Tuesday, April 8, 2014
All in the Family
Early Summer shows the relationship between two aged parents, their grown children and their grandchildren. The young children are rebellious and demanding. The grandparents try to buy their grandchildren's affection. The parents and brother try to manage the younger sister's life. Choices about everything from buying an expensive cake to choosing to marry (and to whom one marries) have implications for everyone. Eventually the family so painstakingly captured in a photograph breaks up, as Noriko marries and moves to the provinces and her parents move near the great uncle. How accurate is this portrayal of family life? Is this a "slice of life" (and part of the reason it feels as if "nothing happens")? Does this remind you of your family? Is this how families work? Focus on one scene or character and discuss what it tells us about the dynamics of family life.
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This movie made me think a lot about family life and wonder whether or not my family’s daily life would appear as slow and uneventful as this family’s did. I think the scene that best exemplifies the dynamics of this family is the scene in which they attempt to take a family photograph. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be to get every member of the family together, smiling, and not blinking for even an informal, quick shot. Almost every time my family tries to take a picture, we either have to wait for my mom to agree to be in it, retake it so my dad doesn’t blink, convince my sister to smile, or wait for someone to get out of the way of the picture…it’s always something. However, in my family I do not think the cause of this chaos is disconnection between members of the family on a larger scale, just a factor in the photography process based on all of our quirks. In the case of Noriko and her family, the disconnectedness they feel from one another as they grow older and Noriko begins her transition to move away is a reason for their dysfunctional nature. As the blog prompt suggests, even the simplest decisions are a family affair. The entire family is involved in nearly every aspect of each other’s lives. To compare back to my family, we know a healthy and logical amount about what is going on in each other’s lives, yet there is a level of trust and independence that I do not see existing in Noriko’s family. While my sister and I can make our own decisions regarding our education, our weekend plans, and even our social interactions, we do so with guidance from the family, but ultimately what we think will be weighted heavily in the decision-making process. For example, my sister has jumped between different extra-curricular activities in an attempt to find something she feels passionate about on the long-term. She is not pressured to excel at one thing alone based on the family’s desires or goals. It seems as if, for the family in the movie, major life decisions are made by the entire family and individual’s opinions are not highly regarded.
ReplyDeleteEarly Summer depicts a typical Japanese family, but is particularly focused on Noriko’s marriage quest. This film is very accurate in capturing the lifestyle of an average family as it truly presents a “slice of life.” After first watching the movie, I felt like nothing really happened the whole time; the only parts that were really memorable for me were when the two little boys ran away and the family searched for them, the little boys thought they were brought train tracks but really the package was bread, and Noriko eventually decided who she wanted to marry. While some of these events seem very insignificant, they are all things that truly impact peoples’ lives. For example, I ran away from school when I was 3 or 4, and to this day my parents still talk about it. While no one in my family has gotten married, my brother just left the house to go to college, which is very similar to what Noriko is about to do. These seemingly insignificant events, which I thought nothing of at first, truly are life-changing for some people and really are memorable. The fact that no bombs exploded, extreme car chases happened, or anything super thrilling occurred truly added to the realness this film captures and the “slice of life” the film presents as these are obviously not everyday activities. Throughout the entire film, people keep asking Noriko when she is going to get married and to whom she is going to marry; this constant questioning and wondering is very typical both within a family and with friends outside of the family as human’s are naturally very curious. All in all, Ozu wanted to capture an average Japanese family, and even though it may have been very boring or uneventful to some (including me), it really does make the viewer appreciate the film for what it is and feel very satisfied after finishing the film.
