The first Japanese film I saw was "The 7 Samurai". This occurred around 1971, when I was about 7 years old. This masterpiece by Kurosawa remains one of my favorite films. Once a year I need to rewatch this film. And I always discover something new.
Me too, but I was 13 and 1966 on TV. Since then, have watched most of the films shown in the RUclips and could not agree more about how good 'Seven Samurai' is.
Yasujiro Ozu's "personal/family" films remind me of the films coming out of Egypt in the 1950s as well, which focused on small family dramas. But it should be no surprise, since Yousef Chahine (my favorite Arab director from this period) said he studied Japanese films as a university student in Europe post-WW2.
It's pretty weird how you describe the US's censorship of Japanese media during this time period and frame it as the big bad US bullying the poor filmmakers, but never go into why the censorship was implemented to begin with, or why it was necessary. Not all of the ultra-nationalist hardline militarists that started the war died during the war, and in fact the same groups that ran Japan before the war still ran Japan after it, and are arguably still running it. The discussion of post-war censorship in this video doesn't seem entirely unbiased or in good faith.
some of those censorship choices are pure insanity though. no mount fuji? really? but anyway the Japanese have been based and continue to be based to this day. America is garbage. now that Hollywood is also garbage these days its time for Europe and Asia to take over. future is now old man.
@@comradestannis Japan is very influential with the inventions of paint colors and shades (blues and indigo). Japanese garment makers are top notch. Animation, Manga, Video games, scary movies (Uzakami's), and Samurai films. Their written language is an art form. Edit: if the question is about movie recommendation I misunderstood what you were asking.
For me on a personal level, it's the 1960s that form a true golden age of Japanese cinema. Foundational classics like Yojimbo, Harakiri, The Bad Sleep Well, the Zatoichi series, -- more low key gems like Pale Flower, Goyokin, Samurai Rebellion -- they all came out in the 60s. Maybe some of these are more pulpy works than the works discussed in this video, but they're perfect as far as I'm concerned. I do understand and ultimately agree with the author's argument though.
'Seven Samurai's reputation pretty much speaks for itself at this point. So I'll try to single out just a FEW bits that I liked (of many) to comment on here. I love the way Kurosawa uses flowers to capture innocence and femininity, parallel Katsushiro with Shino, and trigger the conflict that sparks their love story. Also love the scene where they stand with fire between them, Shino fleeing; Katsu approaching. Just excellent. 'Life of Oharu' is also pretty great. A visually evocative movie (the scene where Oharu wanders her emotional wasteland next to the flatland walked by nobles is wonderful) that scathingly deconstructs the cruelty of the feudal Japanese class system, incendiary in its suggestion of whores being more humane than the rich. But there is an issue in that it's a series of episodes that keep the stakes even. It becomes a tad predictable. Great video, btw!
I'm bummed I cant get Netflix DVDs by mail any more. This is how I worked through the golden age of Japanese cinema, but left many holes needing to be filled. I don't want to subscribe to a half dozen streaming sites tho. If only I knew where my public library is ...
The praise heaped by this video on the films of the Golden Age of Japanese Cinema seems to me more than warranted. However, I've got a number of issues with the assertions made. The first is the claim that the Golden Age lasted from 1952 (the end of occupation) to 1960. This is far too restrictive a timeline. I consider the Golden Age as beginning in 1949 with Ozu's Late Spring. More importantly, I see the Golden Age as extending into the early-to-mid-1960s, up to 1965, when the Japanese industry finally began to collapse. The video does not talk about young directors of the 1960s like Nagisa Oshima, Shohei Imamura or Masahiko Shinoda, all of whom were part of the Golden Age, in my view. And in fact, older directors like Kurosawa and Naruse also did splendid work during the early 1960s period. Secondly, the speaker blames the loss of many important prewar Japanese films to the Occupation Censorship, which he claims made the deliberate decision to destroy them. This is nonsense. Most of the titles of the lost films shown beginning at 12:30 would not, based on what we know about them, have been censored by the Occupation, as they would have contained no objectionable content. So many prewar films were lost simply because the Japanese industry didn't see the point of preserving them, as very few films would ever have merited a re-release. There are obvious errors of fact as well, such as the claim that all Mizoguchi's films from 1952 until his death were period films. His final film, Street of Shame, was a modern, not period, film. Finally, although the narrator keeps saying that there were many more great Japanese directors than "the Big Three," he mentions very few of these. Thus, the name of the very important figure of Tomu Uchida, who directed the masterpiece A Fugitive from the Past (1965), is never uttered. So this is a somewhat flawed overview, IMO.
