My brother forced me to visit the film institute where I saw TOKYO STORY. After that I gave up my dreams about literature. I began my search for a red kettle - Aki Kaurismaki, Talking With Ozu
 |
| Floating Weeds / Shadows In Paradise |
At first glance Aki Kaurismaki comes off like an unofficial student from the school of Bresson. Both filmmakers have a very deadpan and sometimes harsh look at humanity. They’ve both even adapted the works of Dostoevsky.But when you dig a little deeper in to the filmography of Kaurismaki you’ll see a lot of beauty just beneath the surface. His films have a decent amount of “soul” when you get past the dry performances and monotone deliveries.
These qualities comes from his immense admiration for Yasujiro Ozu. Kaurismaki has never tried to hide his influences. He always makes a point to namedrop Ozu as a source of inspiration.
Below you’ll find a collection of visual comparisons between the films of Ozu & Kaurismaki (all Kaurismaki feature films are represented) to show the impact that the legendary Japanese filmmaker has on the Finnish aueter.
Enjoy…
I refuse to go to my grave until I have proved to myself that I’ll never reach your level, Mr. Ozu - Aki Kaurismaki, Talking With Ozu
 |
| Dragnet Girl / I Hired A Contract Killer |
 |
| Dragnet Girl / I Hired A Contract Killer |
 | |
|
What moves me in Ozu's work above all else is his humanity, his honesty, his rectitude - Aki Kaurismaki
 |
| Floating Weeds / Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Floating Weeds / Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Floating Weeds / Shadows In Paradise |
If I go to lonely island with only one film it would still be Tokyo Story - Aki Kaurismaki, |
 |
| Tokyo Story / Le Harve |
 |
| Floating Weeds / Le Harve |
 |
| Floating Weeds / Le Harve |
 |
Floating Weeds / Le Harve What I respect most is that Ozu never needed to use murder or violence to tell everything that’s essential about human life - Aki Kaurismaki, Talking With Ozu |
 |
| Equinox Flower/ Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Floating Weeds / I Hired A Contract Killer |
 |
| An Autumn Afternoon / Le Harve |
 |
| Tokyo Story / Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Tokyo Story / Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Tokyo Story / Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Tokyo Story / The Man Without A Past |
 |
| Tokyo Story / The Man Without A Past |
 |
| Tokyo Story / The Man Without A Past |
 |
| Woman Of Tokyo / I Hired A Contract Killer |
 |
| Early Summer / I Hired A Contract Killer |
 |
| Early Summer / I Hired A Contract Killer |
 |
| Early Summer / I Hired A Contract Killer |
 |
| Floating Weeds / Le Havre |
 |
| Good Morning/ Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Passing Fancy / Le Havre |
 |
| The Only Son / The Man Without A Past |
 |
| Good Morning / The Man Without A Past |
 |
| Good Morning / Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Late Spring / Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Late Autumn / The Other Side Of Hope |
 |
| Late Autumn / Shadows In Paradise |
 |
| Late Spring / Calimari Union |
 |
| Late Spring / Calimari Union |
 |
| Early Summer / Take Care Of Your Scarf Tatiana |
 |
| Floating Weeds / Drifting Clouds |
 |
| An Autumn Afternoon / The Other Side Of Hope |
 |
| The Only Son / The Match Factory Girl |
 |
| The Only Son / Ariel |
 |
| An Autumn Afternon / La Vie De Boheme |
 |
| Tokyo Story / Lights In The Dusk |
 |
| Good Morning / Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses |
 |
| An Autumn Afternoon / Leningrad Cowboys Go America |
 |
| Dragnet Girl / Dirty Hands |
 |
| Floating Weeds / Hamlet Goes Business |
 |
| Floating Weeds / Drifting Clouds |
 |
| Floating Weeds / I Hired A Contract Killer |
 |
| Good Morning / Juha |
 |
| An Autumn Afternoon / Lights In The Dusk |
 |
| Early Summer / Calimari Union |
 | ||
| Good Morning / Hamlet Goes Business
|
 |
| Woman Of Tokyo / Fallen Leaves |
 |
| Woman Of Tokyo / Lights In The Dusk |
 |
| End Of Summer / Calamari Union |
 |
| End Of Summer / The Other Side Of Hope |