ReplyDeleteThe family in Early Summer does a great job at representing what seems to be like a normal family and presents a “slice of life” to the audience. Throughout the film, I was very frustrated because of how uneventful the film truly was. However, this is because the film depicts family life in its truest sense. In reality, human’s lives are mostly made of uneventful sequences like watching television, talking with family, eating, sleeping, etc. These ideals were represented in the film and that’s why it presents a “slice of life” because of how similar it is to our own lives. Like Henry had mentioned, the only scenes that are memorable in the film, at least for me, were the scenes with the little boys and their antics. This shows how wired our modern brains are to forms of comedy and entertainment. This family does remind me of my own family because, just like them, there isn’t a lot of drama taking place in our lives. With the exception of Noriko leaving for marriage, that is somewhat similar to when my sister left for college and when I will soon be leaving in a few months. While this does seem like a typical family, this is not how all families work. This family does basically everything together from eating dinner, to going out on the town. Not all families do that, however, this is a classic representation of what a family is “supposed” to be. While the movie almost had me put to sleep, one has to respect it for its uniqueness and really make one feel at home.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the argument that "nothing happens" in Early Summer is essentially an outrageous claim. I concede that the film does give the audience a glimpse into a Japanese "slice of life"; however, this specific slice is of relatively unusual circumstances. In Early Summer, we do not witness a commonplace week in the lives of the Mamiya family. It's not as if we just glanced through a peephole and happened upon the most important shakeup in the family's history. Ozu shows us this "slice of life" because it is unlike the everyday regularities that encapsulate the typically trite lives of us humans. We don't see Noriko the week before, working as a secretary and carrying on in her normal life. Instead, we see the one of the most significant weeks in the family's entire existence. To put these ideas into perspective, I'd compare the events in this film to those in my own life. If Early Summer had been an inside look into the Weinberger family, Ozu wouldn't have chosen a week in which Scott goes to school, interacts with friends, comes home to do homework, and then falls asleep each day. Instead he would have chosen the week that Hannah, Scott's sister, frantically packed her belongings in order to drive to Santa Fe, New Mexico where she'd start her new job as a journalist. The latter example is an out of the ordinary and monumental occasion. The former example demonstrates the banal daily life that dominates 95% of our existence. While Ozu does technically capture a "slice of life", by no means is it the daily life that Doc's "nothing happens" claim would cause someone to believe.
ReplyDeleteEarly Summer depicts the struggle most families go through. Each generation children, their parents and their grandparents have different expectations and ideals for their lives; Early Summer shows how three generations deal with timeless problems, like marriage, material desire and getting older. This film accurately portrays a typical close-knit family, because it shows how families are affected by each other’s decisions and presence. Noriko is a prime example of this because her love life is the talk of her family. Her great-uncle asks her about it, her parents attempted to find her a husband and she feels a great deal of pressure to get married for her family’s sake. Although this is a little more obvious in the film many families follow this same pattern of pressure. For many teenagers and young adults there is pressure to go to college. Once a child hits about 16-years-old their family members begin to hound them about college prep, standardized tests and other college related activities. Parents and other family members tend to be very open about their opinions and try to push a child to a certain school or certain type, which is similar to Noriko being pushed to a man she does not exactly want. Ultimately the child usual makes the final decision and sometimes the family ends up disappointed or less than pleased. Noriko’s family was not exactly upset with her choice to marry Kenkichi they were not happy that they had tried to fix her up with another man and she completely disregarded their opinion. Families have very complicated dynamics because an individual thinks about himself or herself, but they also have to consider their family. Noriko follows her families advice to get married, but does not marry the man they want her to, which is similar to a child agreeing to go to college, but not the college their parents were hoping for. Applying to college and deciding where to go takes place over a few months, which is similar to the process of Noriko getting married. This movie is slow, but so is real life. It shows that life seems to stay the same everyday, then one day everything is totally different. A few choices totally change the course of ones life, which is similar to how real life is. The family in this film does slightly remind me of my family, but thankfully my parents are pressuring me into marriage anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteBeing raised in a Japanese household, I thought that the portrayal of a family in "Early Summer" is somewhat inaccurate; there are numerous inconsistencies between the dynamics of this family and a typical Japanese family, including behavioral expectations for children, the process of marriage, and socio-economic status. Firstly, the way the kids behave in this movie, especially toward adults, is far from representative of how kids treat adults in real life. In a Japanese family, respect towards elders is emphasized from an early age, which is non-evident in "Early Summer." The process of marriage is also portrayed in a skewed manner in "Early Summer." For example, a typical Japanese person would be appalled by how Noriko decides to marry without even consulting her family. Normally, one would definitely discuss such matters with their family members, and it is also strange how Noriko's family members, although disappointed, seem to not care too much. Lastly, the socio-economic status of the family in "Early Summer" is not representative of the typical Japanese family of this time period. Considering that this movie depicts a family during the pre-war period, the fact that the family has a large house, has members who are employed, and is able to regularly eat is misleading. In summary, it would be incorrect to label the family of "Early Summer" as a typical Japanese family, or even a typical family; the behavior of the children and how Noriko agrees to marry without saying a word to her family is misrepresentative of a universal family.
