#116: Tokyo Story
Part of the Top 150 Films series
I first saw Tokyo Story as part of my first “press screening” for my university newspaper over six years ago. Having to file the review that evening, I remarked that it was a “slow burn, very measured and composed, and not for everyone”. I still sort of stand by my initial assessment, but its the ‘slow burn’ element that really holds up today. I’ve never truly been able to shake the film all these years later. People come and people go, but Setsuko Hara’s devastatingly expressive face, Chishū Ryū’s stoic temperament, and Kojun Saitō’s stately score will remain with me always, even in the months and years after my next viewing. There’s something to be said for immediate impact (even with other Ozu films), but there’s also a place for those seemingly fleeting moments that linger much longer than expected. Tokyo Story shows no sign of fading away at all.
