The Ceremony (1971) English · Blu-ray

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After receiving a telegram from their cousin informing them of the sender's own death, Masuo and Ritsuko travel to his house to verify the news. The trip brings back memories of Masuo's traditional and patriarchal family, and its history of arranged and often incestuous marriages. Having given up his dream of becoming a baseball player in order to meet the obligations and expectations of his family, Masuo's growing feelings for Ritsuko make him realise he may never be able to escape their clutches. Commenting on how the continuing weight of Japan's own traditions oppresses the young, Oshima delivers a deceptively elegant portrait of Japanese decorum, using a film style gleaned from Golden Age masters such as Ozu and Mizoguchi.