@@culturedaadmi4683 That's your opinion and you're entitled to it. But Imamura was nominated for the Grand Prix at Cannes five times and won twice (including for The Eel); he won the Best Director Award from the Japanese Academy (again for the Eel) and was nominated twice (in addition to winning an Academy Lifetime Achievement Award the year after his death); and he won the Best Film Prize at the venerable Kinema Junpo Awards (roughly the equivalent of the NY Film Critics Circle Award) five times, including for *both* The Eel and Vengeance Is Mine. Only Yasujiro Ozu won the award more times (six) than Imamura. He won many, many other awards, too, in Japan and in Europe. I happen to believe Vengeance Is Mine is a masterpiece, though a very cold and harsh one. So it would appear that your opinion is the outlier, not mine.
@@heinrichvon hm well I can't really debate much because I don't have a list of awards on me and I am sure not gonna change my opinion lol but tha said one can't please everyone and that's a good it gives filmmakers need to experiment more and make different films.
The over-pronunciation of Japanese words in this video is so absurd it takes me right out of the video every time it happens. When Japanese people say jidaigeki they simply say "jidaigeki," in the same tone of voice as everything else in the sentence; they don't shout "JIDAIGEKI!!!" at the top of their lungs like madmen.
Golden age for Kurosawa, sure, but a lot of people will beg to differ, that the 70s and even the 80s were the true golden ages for ALL Japanese cinema, not just those few main directors who made their name in the 50s. Shohei Imamura is always overlooked, just because he crossed into ultra violence and erotica, and those aren't palatable for a more mainstream audience, but his movies are on point in the late 70s and into the 80s. Then you have Juzo Itami in the 80s as well. I know those are just 2 directors, but the problem with labelling something into such compartmentalised mainstream opinions of Kurosawa's early era, is not a great analysis of "CINEMA" overall, just because the subject matters were not palatable nor box-office acceptable movies.
@user-pi8qw9jj7h- I found the Japanese New Wave era the most fascinating because of the history and the cultural attitudes at the time. It was the youth’s way of throwing up the middle finger to the old style of filmmaking and the political old ways of thinking at the time, and the Japanese New Wave had so many great films that pushed the boundaries of storytelling and were unapologetic about being controversial.
@user-pi8qw9jj7h- Yes! I love Tarrentino’s movie style! That’s the reason I like Japanese New Wave films because it’s very similar to the same rebellious energy of American films during the late 1960’s- 1970’s, which is my favorite era of American film history!
As an addendum to the point about post war US censorship; before and during the war Japanese filmmakers were also subject to strict Government censorship, only the rules were reversed! Pro militarism and pro Emperor themes were strictly enforced. Although all government level censorship is difficult for artists, perhaps the fact that Japanese filmmakers were able to create such masterpieces within the various and evolving restrictions was ultimately a testament to their incredible skill.
I came into the comments to say this. Kurosawa talked specifically about how much more reasonable he found the American censors to deal with and how nonsensical the demands of the Imperial censors could be, thought that might reflect Kurosawa's politics as much as anything.
@@N3MOII As someone not from the countries discussed (thus hopefully a little less biased) it really seems that this part of the video tries to push a certain narrative. It seems a little absurd for the narrator to barely mention the fascist censorship, as if having the whole Japanese movie industry forcibly (the censorship subverted into making ultranationalist propaganda to defend a genocidal war wasn't also an important factor for the Golden Age of Japanese Cinema One cannot talk about bleak anti-war movies like the Kon Ichikawa's the Burmese Harp, an adaptation of a book from antiauthoritarian writer Michio Takeyama, can't be contextualized without mentioning the ultranationalist censorship too. It should have mentioned alongside occupation censorship
The statement that Ozu's filming style was unflinching for all of his carrier is incorrect. He actually evolved gradually and solidified the distinctive simplicity he is best-known for today fairly late, during the post-war period.
