A Story of Floating Weeds / Floating Weeds: Two Films by Yasujiro Ozu on Blu-ray released to the Criterion Collection on May 7th, 2024.
This marked only my third and forth film by Yasujiro Ozu. I already owned the Criterion Collection releases of Tokyo Story and Good Morning, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed, with Good Morning instantly becoming one of my favorite experiences with Japanese cinema. Part of what makes the Criterion Collection so great is the way it makes important films easily accessible for collectors.
A Story of Floating Weeds / Floating Weeds: Two Films by Yasujiro Ozu Plot
An actor traveling with a theater group set up shop in a small village where he reconnects with an old lover and his estranged son. Emotions boil over as the former lovers rekindle their romantic flame.
The Critique
It’s always interesting when a filmmaker remakes one of their own films. Typically this occurs when the story is being adapted into a new language or for a new audience. George Sluizer remade his classic Dutch thriller, The Vanishing, in 1993 for American audiences, and Werner Herzog adapted his documentary Littler Dieter Needs to Fly into a dramatized feature with Rescue Dawn. Long before that Yasujiro Ozu remade his silent classic A Story of Floating Weeds into Floating Weeds.
There is a twenty-five year gap between the two films, and a lot of technical advancements occurred within that time. Color picture and full sound capabilities had revolutionized the way films were made and experienced. Those advancements — along with Ozu’s evolution as a filmmaker — allow for the two films to feel incredibly different despite the story remaining largely unchanged.
Floating Weeds is arguably the vastly superior film. By the the 1950’s Ozu had perfected his style and earned his reputation as the master of the domestic drama. Both films effectively explore human emotions and the delicate web of love, lust and lies. The troupe leader, Komajuro, must cope with a rekindled love while trying to balance a relationship with his estranged son, whom does not know that Komajuro is his father.
While the silent original is an undisputed classic, the reimagining takes what made its predecessor so effective and builds upon it. The relationships are explored more deeply, and the cinematography by esteemed cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa (in his only collaboration with Ozu) is breathtaking. One scene in particular in which Komajuro and his spurned lover are involved in a heated dispute from opposing sides of a small alley in the rain is unforgettably beautiful.
The Special Features
Both films are remastered, with Floating Weeds receiving a 4K transfer. A Story of Floating Weeds receives a commentary from Donald Richie, a Japanese film-historian, while Floating Weeds receives a commentary from esteemed film critic Roger Ebert.
Also included are the original trailer and an in-depth essay from Donald Richie.
Would I Recommend This Purchase: Yes. Any fan of Ozu’s work should own this set.
Is It Worth a Blind Buy: Yes, especially since there are two films included.
9/10
