Letterboxd — Your life in film

Well, I don't think I'll ever see a film where the director has the same love for fog shrouded bamboo forests, night, sparse lighting, roofs, and wind like Shindo does... and I don't care.

I think it's safe to call this one of the most visually beautiful, let alone creatively shot, films I've ever seen. Not only does Shindo capture the horror genre perfectly, I just love how he switches from horror to a sort-of-love-story. He also manages to mix in action via the Samurai route and I love it.

Let's go back to the direction, because good Lord was it fantastic. I've never seen anyone shoot the night like Shindo does. There's these spectacular shots where the whole screen is pitch black except for one lone roof and the main character which are bathed in light. Shindo also manages to use bamboo forests to his liking, as he moves slyly through them and shoots behind them. Cover those forests in fog and mist and we're good to go. I also can't stress how much I love how Shindo admires architecture.

I've also never seen any film where a character who is a ghost moves like a ghost. The two main characters seem to effortlessly and silently glide through the sets and it blows my mind.

Black and White is growing on me more and more. Thank you Shindo.

I honestly don't know how they can make sewers and shadows look so good. The uses of light really astounds me, as well as all the angular shots.

Not to mention Harry Lime's introduction is one of the best reveals I've ever seen.

This film didn't have as many striking shots as Late Spring, but it still employed the style that I'm beginning to fall in love with from Ozu. That camera positioned low and in a hallway, sometimes obscured by objects - which never moves.

The simplicity of the story is so easy to get lost in. People going about their daily lives, visiting each other at their homes, etc. I love how you really get to know the family, because by the end I could feel the pain that Noriko felt.

Let's mention the humor. I loved it. In such a meditative film, if you will, there was a lot of humor. Especially from the children. One of my favorite moments is when Noriko and her friends are up late having an expensive cake. All of a sudden, one of the children wakes up and they have to quickly hide it and play off like they're doing nothing important.

Finally, the cast is so wonderful. Especially Setsuko Hara. Oh man, her smile and acting... and those tears. I love how expressive she is, smiling so much. Such a brilliant actress and it makes me so happy that she's in Ozu's Tokyo Story.