ReplyDeleteThinking back on Early Summer now, I think the biggest thing I can relate to is the relationship of the brothers. I have an older brother and in a way, I think I did portray many of the characistics as the youngest brother. Of course at the time, I wasn't very conscious of my actions, but looking back on it now, I can see similarities. The biggest one is probably imitation; since I looked up to my older brother, I always tried to act like him. For example if he was wearing a hat, I would put on my hat. If he wanted to play with train tracks, I wanted to as well. I followed him around and saw him as the playmaker. Unconsciously I did whatever he did. Referencing Early Summer again, if my brother told me to go somewhere (like taking a walk to calm down) I would blindly follow. I think this aspect of brother to brother is often overlooked in Early Summer because it is drowned out by the unforgettable rebellious attitudes of the kids. The thing the audience remembers is the little one saying "I hate you" and "poop" moreso than his interactions with the older brother. So I would say in this aspect that Early Summer does a good job at portraying a "slice of life." I definitely could relate in many ways to it, as I believe is the point of the film. It would be harder for me to interchange the characters in the film with my family members, but I think that is because of how different the culture is. My grandparents do not live with me. They actually live on the other side of Cleveland. My family does not always eat together, and things like tea isn't a tradition in my life. My good friend is Japanese though, and I can definitely see close resemblances. Overall, I think Early Summer did a great job at portraying everyday family life and would have even done a better job if I was raised through Japanese traditions.
ReplyDeleteI think Ozu did a pretty good job of portraying family life. in "Early Summer", we can see the grandparents in this film spoiling their grandchildren because whenever the children act out or talk back towards them, they still shower their grandkids with love and affection. This reminds me of when i was younger and when my grandmother would take me on trips to Toys R Us every weekend even when I did not necessarily deserve it. Noriko's Choice to marry Mr. Yabe with out consulting with her parents about it first reminds me of when I had to pick out which college I wanted to go to. Noriko and I both made a choice on our own while still having our families supporting us even though their opinions and ideas did not aid our decisions. I enjoyed the scene when they were trying to take the family picture because moments like these are hard and rare in family life and this is the idea that Ozu wanted to capture in this scene. The purpose of a family photo is to capture these rare moments since a lot of families do not take these types of photos often. A lot of times my parents are usually at work and they are barely home while I am usually hiding in my room doing schoolwork or hanging out with friends, and while my sister is busy attending extra curricular activities from school. So when we do get the chance to take a family photo or spend time all together we usually cherish these moments forever since we are always so busy.
ReplyDeleteEarly Summer’s portrayal of family life is similar to many families. It is not unusual for a family to move on with their separate lives and live away from each other. The end of this movie reminds me of my family, especially on my dad’s side. My aunts have moved out of state, but are constantly calling my grandparents for their advice and help. In my situation, this movie depicts a slice of my family life, but for other families it may not be the same. Not all families are this reliant on each other for help on big and little decisions. During the movie, the whole family is making commentary on Noriko’s love life. They all make their opinions clear on how they stand and who they feel she should marry, but in the end it is not their decision, it is hers. Having Noriko be set in stone about who she wants to marry shows how she has grown as a character throughout the movie and how she is becoming less dependent on her family. Although they are close with one another, it shows how they are able to live a life without having their family making every minor decision. This relates to my family because although we go to each other for help, we are not completely dependent on one another and are able to make our own choices without being pressured. All families are different but the family in Early Summer is relatable to many different families on different levels.
