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Summary:

In 1959, Yasujiro Ozu remade his 1934 silent classic A Story of Floating Weeds in color with celebrated cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. Setting his later version in a seaside location, Ozu otherwise preserves the details of his elegantly simple plot wherein an aging actor returns to a small town with his kabuki troupe and reunites with his former lover and their son, a scenario that enrages his current mistress and results in heartbreak for all. Together, the films offer a unique glimpse into the evolution of one of cinema's greatest directors. A Story of Floating Weeds finds Ozu in the midst of developing his mode of expression; Floating Weeds reveals his distinct style at its pinnacle. In each, the director captures the joy and sadness of everyday life.

Table of Contents:

• Story of floating weeds / Janus Films ; a Shochiku film ; screenplay by Tadao Ikeda ; directed by Yasujiro Ozu. (86 min.)
• Floating weeds / Janus Films ; produced by Masaichi Nagata ; screenplay by Yasujiro Ozu, Kogo Noda ; directed by Yasujiro Ozu. (119 min.).

Contributors:

Ikeda, Tadao, 1905-1964 , screenwriter

Ozu, Yasujirō, 1903-1963 , screenwriter, film director

Maki, James , screenwriter

Nagata, Masaichi, 1906-1985 , film producer

Noda, Kōgo, 1893-1968 , screenwriter

Sakamoto, Takeshi, 1899-1974 , actor

Iida, Chōko, 1897-1972 , actor

Mitsui, Kōji , actor

Yagumo, Rieko , actor

Tsubouchi, Yoshiko, 1915-1985 , actor

Aoki, Tomio , actor

Nakamura, Ganjirō, 1902-1983 , actor

Kyō, Machiko, 1924-2019 , actor

Wakao, Ayako, 1933- , actor

Shigehara, Hideo, 1905-1967 , director of photography

Sosin, Donald , composer

Miyagawa, Kazuo, 1908-1999 , director of photography

Saitō, Takanobu, 1924-2004 , composer

Shōchiku Kabushiki Kaisha , production company, http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/prn

Daiē, Kabushiki Kaisha

Kadokawa Pictures, Inc. , production company, http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/prn

Janus Films

Criterion Collection (Firm) , publisher, http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/pbl

Languages:

Japanese
English

Language Notes:

A story of floating weeds: silent film with Japanese intertitles, optional English subtitles.
Floating weeds: Japanese dialogue with optional English subtitles.

Included Works:

Ukigusa monogatari (Motion picture)

Ukigusa (Motion picture)

Related Series:

Criterion collection; [volume] 232

Alternate Titles:

Title translation: Ukigusa monogatari
Title translation: Ukigusa

Subjects:

Japan — 20th century — Drama

Entertainers — Japan — Drama

Man-woman relationships — Drama

Fathers and sons — Drama

1900-1999

Man-woman relationships

Fathers and sons

Entertainers

Japan

Genres:

Motion pictures

Feature films

Fiction films

Silent films

Film remakes

Drama

System Details:

Blu-ray, region A; uncompressed mono, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround.

Performers:

Cast: A story of floating weeds (1934): Takeshi Sakamoto, Choko Iida, Hideo Mitsui, Rieko Yagumo, Yoshiko Tsubouchi, Tokkan Kozo.
Cast: Floating weeds (1959): Ganjiro Nakamura, Machiko Kyo, Ayako Wakao.

Production Credits:

A story of floating weeds (1934): Photographed by Hideo Mohara ; optional new score by David Sosin.
Floating weeds (1959): Photography by Kazuo Miyagawa ; music, Kojun Saito ; editing, Toyo Suzuki.

General Notes:

Description based on: Title from container.
Blu-ray includes the original 1934, black & white, silent film "A Story of Floating Weeds" and the 1959 color remake "Floating Weeds."
A story of floating weeds originally released as a motion picture in 1934; Floating weeds originally released as a motion picture in 1959.
Credits from English subtitles.
Special features: 4K digital master of Floating Weeds, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack; High-definition digital master of A Story of Floating Weeds, featuring a score by composer Donald Sosin, presented in 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray; Audio commentary for A Story of Floating Weeds by Japanese-film historian Donald Richie and for Floating Weeds by film critic Roger Ebert; Trailer; New English subtitle translation for Floating Weeds and English subtitle translation by Richie for A Story of Floating Weeds.
Accompanied by folded insert containing an essay by Japanese-film historian Donald Richie.

Physical Description:

1 videodisc (205 min.) : sound, silent, black and white, color ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 folded insert.

Physical Characteristics:

4 3/4 in.; polychrome; monochrome

Audio Characteristics:

digital; optical; mono; surround; DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; sound

Film Characteristics:

1.33:1; 1.37:1; full screen

Digital Characteristics:

video file; Blu-ray; region A

Call Numbers:

STO 1934 BLU

ISBNs:

9798886071368

Other Standard Numbers:

Universal Product Code: 715515295819
Publisher Number, The Criterion Collection: CC3551BD

OCLC Numbers:

1425909894