“The immediate subject will consistently be the visible image.”
Read instead…in print No.34
Shiguéhiko Hasumi’s book, Directed by Yasujirō Ozuhas finally been translated into English. Why does a book about film matter? I believe that the first quality that a book about film must meet is its ability to make you want to watch the films. Directed by Yasujirō Ozu does that. “This book is concerned specifically with what we can see on screen and how it stimulates our cinematic sensitivity,” reveals the author. “In other words, I would like to attempt to discuss the films only in their capacity to live as real film experience. The immediate subject will consistently be the visible image.” Entire scenes from Ozu’s films are projected through Shuguéhiko Hasumi’s words. Even those you haven’t seen, such as That Night’s Wife was in my case, where the writer effortlessly makes you see and live the scene marked by a sartorial story that happens to be one of the most beautifully written film costume analysis, centered around one of the character’s fedora hat.
“The dream of Directed by Yasujirō Ozu is that hopefully
many readers will be filled with desire to see the films
and rush to the theater before they finish reading.”
Read instead… in print is about a good book about cinema or filmmakers. No discursive, pretentious analyses, no verbose scrutiny. Because the idea is to invite you to read the book, not read about it here. But instead of using social media, I use my journal. Back to basics. Take it as a wish to break free of over-reliance on social media (even if it’s just for posting a photo of a good book) for presenting my work, cultural finds and interests. These are things to be enjoyed as stand-alone pieces in a more substantial and meaningful way than showing them in the black hole of Instagram thronged with an audience with a short attention span. This is also a look through my voluminous collection of books about film that I use as research in my adamant decision to rely less and less on the online and more on more on print materials.
MORE STORIES
Read instead…in print No.29: Cary Grant’s Suit
Stéphane Audran, Vermeer and Lagerfeld: The Visual Richness of Babette’s Feast
Read instead…in print No.9:
Tavernier’s “Amis américains Sous-titre Entretiens avec les grands auteurs d’Hollywood”
