aki Kaurismaki, Paul Schrader and Claire Denis, have cited his influence.

But that exquisite pacing of his -- that relaxed state of life in flow -- rarely, if ever, turns up in any contemporary films.

That makes Criterion's new release of "Late Spring" (1949) doubly essential, since it gives movie fans a much-needed breather, a shot of something true.

It also happens that "Late Spring" ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!