My Mind Opens

    Apparently, just because a movie is in black and white does not mean it sucks. 
    And evidently, just because a movie came out in 1951 doesn't mean it has different values.
    I guess I imagined because it was 1950s in Japan, lesbians weren't allowed or at least would not be directly alluded to in film. I imagined a culture so strict about heteronormativity that even mentioning the idea would be inappropriate. But then Noriko's boss straight up asks, with a laugh, if she likes women because she likes Audrey (not Katharine) Hepburn. He followed with a joke about Aya liking clam. I was so prejudiced against the 1950s culture that I never thought a thing about gayness during this entire movie. It wasn't until class (and some incredible memes) that it started to sink it.
    I love it. Artists are awesome. Everything about this movie changed after hearing about the lesbian interpretation. Imagine me, thinking Noriko was excited to be alone with neighbor boy! I wonder if Ozu thought Hara was gay and made this as an homage to her, or if this was an inside representation of a subculture, or if moderns watching it only think it is a gay movie but in reality we are projecting our own views. Of course, this last read (which I do not think is the case) comes off as the historians who, upon learning that two women were roommates for 30 years in a one-bedroom apartment, say, "they simply were the best of friends."
     Then there was this scene where Aya and Noriko are fooling around with accents. Noriko, who I thought was a straight-laced (pun intended) do-gooder does accents! It's almost as if Ozu wants the viewers to laugh and enjoy the film. I couldn't believe how much fun I had with this. Compared to the still shots of ocean, birds and empty rooms, this was the 4th of July. It was loud and funny and oh so human. Noriko is rounded out as a real person. It's kind of like seeing someone smile in one of those 1880's photographs. We are reminded that people then are like people now. 
    


    No, Noriko, you're right, it's not so hard, but it still blew my mind. I guess that's the point of a liberal arts education: to be set free by means of a scale and a film to grow from a child to a free man. This movie was a fun and moving tale of Noriko getting happily married and then I went to class and got schooled--there was a far more interesting and deeply moving read of the movie I had missed because of my own close mindedness. 
    As such, I give this movie an 8/10 because there wasn't a happy ending.
    Oh wait, what's that? 


    A POOP JOKE? Are you kidding me, Ozu? Bump that up to 9.5/10. The whole family was laughing and so was I. 

Comments

  1. Danping LongNovember 26, 2021 at 3:59 PM

    Aha! I have two aunts who are in their 50s. They have lived in one bedroom together for their entire adulthood and they celebrate Valentine's day together. Yet when I imply that they are a couple to my mom, who has been their best friend for decades, she still thinks that they are just good friends. I guess my mom is simply not used to view people with a gaydar, just as Noriko won't think about the sexual connotations of a joke. But I have been fantasying about Noriko all along hehehe. P.S. Please share the memes with us!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Campbell LozuawayDecember 6, 2021 at 3:18 PM

      Thank you for this story.

      As requested, the memes: https://peccarygloves.blogspot.com/2021/11/an-analysis-in-pictures-collaborative.html

      Delete
  2. Krishnan VenkateshNovember 28, 2021 at 9:07 AM

    See Ozu's "Dragnet Girl," on Criterion!

    ReplyDelete

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