Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Kagayaku ai / Shining Love [Katsuben Talkie]

[Luce d’amore]. JP 1931. D: Hiroshi Shimizu, Yoshio Nishio. SC: Hiromi Matsuzaki. DP: Hiroshi Nomura. C: Shoichi Nodera (Sanzo di Okeya), Teruyo Hayami (Ohide), Shoichi Kofujita (Sankichi), Shinichiro Komura (Kunisuke), Tatsuko Fuji (Takako), Hidemaru Handa (Shinji), Fujiko Matsuzono (una donna), Keinosuke Sakai (il vecchio preside). PC: Shochiku (Kamata). 35 mm. 38’ at 24 fps. B&w. From: National Film Center – The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. Tuesday 26 July 2012, Cinema Lumière - Sala Mastroianni (Bologna, Il Cinema Ritrovato). E-subtitles in English.

Alexander Jacoby & Johan Nordström: “This educational film was created by Shochiku’s cultural film department on behalf of the Ministry of Education. Yoshio Nishio was originally assigned to direct the film, but due to illness was replaced halfway through the shooting by Hiroshi Shimizu. Though finished in May 1931, the film was shelved and never given a general release.

“The film tells an ironic anecdote juxtaposing the fate of a cooper’s son with that of the son of a middle-class salaried worker, and championing the virtues of honest poverty and diligence. An educational film preaching a fable-like message, it is however filled with humorous scenes that offset the film’s didacticism. Shot as a silent film, this version of the film features musical accompaniment, sound effects, and a benshi commentary track, thus constituting another example of the benshi kaisetsu ban format.” Alexander Jacoby & Johan Nordström

AA: The distraction of noises is a subject in this movie as it is in Madamu to nyobo which was shown in the same show. There are humoristic scenes of boys on the bridge throwing stones into the river. Dogs follow the boys, and soon a large doghouse is built for them. Inventions include a dog-driven car. I watched but the beginning of this humoristic movie with educational emphases (wash hands before dinner, etc.). The recorded benshi and music track is charming. The print was ok.

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