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Thursday, June 1, 2017
"The Golden Age" of Japanese Cinema
Cinema of Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world. Movies have been produced in Japan since 1897.
The 1950's is considered the"Golden Age" of Japanese Cinema..
Three great directors were the ground-breaking pioneers who filled the theaters during this time period.
Akira Kurosawa Born Mar 23, 1910 - Died September 6, 1998
Kurosawa directed 30 films and his career spanned 57 years.
Yasujiro Ozu Born Dec. 12, 1903 - Died Dec 12, 1963
Kenj Mizoguchi Born May 16, 1898 - Died Aug 24, 1956
Three Japanese films from this decade of the 1950's made the "Sight and Sound" Critics and Directors poll (2002) for the best films of all time. "Rashomon, Seven Samurai and Tokyo Story."
Photos from "Rashomon."
1952 . . . Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon" won several awards including Best Foreign Film in 1952. This film was at the beginning of the "Golden Age." Toshiro Mifune also got the world's attention in this film. Mifune is the subject of a recent documentary narrated by Keanu Reeves. I recommend this one! It covers a lot of ground concerning the conditions these films were made under and how they were directed. ("Mifune: The Last Samurai") is now streaming on Netflix.
1954 . . . Two of Japan's most influential films were released. "The Seven Samurai" by Akira Kurosawa. Also in 1954 Kurosawa's "Ikiru" and Yasujiro Ozu's "Tokyo Story" were released.
Photos of the "Seven Samurai"
The American version of "The Seven Samurai" is "The Magnificent Seven" with Yul Brenner and Steve McQueen.
1954. . . "Godzilla" was originally conceived by the Japanese as a comment on mankind and the products of their wars, a symbol of war. Godzilla is a creature created by radioactive fallout. It was also released in America as "Godzilla, King of the Monsters." Ishiro Honda directed this anti-nuclear drama. Godzilla became an international icon of Japan and inspired a whole subgenre of kaiju films.
1956. . . Kenji Mizoguchi died in 1956 and ended his career with a series of masterpieces including "The Life of Oharu" (1952), "Ugetsu"(1953), "Sansho the Bailiff" (1954).
"His films have an extraordinary force and purity. They shake and move
the viewer by the power, refinement and compassion with which they
confront human suffering." quote from Mark Le Fanu
Yasujiro Ozu began directing color films beginning with "Equinox Flower" (1958), "Good Morning" (1959) and "Floating Weeds" (1958) which was adapted from his earlier silent film. He began his film career during the silent film era. He was a screenwriter and a director.
Ozu loved movies and would play hooky from school in order to go see the hollywood movies in the local theater. In 1923, he landed a job as an camera assistant in Tokyo at "Shochiku Studios" and three years later was made an assistant director and directed his first film the next year "Blade of Penitence."
Be sure and watch some of these fascinating, timeless films. You can use the reference links below to search them out. Also you will find some of these streaming on Netflix and Hulu!
We automatically send a comprehensive list of "film noir" movies with title, actors, and a brief description. This is a PDF file for you to print out and enjoy! sent to all our followers for free!
The American version of "The Seven Samurai" is "The Magnificent Seven" with Yul Brenner and Steve McQueen. 
