Generations the world over have pondered the complex beauty of Tokyo Story. Alastair Phillips pulls back the veil of awe that has come to surround the film over the years to reveal the making, meaning, and legacy of Ozu's masterpiece.

Michael Crandol, author of Ghost in the Well: The Hidden History of Horror Films in Japan

This is Alastair Phillips's personal and professional cinematic journey from Tokyo to Onomichi. In this concise BFI volume, Phillips provides a detailed textual, socio-historical, and biographical analysis on Ozu Yasujiro and his masterwork.

Daisuke Miyao, University of California, San Diego, USA

Alastair Phillips' Tokyo Story, a volume included in the continuing BFI Film Classics series … contains one of the most comprehensive and detailed discussions on this film. This is achieved not only through a close analysis of the entire text but also by examining every step of the filmmaking process from preproduction to reception, both in Japan and worldwide. This thorough approach, aided by several supporting primary sources in Japanese, makes this small volume a unique contribution to contemporary Ozu studies.

Woojeong Joo, Journal of Japanese and Korean Cinema