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Tokyo Story and Train Man

Introduction

Advances in technology have made it possible for people across the globe to explore the different behavior and lifestyle of the varied societies in the world. Such initiative has been facilitated through a myriad of ways particularly through movie production. To begin with, movies have been used by various producers or directors to convey different messages to the audience. These messages may be of love as displayed in romantic movies or other themes including tragedy, pain, general lifestyle among others as encompassed in various dramas. The two movies of Tokyo story and Train man depict different scenes of lifestyle in the modern Tokyo. The former is a drama that revolves around an old family residing in the local village with children both in Tokyo and Osaka. The parents Shukichi and Tommi set for the two aforementioned towns of Japan to visit their children only to be disappointed when their children are not able to spare time for them. They are however attended to by their daughter- in-law instead (Ebert, 2003, 2). This drama explores how to deal with disappointments since the emotions of the ordinary men are expressed in the context of the modern families as exhibited in their children in Tokyo and Osaka. On the other hand, Train man is a romantic movie revolving around a geeky man who gains confidence to approach a woman after long period of loneliness. This is made possible after rescuing the lady from a drunken passenger and receiving gift from the lady. He goes ahead to seek support from the online friends to win the love of the beautiful woman which he succeeds in doing ((McMillin, 2009, 1). This comedy portrays the modernity as witnessed in the communication mode between the loved ones.

Both the movies depict the changes that have so far been witnessed and continue to occur in Tokyo. At the outset, Train man is a modern romantic comedy directed in 2005 by Masanori Murakami that revolves around a shy geek man by the names of Takayuki Yamada who has not been able to get a girlfriend for a long time due to his shyness. He however, manages to win the love of a beautiful lady after defending her from the drunken passenger in a train. Yamada pursues the love of the beautiful lady (Miki Nakatani) after the woman sent him gift of appreciation ( HYPERLINK “http://comments.blogs.amctv.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=271&id=80479” Willmott, 2007, 2). The modernity of this movie is displayed by the modern technology in communication adopted by the characters in the comedy. For instance, Yamada’s friends are mainly online guys whom he has not seen but provide help to the shy geek including assisting him pursue the love of the aforementioned lady. Through internet, Yamada is able to confront Nakatani and win her love which was not possible before the advent of the technology. The comedy therefore portrays Tokyo as a contemporary society with a vision of becoming networked through the advent of internet. In such arrangement, the human socialization is highly reduced as individuals can communicate through internet and get their things achieved including winning girlfriends ( HYPERLINK “http://comments.blogs.amctv.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=271&id=80479” Willmott, 2007, 3).

On the other hand, Tokyo story is a1953 Japanese film directed by HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasujiro_Ozu” o “Yasujiro Ozu” Yasujiro Ozu that revolves around Hirayama family which resides in different places in Japan. The older couple who have been living at home sets for Tokyo and Osaka to visit their children and grandchildren. They are disappointed on arrival as they can not receive the treatment and time from their children who happens to be committed on work. Instead, they are attended by their daughter in law Noriko whose husband died in the world war two (Ebert, 2003, 3). Ozu does not force emotions on the audience but leaves it to flow. Here, the audience is able to realize that the couple is disappointed even though Ozu does not mention such a thing in the movie. The director manages to destroy the Japanese families by employing issues of work and modernization. He stresses the drift that has so far occurred in the Japanese families as the children no longer have time for their parents due to commitments especially in the workplace. The couple is sent to spa by their children due to their commitment at work. They don’t like the place but have to go since there is no alternative. The couple also complains about their children and life particularly Shukichi during his night visit to his village friends. However, Ozu manages to hide the feelings of the old couple throughout the film. He is fond of positioning people in twos and side by side. This is possibly meant to allow the listeners as well as viewers to get clear messages when the duo is conversing. The couple thereafter set for a return journey home through Osaka to visit one of their sons. On the way, the grandmother falls ill and the children have to attend to her after receiving telegram.

