Tokyo Story and Hollywood Continuity Practices

The film Tokyo Story directed by Yasujiro Ozu embodies unique editing techniques that differ greatly from the common practices of Hollywood continuity. One significant difference between Hollywood Continuity and the techniques demonstrated in Tokyo Story is shot duration along with camera placement closely near to the floor in addition to camera movement. In Tokyo Story, Ozu places the camera significantly lower to the ground connecting the audience with the life of the characters which deals greatly with sitting very near to the floor in a vast majority of the scenes whereas most Hollywood Continuity practices would exhibit cinematography and shot composition from a much higher height. In addition, the length of the shots are abnormally longer than the shot duration evident in Hollywood continuity. As mentioned in Chapter eight of Film Art, "patterning of short shots can create an accelerating feeling," whereas longer shots create an almost impatient and anxious feeling evident in Tokyo Story's shot succession. The camera movement exemplified in Ozu's work also places great emphasis on little camera movement, and more emphasis on cutaway shots of close ups of the character's faces demonstrated in various scenes throughout the film while Hollywood Continuity relies greatly on camera movement to communicate narrative through various shots. Also, the subject matter of the film is quite mundane and documents everyday life as it realistically occurs which varies from Hollywood continuity which deviates from mundane subject matter. Overall, Tokyo Story demonstrates sophisticated editing practices which are similar to Hollywood Continuity, yet are unique in the sense that it embodies different camera angles, succession of shots and subject matter however both forms of film demonstrate realism in a unique and convincing manner.