3. Richie, Donald. Ozu. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1974.

This book is a comprehensive survey of the style and work of Yasujiro Ozu. His films are said to be distinctly Japanese, more so than any other film maker. This is achieved largely by focusing on the family in his pieces, one of the most important elements of Japanese life. The book goes into depth regarding Ozu's techniques in scripts, in camera work, and in editing. Sources cited in the bibliography are extensive. They include writings and conversations, books, pamphlets, magazines, reviews, and recordings. The work seems to be a book written by a close follower of Ozu's work, possibly an academic, or perhaps just a fan. I think he intended the book to be read by the general public. Little is assumed of the reader. He begins with some background and does not dazzle the reader with difficult and unfamiliar terms.

I found that this book was an excellent source for Ozu. It was clearly laid out, easy to understand, and full of information. Illustrations and photographs supported the text sufficiently. The author also includes good comparison between Ozu and western filmmakers. Perhaps the only thing else I would have liked to see, was more comparison between Ozu and other Japanese filmmakers during the same time period.

- Brad Alexander