Ozu title changes

[Michael E. Kerpan]

On Thu, 31 Aug 2000, you wrote:

> Thats interesting what you say Michael - I had wondered about it myself when
> we were sorting out the translation as to why the title in English would be
> early summer when translated more literally it was Coming Autumn (which is
> mroe likely to be Barley time).    But there is a scene in the film when
> there is a shot of fish kites flying which Kathe Geist says alludes to the
> title as they are usually flown on Boys Day (a reference to the old couple's
> dead son) which is held in Early Summer on which she rests her argument that
> Ozu's transitional shots are not empty but contain particular references -
> so I guess that shoots that theory down doesn't it if the title has actually
> been mistranslated!

According to Bordwell (and consistent with my limited expertise), Ozu's
seasonal titles do not necessarily reflect the literal time of year depicted in
a particular film but, rather, metaphorically reflect the stage of the life
cycle of the family that is the focus of the film. 

Boy's Day (now apparently known as Children's Day) is celebrated on or about
May 5 (i.e. "Late Spring").  We made a point of flying our koi-nobori streamers
all through May (except for the Memorial Day weekend, of course).

Apparently the fields you see at the end of "Early Summer" (and past which the
village wedding procession passes) are barley fields.

Michael Kerpan
(almost done with a second reading of Bordwell)