ReplyDeleteEarly Summer is a film that explores the traditional roles in a family and exaggerates those roles to create a stereotypical family. The young children are portrayed as rebellious: throwing bread at their father and saying “I hate you” to their grandparents. A typical stereotype of the younger generation is that they are always rebelling against authority and do not respect their elders. Another example of stereotypical behavior is the grandparent’s attempt to pay for their grandchildren’s love. The grandfather hands pieces of candy to his grandchild and the grandchild responds “I love you” after receiving each piece. Within the film, there is a constant fight between the older generation and the younger generation. The grandparents and brother continually attempt to control Noriko and her decision of who to marry, even when Noriko has already made up her mind. The parents constantly try to control and discipline the grandchildren, who are openly disobedient, yet sweet. This constant struggle between generations exemplifies the desire to control one’s children and their actions. The film portrays some family life accurately, although the film should not be considered “a slice of life”. The film emphasizes stereotypes more than it does daily life events. The main events that occurred in Early Summer include the upcoming marriage of Noriko and the children’s’ attempt to run away from home. These events that were central to the film do not happen in normal daily life of a Japanese home and thus, this film cannot be considered a “slice of life”.
ReplyDeleteEarly summer accurately portrays the struggles I faced as a child, and its simple plot is very relatable. I personally feel that I can relate to the grandchildren because I can imagine my younger self acting this way. The grandchildren seem to have very little respect towards the older members of their family-such as when they destroy the loaf of bread, or when the boy tells his grandpa he hates after the grandpa had handed him what he wanted. When I was little, my grandma would always try her hardest to find me a gift for my birthday or Christmas. The gifts she got me were usually things I didn’t want, and I would disrespectfully tell her that. I was too young to appreciate her efforts, and I feel as though most kids around this age are not mature enough to realize the importance of their grandparents. The scenes I usually remember in movies are the ones that offer a plot twist - when something is discovered, someone is killed, and so on. In this movie the two scenes I will remember the most are when the boy says “I hate you” after receiving a treat from his grandpa, and when he yells “poop”. The simplicity of this movie made it more relatable since these instances are realistic and for some people even common. I didn’t think that the plainness of this movie would make it so memorable. This movie made me realize that a film doesn’t have to be action packed to be memorable, sometimes simplicity can make it memorable.
ReplyDeletePart of the beauty of “Early Summer” is how accurately it portrays family life. The central issue of marriage presents a heavy drama, but more importantly (and impressively), the film captures small, observational interactions between family members that gives it such a strong sense of realism. I absolutely agree with Julia that really, if you pay attention, you’ll realize that most conversations you have with your family wouldn’t make for particularly fascinating listening to anyone on the outside. Nor should they, really, because a lot of family conversations have to do with internal issues. In this film, for instance, we hear conversations regarding when the uncle is coming in, where his seats are relative to the play he’s watching, the children and their train tracks, etc. – again, things of far greater interest to the family than the viewer who peeks in on them. The film is indeed a “slice of life” in this sense, and that’s really what I admire about it. It isn’t looking to enthrall you with a grand, epic story, it’s looking to create a family portrait to which we can all relate, if not through these characters’ exact problems then at least through the ways they deal with and discuss them. I think the main reason this film would come off as unexciting is because these situations are already so familiar to us. For instance, while I assume that few of us have specifically thrown bread across the room because we expected to be given train tracks, but I’m sure all of us at some point were told by our parents to value necessity over superfluity. None of us have made split second decisions regarding who we want to marry (again…I assume…), but we still make impulsive decisions that sometimes put us at odds with our families. These are fundamental issues that every family deals with, and I think that this film’s ability to capture that is a testament to Ozu’s insightfulness as a filmmaker.