This may sound controversial,but as a movie buff with thousands seen, Ozu bores me to death. I tried,across the years to watch any of his movies,but can't. Kurosawa,on the other hand, is jack of all trades-master of most. For me,they have everything,drama,cinematography,posing,action,story,little bit of humor. Seen at least 20 movies of his,and there's not a bad movie. Maybe cause i'm westerner,as he was seen as orientated towards the Occident. Odd fact,i watched The Searchers by Ford,and immediately saw where Kurosawa took his influence. If you have any Ozu movies that can incite somebody like me-do tell.
I’ve been a big fan of your channel for a while. But this video was such an assassination of the historical record I was compelled to speak. I am a 61 year old American. Your depiction of the American occupation of Japan is so obscenely biased and agendified I am sad for those of your viewers too young or uninformed to understand the gross liberties you’ve taken with the truth. Please be aware that I am referring to the Japanese political leadership and military entities, not the Japanese people as a whole. Japan was the aggressor in World War 2. Japan was the author of numerous atrocities in China and across Asia during the war-atrocities that are equal to what the Germans conceived and carried out in Europe. Japan moved its industrial production into residential districts to prevent precision bombing of non-civilian targets. Japan refused ultimatums of surrender, which if acceded to earlier, would likely have allowed them maintain some more control of their culture. Instead, Japan opted for total war, not only commanding their soldiery to fight to the death but planning for their citizenry to do so as well, in the event of invasion. So please let us view the Allied/American occupation of Japan through a lens which takes into account the full difficulties the Japanese had presented as aggressors and absolutely reluctant conquered. Not the perverse micro lens of history which you report in this video, making the Americans seem sickeningly unreasonable and cavalier in trying to control a hostile population which had wreaked murder and havoc across the Pacific theater for years and years. If I had been a contributor to your patreon account, I would have withdrawn my support after this hachet job.
some of those censorship choices are pure insanity though. no mount fuji? really? but anyway the Japanese have been based and continue to be based to this day. America is garbage. now that Hollywood is also garbage these days its time for Europe and Asia to take over. future is now old man.
This video pretty blatantly ignores some of Kenji Mizoguchi best work by trying to claim that all of his post-censorship films were historical and that he depicted women in films as "other wordily mystical entities". His final film, Street of Shame, was not only set in the then present, but it was a complete rejection of viewing women as mystical entities as it showed sex workers in a realistic and tragic way. Women of Rumor is another example of this from the final era of Mizoguchi's career. I also wouldn't say it is accurate to claim that Ozu invented that style of film making, although the did perfect it. I can't speak to how accurate the rest of this video is, but I am inclined to doubt a lot of what is said here given how clearly and obviously wrong your commentary on Mizoguchi's work is.
While the occupation censorship obviously had a gigantic impact on the Golden Age of Cinema, it bothers me a bit how you only briefly mention the censorship of the Ultranationalist government. For example: You mention Kenji Mizoguchi and Kon Ichikawa, but omit that the first spent the pre-war era doing leftwing movies, until censored and (allegedly) forced to do pro-war propaganda; while the second's was anti-war not only due to the suffering of Japan, but also the suffering the military inflicted on others. The Burmese Harp is an adaptation of the work by the anti-authoritarian Michio Takeyama, who was against the war. I find a little absurd to view 1950s Japan only by the lens of being an occupied the country and not the impact of it being a militaristic empire since the end of the Showa Democracy
This is one of the very rare youtube channels that provides such a thoughtful and insightful approach to the subject matter. You all are doing great work here!
Probably my favorite region/era in film history, there were just so many classic and borderline perfect films made in Japan. Harakiri, Sansho the Bailiff, and Woman in the Dunes are probably my top 3, but that doesn’t even include the multitude of incredible films from my favorite director Akira Kurosawa or others like Kaneto Shindo, Yasujiro Ozu, and many others.
@@comradestannis Aside from the 3 I mentioned before. Onibaba, Kuroneko, and Kwaidan for horror. For Kurosawa: Yojimbo, Throne of Blood, Ran, and Seven Samurai are probably the most "definitive" samurai films, but there are other great ones. High and Low is his best crime thriller. Ikiru is a beautiful, soul-crushing drama. I love The Sword of Doom, its a chaotic samurai film, but I fully recommend it. The Lone Wolf and Cub films are also insane but amazing. If Sansho the Bailiff works for you, definitely check out Mizoguchi's other stuff like The Life of Oharu and Ugetsu. Possibly the most empathetic filmmaker ever, especially for his female characters. The only Ozu film I've seen is Tokyo Story, but that's probably the one everyone starts with. It's great, very subtle direction focused on realistic human emotions. This doesn't really count because its well outside of the time period, but possibly my favorite Japanese film and one of my favorite films ever is Cure from Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Scary as hell.
