180-Degree Rule And Revelation In Tokyo Story

 180-Degree Rule And Revelation In Tokyo Story


For this blog piece, I wanted to look at how Ozu utilizes the 180-degree rule to underline significant moments. This post will require knowledge of what the 180-degree rule is and as I don’t want to be overlong I recommend you check out these video’s that Mr. Venkatesh recommended to us here and here. To do this I am going to examine the bar scene where Shūkichi, Hattori, and Numata are drinking sake after having walked here from a different establishment. To start with it is important to look at the opening shot where we establish where each character is seated concerning the bar and each other. Here is this opening shot where the character’s relation to each other is clearly shown with the 180-degree line drawn on. 

1.

Here we can see that we have set up the relation between the three characters and how they would look when turning and talking to each other. Everybody fits into this one-shot including the barkeep yet Ozu decides to shift the angle of the camera completely breaking the 180-degree rule in his next cut. This can be seen here with a similar line through it. 

2.

Now, this cut does give the audience a little bit of dissonance from the shift in perspective. At the same time, it cuts to a new establishing shot which removes a fair amount of expected dissonance from breaking the 180-degree rule. This is the prominent shooting angle that Ozu uses throughout this scene. Ozu from that establishing shot directly above cuts in closer to the characters of Shūkichi and Numata so that they can have a proper dialogue. 

3.

Then Ozu has them talk back and forth throughout the scene cutting back and forth between them like so.

 4.

And then so 

5.

 Shūkichi’s and Numata’s relation with the camera stays the same throughout this scene as Ozu cuts back and forth. It is important to note though that Ozu’s use of straight camera angles when cutting between characters talking in this scene comes close to breaking the 180-degree rule yet does not. This changes though when Shūkichi reveals that he is disappointed in his son and that maybe he had too high hopes for him. From there the angle that Shūkichi is shot at is fully past the line of 180-degrees previously established in image two and now is shot from the first angle we get at the bar as seen in image one. Below you can see the moment of revelation.  

6.

 Now why is this important and what are we supposed to take from this shift in perspective?  I think the shift in perspective is meant to underscore the moment of revelation that Shūkichi is disappointed in his son and the rest of his children. A sort of truth is obtained from our shift in perspective. Our change in understanding of the dimensions of the shot is also changed with our understanding of how Shūkichi feels about his children. Interlacing the revelation with a change in perspective is a deeply interesting choice, not easily pulled off. 

It requires an important type of specific build-up so that the audience is not completely thrown off by the shift in perspective. Ozu does this in three different ways. Firstly he breaks the 180-degree rule throughout the picture, constantly shifting our relation with how spaces work in the movies. Secondly, in the opening shot, we get almost this exact perspective of these men drinking at the bar. Which is then broken quickly by a shift in perspective to the second angle that Ozu uses mostly throughout the scene. Having the original opening shot be the same angle as when we hear Shūkichi’s revelation, broadens our understanding of the space. Making it easier to throw off our expectations but not needlessly confusing us. Thirdly, his use of almost-on-face shooting angles, like in images four and five, removes some of the dissonances we see when shifting in perspective. The on-face shooting angle itself usually skirts the line in terms of breaking the 180-degree rule this causes shifts in perspective to not affect the viewer as much. The ease with which Ozu breaks the 180-degree rule shows how deeply he has thought about the relation of cuts and framing with one another. 

Ozu uses this technique to great effect throughout the movie for example the revelation about Shūkichi drinking, and Keizo seeing his mother for the first time after her death. This embodies part of what makes Ozu a fantastic filmmaker is how he uses cuts and spatial awareness of the audience to tell a story. 

Comments

  1. Krishnan VenkateshNovember 3, 2021 at 10:37 PM

    Beautifully observed. I have nothing to add. You felt this out with great precision.

    ReplyDelete

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