ReplyDeleteThe family dynamics in Early Summer is a lot like those of anyone’s typical family. The typical ideas of the grandchildren taking advantage of their grandparents, the children eventually leaving the house to go live their own lives, and not a lot of dramatic plot points make this movie very relatable. My sister and I get spoiled by our grandparents all the time just like the young boys in the film take advantage of the elderly uncle giving out sweets. My sister and I know that if we ask for something that we want our grandparents can’t help but try to make us happy with whatever it is. As for Noriko leaving her family, that reminds me of my leaving for college in two years. In almost all families with children, the children eventually move away from home going off to college, getting a family of their own, and getting a job. Right now not a lot of crazy dramatic movie plot things have happened to me or the people I know making the film Early Summer a very realistic piece. One scene that really exemplifies this realistic view of family life is that of the whole group taking a family photo. The audience can clearly see the different generations and their differences which is what family is in a way: a group of different people that may just have one thing in common, their family ties. The kids are cute and youthful and the adults are serious and clearly aged.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Early Summer directed by Yasujirō Ozu does not depict the ideal family lifestyle. First off, I think that it is not accurate because the whole family lives under one roof. I come from a very close family where most of us live in Cleveland. We get together often, but I cannot imagine all of us living under one roof. It shows that the Japanese lifestyle is extremely different from the American lifestyle. This is not the only way that the cultures differ when it comes to family life. Another big difference is how important mealtime is to the Japanese culture. There were many scenes in the film that show the family at the dinner table. Personally, meals are not that important in my family because we rarely all sit down together. The food culture is also very different when it comes to sitting on the floor. I found the young boys relationship to the grandparents disrespectful. Particularly when the youngest boy calls his grandfather an idiot and tells him he hates him when he doesn’t get candy. I know that it is supposed to be funny, and it is. However, if I was the grandfather I would not be pleased with that type of behavior. I think that I relate the most to Noriko in a few ways. Not that I am trying to find a husband, but my grandparents and parents are often asking me about my personal life and trying to get involved. It tends to bother me because it is not always there business. We also relate in the sense that neither of us actually know what we want. It seems that Noriko is pushed into almost marrying a man she doesn’t love. I am not being set up into a marriage but people often ask me what I want to do with my future and I have no idea what to say. So Noriko and I are both stuck at a point in our lives where we are confused about a decision we have to make.
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ReplyDeleteEarly Summer shows part of the cycle that happens to every family as the family as a whole gets older. The kids grow up, get married and move out, starting their own families and then the cycle begins again. The film is a snap shot of their live during the transition from the end of an old family to the start of new families. That is why there is so much turmoil in their life during the film. The parents and brother are resting the change because they want the family to stay the same forever, happy and together. In the end they come to realize they have to accept change and try to work with it, because no matter how hard they fight, it it will still happen.
ReplyDeleteThe changes happening in the family, for example Noriko getting married and moving to the provinces reminds a little of what my family is going through with me going off to college. My family dynamic is changing because I will not be with them as much. I am becoming more independent of my parent. This is happening in a more extreme sense with Noriko who making her own decisions even against her parents and brothers wishes by agreeing to marry —— without their approval. She is finally becoming independent of her parents and moving away to begin her own new family.
The family in Early Summer is in a state of transition between being together as one family and everyone moving into the next stage of their life. This transition is very natural for them because they have spent so long together. This process began because Noriko is culturally obligated to marry and move in with her husband. Her absence is the catalyst for the grandparents’ decision to go and live near the great uncle. Their family has grown particularly codependent on each other. Despite the economic codependence resulting from Noriko’s income, her social relationship with her family is much more prominent because she took so much longer to get married than the typical Japanese woman. Due to her presence the family became more attached leading her marriage to be particularly bittersweet. The children did not actually play that important of a role in their family dynamic. Since everyone was distracted with Noriko’s love life, the children are not the focus of the family. Even when the children go missing, the focus of the film shifts to Noriko’s marriage and their disappearance foreshadows the effects of Noriko’s marriage on the family dynamic. Early Summer flawlessly captures the pain and happiness of leaving home. When Noriko finally finds love her response is to cry despite getting everything she ever wanted. She realized that in order to grow as a person she would need to leave her family. The movie captures the realistic problem of leaving home and how it affects their family.
ReplyDeleteEarly Summer’s portrayal of typical family life is remarkably accurate. It doesn’t necessarily apply to my personal family life, but then again my family life isn’t exactly easily related to in media. The true accuracy of the parallels lie in the relationships between the family members and not necessarily all aspects. While the relationships between the grandparents and grandkids, parents and children, siblings can all be seen even in current family structure today, the family of Early Summer is much more interwoven than any family I have seen. The immediate example of this is how invested everyone is in Noriko’s marriage, and how reliant they all are on her. That is both a cultural and time difference from the 1950’s Japan and the 2010’s United States. A scene that strongly depicts the perceived relationship between the generations is the scene where Minaru believes he is receiving the extra train tracks he’s been lusting after for so long. He excitedly yells and grabs the wrapped “tracks” and he and Isamu run into the back room to examine their treasure. After Minaru unwraps the “gift” it turns out to be nothing more than a loaf of bread. Minaru is furious and hurls the loaf into the wall. The reason this scene stuck out so much to me is because of what it means for the older generation’s interpretation of the youth. More than not, the youngest generation is seen as ungrateful, rude, jaded, and Early Summer is no exception to this. The commentary on the generation is not entirely subtle, but the full meaning of the scene is also not completely obvious.
