Autumn Afternoon - Sanma no aji Yasujiro Ozu

(aka 'An Autumn Afternoon' or 'Sanma no aji")

Japan 1962

Yasujiro Ozu's final film was also his final masterpiece, the gently heartbreaking story of a man's dignified resignation to both life's ever-shifting currents and society's gradual modernization. Though widower Shuhei Hirayama (Ozu's frequent leading man Chishu Ryu) has been living comfortably for years with his grown daughter, a series of events leads him to accept and encourage her marriage and departure. As elegantly composed and achingly tender as any of the Japanese master's films, An Autumn Afternoon (Sanma no aji) is one of cinema's fondest farewells.

***

Ozu's last film and a noble competition to his much lauded directorial career. Close to ranking with his recognized great films - "Late Spring" and "Tokyo Story" his themes of familial communication continue. This time we have a similar narrative with widowed father unselfishly releasing his daughter for marriage leaving only himself and courting his son left at home. Contemplative shots fill many scenes with elderly loneliness and the cycle of life being examined in another gentle fashion. Ozu's trademark shots of power lines, trains, and solitary smoking all make their presence but social drinking is dealt extensively throughout perhaps foreshadowing Ozu's own enjoyment of alcohol and shortened lifespan. out of .

Gary Tooze

Poster

Theatrical Release: November 18th, 1962 - Tokyo

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DVD Comparison:

Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Panorama - Region 3 - NTSC vs. Madman - Region 4 - PAL

Big thanks to Geert Jan Alsem for the region 4 caps!

1) Criterion - Region - 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) Panorama - Region 3 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) Madman - Region 4 - PAL RIGHT

DVD Box Cover		Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best...
Distribution	Criterion Collection - Spine # 446 - Region 1 - NTSC	Panorama (Hong Kong) - Region 3 - NTSC	Madman Region 4 - PAL
Runtime	1:52:40	1:52:36	1:52:40
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 8.0 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.58 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.59 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Criterion
Bitrate: Panorama
Bitrate: Madman
Audio	Japanese (Dolby Digital 1.0)	Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)	Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	English, None	English, Traditional Chinese, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • New audio commentary featuring film scholar David Bordwell, author of Ozu and the Poetics of Cinema • Excerpts from "Yasujiro Ozu and The Taste of Sake," a 1978 French television program looking back on Ozu's career, featuring critics Michel Ciment and Georges Perec (14:39) • Theatrical trailer • 30-page liner notes booklet featuring new essays by film critic Geoff Andrew and film scholar Donald Richie DVD Release Date: September 30th, 2008 Transparent Keep Case Chapters 21	Release Information: Studio: Panorama Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Ozu Biography (text screen) • Ozu Filmography (text screen) DVD Release Date: October 28th, 2003 Keep Case Chapters: 12	Release Information: Studio: Madman Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • 2 Discs • 'I Lived But...' (1983): A two hour documentary about the life and career of Ozu • Original Theatrical Trailer • Stills Gallery DVD Release Date: February 1, 2006 Keep Case Chapters 12

Comments:

ADDITION: Criterion - September 08': Technically the disc is progressive and dual-layered (where the Panorama is single) and the Criterion is again pictureboxed transferred (see our full description of 'pictureboxing' in our Kind Hearts and Coronets review) with a black border circumventing the framed image. The Criterion is coded for Region 1 in the NTSC standard.

Criterion occasionally get complaints from some who are convinced that they attempt to 'correct' the greenish tinge of many older Asian films. We can again see the Panorama as having that green bias where it does not show on the U.S. release. Not surprisingly the Criterion transfer appears to have boosted the black levels a small degree and detail is brought up a notch. Contrast also leans to the Criterion with more pure and brighter whites. The Criterion may have a smidgeon less information in the frame (side and more on the top edges) but the bigger issues will be that the Madman is from an unconverted NTSC source (on a PAL disc) and the subtitles on the Panorama are ineffectual. NOTE: The Criterion subtitle translation seems slightly different than the Madman one - in many spots.

As a supplements Criterion offer a validating commentary by David Bordwell who is a pleasure to listen to plus there is an interesting 15-minute excerpt from "Yasujiro Ozu and The Taste of Sake," a 1978 French television program looking back on Ozu's career, featuring critics Michel Ciment and Georges Perec. With the commentary this extras perhaps equal or exceed the Madman's 2 hour 'I Lived But..." documentary which also appears on the second disc of the Criterion Tokyo Story. Criterion have some trailers and a 30-page liner notes booklet featuring new essays by film critic Geoff Andrew and film scholar Donald Richie.

So, the Criterion is the one to own for fans of the director. An easy and predictable choice.

Gary W. Tooze

ADDITION- Madman Region 4- PAL (May 2006): The video on the Madman release is an interlaced NTSC to PAL conversion. However, unlike the extremely poor subtitles on the Panorama disc, the Madman release features the official translation from Shochiku. These proper subtitles alone are reason enough for me to highly recommend the Madman release over the Panorama. (The subtitle sample below doesn't do the Madman justice)

NOTE: Another huge bonus is the 2 hour documentary 'I Lived But...' from 1983. It discusses the life and career of Yasujiro Ozu.

- Geert Jan

***

Though still signs of being non-progressive (combing in horizontal pans) this DVD image is quite strong. Relative sharpness, great skin-tones and vibrant colors. On the typical bad side for Panorama the subtitles are quite poor - lots of absentee gaps and extremely poor grammatical choices. At times the image quality is quite breathtaking for a probable analog sourced transfer. Decent contrast and black levels with no recognizable digital manipulations. Extras are the same as always (text screen bios and filmography) This is a good stop-gap until someone (Criterion?) releases it in a keeper edition.

Gary W. Tooze

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