Rodrigo Martinez

Dr. An Pham

Japanese 314

Nov 14, 2020

“Compositional Interpretation and Semiotics in Japanese Film.”

In the discussion between "Tokyo Story" and "Hospitalité", there is a big

difference that I noticed. Some of these differences are the type of visualization that

each movie has that makes an impact on how we perceived each movie. Besides, we

can also discuss the type of values that these two movies have in common between

society. Also, the connections and differences that Japanese families had in the period

of time.

In the movie “Tokyo Story” one thing that I could notice about visualization style is

the way that the actors acted. It was very uncommon to observe how they were acting.

For example most of the time the actors looked towards the camera as if the other actor

were there in front of them, these created a type of visualization that would make one

think that the actor is looking at them. Also, the weather was surprising, it was very hot

and most of the time people carried a fan because of that. According to Gillian Rose,

“Perspective depends on a geometry of rays of vision, and your eye is central to this

geometry (several perspective systems assume that the viewer of a scene is a single

point and thus that you have only one eye).” (Rose pg 40). This phrase caught my

attention; there are different perspectives, and from my personal perspective, I think that
the only way that I see the actors was the way they look at the camera. However, I think

they did pretty well at that time.

Another thing that grabbed my attention about this movie was the title of the

movie “Tokyo Story”. However, it does not explain anything about the city or the history

of the city, but it can give us a representation of how families were socially at that time.

During that era, Japanese families went through a powerful move; the Second World

War, the economic crisis was increasing and due to all of these changes that the

Japanese were facing many of the young people spent a long time working.

Also, another thing about the society that I noticed in the movie “Tokyo Story”

was the selfishness of the brothers. It was very unusual for me to observe when the

daughter asked for her mother's belongings after the mother died. In a different society,

it is not common to see that after a family member passes away that you can be asked

for their belongings and keep them. Due to this observation, I can conclude that maybe

in the Japanese community it is common to do this act. The woman barely passed away

and the brothers were already asking for her belongings. Another thing that I could

notice was, that the Japanese’s life was always busy during the era. I could notice that

when the grandparents went to visit their sons, however, they do not have much

success, because their sons were always busy and in a critical mood. I assume that

being overworked can have serious consequences. For example, stress or lack of food,

and this is what happened to the sons, this is why the grandparents had to return home.

Days later the mother died and after that, the son had to visit the grandparents but in

different situations.
 Meanwhile in the movie “hospitality” shows us a different perspective compared

to the movie Tokyo story. In Tokyo Story, the families were a little more reserved. What I

mean they respected their elders better than in the movie "Hospitality". For me, the term

Hospitality means being solidarity with other people and helping them with refuge or a

place to stay. For example, the man who asked for a job and later asked for asylum at

home. After that, he took his wife to the owner's house I think it was rude for them to do

that. They do not ask the owner if it was okay for his wife to stay with them. According to

Okuyama, Yoshiko said, “What is semiotics? It is the study of a system of signs to

determine how symbolic meanings are created and transmitted through the use of

words, concepts, images, and so forth.” (Yoshiko pg 3). So the meaning of hospitality for

me is to help others with refuge or a place to stay. However, It is disappointed how

some cultures are sometimes not respectful to ask if it is okay for someone else to live

in their house. Another observation that I did was, that they used black humor in their

films utilizing sex. I think that Japanese culture is identified for that, they use that kind of

touch inside society. I've seen Japanese anime where some are of that kind of humor

and talk about sex. According to Gillian Rose, said, “Expressive content. Taylor (1957:

43-4) describes an image's expressive content as `the combined effect of subject matter

and visual form'. Separate consideration of expressive content is necessary because

breaking an image into its component parts - spatial organization, color, content, light -

does not necessarily capture the look of an image”.( Rose pg 46). This quote caught my

interest in this way I could relate to the social life of the Japanese with the film, using a

visual expression. For example, when they use their hospitality with other people and
also the intimate relationships they have with others without knowing or knowing them

well.

One of the epic moments that the “hospitality” movie has when the husband and

wife slapped each other and then started singing. I am from Mexico and seeing a

woman slap a man is a bit unusual so and is frowned upon by society.

In conclusion, there are two different periods of time but the social life in both

movies is kind of busy. Most of the Japanese people tend to have social behavior

problems that are causing by overworking and the bad habit.