ReplyDeleteEarly Summer does in fact depict the accurate family lifestyle. When viewing the film it took me a while to understand the plot and reasoning behind the story, but I then understood the emphasis the film had on family life and tradition. I believe that it is natural in a family setting to look after the girl and be overly protective when preparing for her future. Although it is her choice of who she chooses to love, it is the family's , specifically the father's job to ensure that the person she chooses can look after her. It is the men's job within the family to approve of the man that wishes to take the daughter. This aspect relates a lot to my family because we stress the importance of protection of our women and ensuring that nothing happens to them. Having a younger sister that is beginning high school, my dad, brother and I have taken the initiative to watch for "friends" that wish to associate with her. Although we will not always be there, eventually before she chooses who to marry they must be approved by us. I believe in a typical family household, the daughter is the most looked after because of the fear of them getting taken advantage of. The men in the family have the responsibility to approve but also be an example of caring qualities the daughter should look for in her process. Eventually everyone has to grow up and move on in life, your family will not always be there. But the importance of parenting is to teach while children are young so that they are prepared for the life that awaits.
ReplyDeleteIn the film, Early Summer, the director is clearly trying to portrait the difference in the generations of the family. The grandparents seem to acquire the most wisdom among the generations, while showing their love and affection, they help keep the family in order by keeping the grandchildren happy by buying them things. Their children are the ones with the leadership role, running the family and making sure everyone does what they are told and to make sure everyone is taken care of. The grandchildren seem to be the rebellious ones of the family, mooching off of the grandparents and always causing mishap. The grandchildren seem to also be close with the grandparents than the parents because they are always home with each other, while the parents are out working. I feel like most of this film is pretty true and happens in the everyday life. I could compare it to my childhood and growing up. As a younger child, I felt really close to my grandparents as I spent a lot of time with them while my parents were off at work. I remember my grandpa would always have sweets on him to give me, like the grandpa and child in the film. There is one character that really stood out to me, which was the great uncle. Every family has that one crazy uncle or great uncle that everyone loves to listen to and watch. This family member is a necessity in all families in order to realize how much family means to you. The great uncle use his wisdom and tricks on the grandkids, which frustrated him and they thought he was crazy, when in reality he was just out smarting them.
ReplyDeleteI think that the portrayal of family life is very accurate in Early Summer. All the family is attempting to do is stay close to one another, but is broken up by individual family members' responsibilities and obligations. Noriko cannot stay at home with her parents for all of her life, and she goes to the countryside to live with her future husband. The separation of the family is not some crazy concept; rather, it's a natural occurrence that happens mostly everywhere. For this reason, it feels as if nothing is really happening in the movie. There is no crazy climax, because all the actions that take place are so natural. It is essentially just a "slice of life."
ReplyDeleteIn many ways, the family in the movie is similar to my family and the average American family in general. There are expectations placed upon the children (attending college), and it is sad but inevitable that the family will split up at some point. One scene in Early Summer where family life is shown is when the whole family is sitting down for dinner, even great uncle. Great uncle cannot hear the questions being asked to him, but regardless what's important is that the whole family gets together, even if it may be one of the last times. Although separation is inevitable, in Early Summer, and in just like any family, there are efforts made to have everyone be together, even if it is only dinner. Thus, it is clear that in the film, the concept of family is extremely important.
There are many elements in this film that portray family life realistically, such as how the parents want to choose the spouse of their daughter, how the children are rebellious, and how the grandparents give things to their grandchildren to attempt to earn their love. As Ryuji stated in class, however, some of these actions are not normal in Japanese culture. The children would almost always be obedient to their elders and the family would live together, not spread out. This representation of a family would be believable living in America, though. I do consider the photograph taken of the family "a slice of life" because it is temporary. This scene is snapshotted and immediately following it the parents and Noriko move out. Everyone spreads out. This, in a sense, does remind me of my family and how many families change. There is a photograph taken with all of us when we are all together, then everyone splits off in their own groups. I live with my parents, my grandparents live in another house together, and my brothers live in different houses, one in a different state. I believe this is how families work. They want to take pictures together to remember who you love and where you're from. Noriko is a clear proponent to this school of thought. She will soon be leaving the ones she love and have lived with and will leave the nest to go with her new love. She is creating her own group, starting her own family.
