A Story of Floating Weeds / Ukikusa monogatari (1934) + Floating Weeds / Ukikusa (1959) [The Criterion Collection]

Director: Yasujirô Ozu
Writer: Tadao Ikeda, Yasujirô Ozu
Stars: Takeshi Sakamoto, Chôko Iida, Kôji Mitsui

In 1959, Yasujiro Ozu remade his 1934 silent classic A Story of Floating Weeds in color with celebrated cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. Setting his later version in a seaside location, Ozu otherwise preserves the details of his elegantly simple plot wherein an aging actor returns to a small town with his troupe and reunites with his former lover and their son, a scenario that enrages his current mistress and results in heartbreak for all. Together, the films offer a unique glimpse into the evolution of one of cinema's greatest directors. A Story of Floating Weeds finds Ozu in the midst of developing his mode of expression; Floating Weeds reveals his distinct style at its pinnacle. In each, the director captures the joy and sadness of everyday life.

Extras:
- 4K digital master of Floating Weeds, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack (Blu-ray)
- High-definition digital master of A Story of Floating Weeds, featuring a score by composer Donald Sosin, presented in 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray
- Audio commentary for A Story of Floating Weeds by Japanese-film historian Donald Richie and for Floating Weeds by film critic Roger Ebert
- Trailer
- New English subtitle translation for A Story of Floating Weeds (Blu-ray only) and English subtitle translation by Richie for Floating Weeds