Read instead…in print #40: Noriko Smiling

Looking close at one single film, Late Spring, Adam Mars-Jones draws a compelling, passionate and rigorous study that considers the film’s aesthetic and technical qualities and, most importantly, new ideas and interpretations different than any other Western and westernised critical arguments and perceptions. Mars-Jones does indeed “defend a work of art against its advocates”, and “rescues a great film from its reputation”. Noriko Smiling is also, thankfully, the author’s personal response to this beautiful film directed by Yasujirō Ozu. Isn’t that why we watch movies? For the unique, personal experience of it all?

“If there’s one thing the actress playing Noriko, Setsuko Hara, is known for, it’s her smile. It’s the key to her mystique. This is a facial expression that seems to come from the depths, not something put on for the purposes of social appeasement, yet it doesn’t necessarily have strong links with happiness or even contentment. The ‘Noriko smile’ is a filmed entity which obeys its own laws, like Chaplin’s little tramp walk or Fred Astaire’s way with a song.”

It’s also worth mentioning that the book is part of the Noting Hill Editions handsome and collectible titles. Because the look of a book is never to be underestimated.

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.