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ReplyDeleteThe film Early Summer, which is directed by Yasujirō Ozu, is a film which ultimately expresses the traditional roles in a family. However, this particular film emphasizes these roles, in order to create a stereotypical family. In the film, the children come across to the viewer as rebellious young boys. This can be seen when the children throw the loaf of bread onto the floor and when they tell their grandparents that they hate them. One stereotype which is typical of the younger generation is how they ultimately resist authority and do not respect their elders. Also stereotypical behavior which can be seen in the older generation is when grandparents try to buy their grandchildren's love and affection. This can be seen when the grandfather gives candy to his grandchild and in response, the grandchild says that he loves him. Throughout the film, there is always a constant conflict between the younger and older generation. The grandparents and the brother try to control the young Noriko and her decision of who to marry, even though she has already decided. Also, the parents try to control and discipline the grandchildren, who resist authority and are disobedient. This conflict between generations clearly shows the want to control one's children and their actions. Even though Early Summer does portray some family life accurately, this film cannot be considered "a slice of life." Ultimately, the he focus of the film is more on stereotypes, rather than daily life events. Some main events which occurred in Early Summer include both Noriko's upcoming marriage and the children's attempt to run away from home. These daily life events which were central to the film ultimately do not occur in normal daily life of a Japanese home, which is why Early Summer truly cannot be considered a “slice of life."
ReplyDeleteEarly summer is not a tradition Hollywood Blockbuster that we have become accustomed to, and that is what creates the sense that nothing happened in the film. Instead, this film gives us a “slice of life” of a traditional Japanese family, exploring relationships and feelings amongst the characters rather than prioritizing action. What makes the film a masterpiece, however, is the accurate portrayal of family life. Essentially, this movie is a tale of growing up, from the perspective of Noriko. There is a push and pull between Noriko and her parents, who attempt to set up her marriage while also respecting her liberties and wanting to give her space to make her own decisions. It is very difficult for parents to let their children make their own decisions, especially when they feel that the child is making a mistake, and yet that is part of the process of growing up. While we can chalk up the parents’ desire to set up Noriko’s marriage as just an ancient Japanese tradition, I think these kinds of discussions and disappointments happen in every single family. Noriko feels that she has to do what is best for her and what will make her happy, even if it means going against her parents, and that is a huge step in becoming independent. At some point the child always has to break free from the nest, and the parents do seem the realize that they can’t stop her. This family does remind me a little bit of my family, as I have an 11 year old sister who plays the role of jokester, messing around with my father all the time. The comedic relief, brought on by the younger boys, is on point in this film, and is a realistic portrayal of young children. All in all, this “slice of life” is very realistic, even if the subject matter and pace isn’t typical of what we are used to seeing.
ReplyDeleteAs many of the comments above have suggested, Early Summer very accurately portrays a true and realistic family life. Many films leading up to this movie, and even films after, focus largely on action, or things that are really happening throughout the entire movie...events that really are not likely to happen all the time, every day, because of the dramatic extremity of it. However, in Early Summer the a realistic aspect of life is filmed. It truly is a day in the life, especially with scenes of members of the family having casual conversation, even if it does not have a significant impact on the rest of the movie. Meanwhile, as there are scenes that seem insignificant because of the tranquility and seemingly piece of a "day in the life," there are multiple other scenes where the film succeeds in remaining on this "slice of life" path, while also creating scenes that are important, and either impact or say something about the movie and its themes. Specifically, the scene where the grandparents of the family are sitting in a park-like area looking up at a balloon that got away from a child somewhere. The scene successfully maintained the calmness that the movie calls for for a realistic perspective of life, but at the same time the scene creates a very important scene. The grandparents are innocently discussing the sadness they have for the child whose balloon is getting away from, and this actually applies to them AND the one of the themes of the film. It presents the idea that their children are also getting away from them and that the family is breaking up in a way. Early Summer does this all while keeping the realistic slice of life style of filming, successfully depicting the real problems and struggles of life, and in a not-so-fast timeline.
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