The movie reflects the different social classes of people as witnessed in the Hirayama family. The old couple including Shukichi and Tommi lives at home resting because no one is free to take them anywhere while their children spend their life in urban areas pursuing various activities including work. At the outset, Koichi, their oldest son is married to Fumiko with two sons and lives in Tokyo. He works as a doctor in the neighborhood clinic while his sister Shige runs a beauty salon in the same city. The daughter-in-law Noriko who was married to the couple’s middle son lives within the same territory and is an office worker. Finally, their youngest son Keizo works in the other Japanese city of Osaka (Ebert, 2003, 3). Ozu manages to draw a clear line between the aforementioned families and the social classes the different families are found given their lifestyles and professions. Train man also displays different social classes in the romantic comedy. Yamada is portrayed as a socially-inept otaku who falls in love with a beautiful lady referred to as Hermes. The shy geek undergoes certain degree of transformations to become a chic in an attempt to win the love of Nakatani which he does under the help of his online pals. Nakatani on the other hand is portrayed as an expensive lady given the expensive gifts she offers to Yamada as an appreciation for rescuing her from the drunkard passenger in a train (McMillin, 2009, 2).

The two movies display great variation in the changes in technologies between nineteen fifties and two thousands. To begin with, the two movies explore the use of train as a means of transport by the concerned individuals in the two films. Tokyo story for instance demonstrates how the old couple consisting of Shukichi and Tommi set for Tokyo and Osaka using train as a means of transport. However, they travel before the advent of a bullet train hence takes one day to reach their intended destination. Train man on the other hand employs the use of a modern train in the 2005- romantic comedy. Besides, the Tokyo story does employ a one on one communication as well as the use of telegram as witnessed during the death of Tommi on their journey back home. The train man on the other hand employs modern technology in the communication arena by utilizing internet communication among various characters. For instance, Yamada seeks advice on how to date Nakatani from his pals online. He has never seen these friends but manages to be helped online to win the love of the beautiful lady. Unlike the Tokyo stories which employ telegram as a means of communication, train man utilizes phone calls to deliver urgent messages. Yamada communicates to Nakatani on phone after gaining the courage to approach the chic. Moreover the advances in technology has enhanced human contact through the use of text messages as well as e-mails which are faster compared to the old and expensive modes of communication such as telegram.

In a nutshell the analysis of the two movies of Tokyo stories and Train man provides great variation in the lifestyles of people greatly influenced by different factors including the existing technologies especially in the communication and transport sectors. In Tokyo stories, Ozu addresses the inevitability of death, the rift between different generations, the anxiety about death as well as change and the passing of time among other important issues. He utilizes the most humanistic style unlike the workshop storytelling technique by touching the audience with human feelings. The Train man on the other hand is a romantic comedy that illustrates advances in technology as Yamada manages to win the love of Nakatani via the support of online friends as well as the use of modern communication methods including phone calls, text messaging as well as e-mails. The two movies utilizes train as a means of transport and the 1953-Tokyo stories utilizes the old train which would take one day to reach Tokyo from home upcountry. However, the two movies bring visions of development to the city of Tokyo as witnessed in the technological advancements.

Conclusion

Lifestyles of different people in Tokyo are affected by a variety of factors existing within the urban city. The scenes of the daily lives of the aforementioned people can therefore be depicted in romantic comedies as well as through drama. The two movies of Train man and Tokyo stories therefore portray such lifestyles by utilizing different styles under different time periods. Tokyo stories for instance, was directed by Ozu in 1953 when technological development was greatly minimized compared to Train man produced in 2005 thereby characterized by modern technology in the internet age. The former dram is however typified by the rift between generations as the old couple Shukichi and Tommi meet a cold reception by their children in Tokyo after traveling for both day and night via train to the capital. This is attributed to work and modernization that has kept the children so committed to even have time for their parents. The movie is also characterized by the backward technology as exemplified in the use of telegram as a means of communication during the death of Tommi. Train man on the other hand, revolves around a shy geek Yamada who gains confidence after receiving support from online friends to win the love of Nakatani. The romantic comedy is directed in the modern age where communication system is highly enhanced and such technologies as phone use; text messaging as well as e-mails is utilized. Generally, they display different scenarios concerning the daily lives of people in Tokyo.

Work cited:

Ebert, Roger. Tokyo Story (1953).Rogerbert.com. 2003. Print. Available:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031109/REVIEWS08/311090301/1023

McMillin, Calvin. Train Man. New York: Ross Chen. 2009. Print. Available:

tttp://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/train_man.htm#review

HYPERLINK “http://comments.blogs.amctv.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=271&id=80479” Willmott, Don. Train man. New York: American Movie Classics Company LLC. 2007. Print. Available: HYPERLINK “http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2005/train-man/” http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2005/train-man/