JAPANESE FILMS

100 Million Idiots

Mondrian-like composition in “Ohayo (1959)” Over the cups of sake, Chishu Ryu and others in the Izakaya murmur “TV creates 100 million idiots”. Yes, TV will blow their intellect out of all Japanese brains. Somebody said that. Ozu’s “Ohayo” was released in 1959. TV culture was still at its early stage and everything was experimental and new. Its technology was cutting edge of the time, and this box was the object of industrial accomplishment. However, the virtual world it offered was prime example of dysfunctional contemporary world. “TV creates 100 million idiots” was a buzzword in late 50’s. Souichi Otake, …

 
JAPANESE FILMS

Two More Fragments

Denjiro Okochi as Tange Sazen The previous post discussed the art of Jidaigeki in 1920s. Here are two more rare film clips of Denjiro Okochi. Zoku Ooka Seidan, Mazo, Kaiketsu-Hen (続大岡政談 魔像　解決篇, 1931) Directed by Daisuke Ito, cinematography by Hiromitsu Karasawa, this film is another variation of popular “Shin-Ban Ooka Seidan” trilogy. Pretty graphic. Daibosatsu Toge, Suzuka-Yama no Maki – Mibu Shimabara no Maki  (大菩薩峠　鈴鹿山の巻　壬生島原の巻, 1936) Based on the popular novel of the same title by Kaizan Nakazato, the film revolves around the character of Ryunosuke Tsukue (Daijiro Okochi), a psychopathic serial murderer in the last decades of Edo era. …

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JAPANESE FILMS

Going Berserk

1920’s was the era of Jidaigeki in Japanese cinema. In spite of its popularity (or rather, because of it), only handful of the masterpieces of the era survived. Matsunosuke Onoe was the first Japanese cinema star and the most popular among kids during 1910’s and 20’s, but it was the late 20’s that saw the pinnacle of Jidaigeki. So I heard. In 1925, Daisuke Ito created “Chuji Tabi Nikki (忠治旅日記)” Trilogy with Denjiro Ohkochi, one of the most influential Jidaigeki in the Japanese cinema history. “Shin-ban Ooka Seidan (新版大岡政談, 1928, Dir. Daisuke Ito)”, “Zanzin Zanba Ken (斬人斬馬剣, 1929, Dir. Daisuke …

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