The world is full of cinematic wonders, beautiful stories, amazing characters and touching moments. I am turkish and grew up in germany - and i kinda like that i had access to so many different films from all over the world. I always push people to try something different. I wish people werent so stubborn and "simple minded".
Thank you for this video !! Japanese cinema, especially the golden age, continues to freaking wow me every time I watch a new film. My favorite cinematic art. Keep up the great videos and insightful analysis!
I don't like most things Japanese. I used to like anime as a kid, quite a bit, but grew out of it hard. Now, at like 30+ y/o, I just watched a movie called Harakiri (basically means sepuku ritual, of the samurai class), made in....I believe it was 1962, it was black and white, and subbed, yet it completely blew me away. The acting....the story....the way the story was told.....the characters....the villains....it was all excellent, every single scene, every actor, every aspect, the whole way through. I haven't seen that in a modern movie in America in I don't even know how long. Highly recommend.
Recently, Godzilla Minus One just came out and I don’t know about you, but I think the film really nails similar themes of 50s and early 60s Japanese cinema: the theme of finding purpose in a world of suffering, the theme of should I keep on living or die? I think it fits right in with the likes of Ikiru, Sansho the Bailiff, and it feels like the culmination of that time period. It moved me because the film was about the people of Japan rising to defeat an issue. Whereas the films from the 50s revolved around individuals finding purpose, which Minus One also explores. Minus One also explores the people as a whole redeeming themselves.
I would say that the Japanese are having a bit of resurgence at the moment too wtih, Godzilla Minus One, First Love a series on Netflix which was really beautifully captured and the story was so relatable on so many different levels, not to mention the score. Also with the new Studio Ghibli movie The Boy and The Heron. They are also venturing into theatre too with My Neighbor Totoro just the other year at The Barbican in the City of London and also Spirited Away which I have treated my wife to for her birthday in April. Hollywood no longer is relatable. They cannot just write a story for the sake of a story they always have to incorporate some sort of agenda and I think people are just growing tired of it all and just want to enjoy a movie for the sake of a movie. This is why Godzilla Minus One has been doing so well at the Box Office because it is relatable and raw.
Thank you for yet another thoughtful meditation on film. How this video essay couches the films in both the trauma and politics prior to the golden age (which could be its own hour video) is what continually distinguishes your videos among the throng of film analysis. I often wonder what it would be like to be encountering film in the midst of a great age from a particular country. I believe that currently is the contemporary cinema of regional India (Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil & Telugu). It too spans from profound reflections on the Indian “village” (Lijo Jose Pellissery), and intimate politics of domesticity (Jeo Baby) to the reimagined anti-heroes of Karnakata street life (Rishab, Rakshit and Raj B Shetty’s) through to mass appeal of sweeping historical spectacles of Rajamouli & Mani Ratnam. Oh how amazing it would be to see your channel unpack the puzzle box that regional Indian cinema is currently producing! Even just a deep dive of the films of LJ Pellissery from you would be undoubtedly remarkable…
Ill never forget the level of entertainment I experienced when I saw "Hidden Fortress" that inspired Star Wars. The level of interaction between characters was great then just watching other Japanese classic movies was just something else
I remember seeing old Japanese movies in my early childhood. The thing is that the golden age started before the second world war, and it was only accelerated after.
I feel Japanese Cinema came most to helping evolve Abel Gances concept of “the Music of Light.” I will specify it by using the whole “monochrome” fad of the modern era such as Mad Max Fury Road and Parasite who have monochrome versions. Japanese Cinema understood black and white film, especially Kurosawa, and made those films his own realm of black and white. He took the idea of “the music of light” and created it literally through his films and Japan created masterpieces because it was an art and not so much a business.
I’ve seen most of Kurosawa’s pictures. Have always heard about Ozu but have yet to watch anything from him. Just watched Gate of hell because of this and my god…. Amazing film
Some art and film appreciation RUclipsrs are making the leap and putting in the hard work to become real artists and film makers. Maybe Cinema Cartography will do the same one day and make a film or something?
Does anyone know what the film the screenshot at 0:04 with the “community” title card is from? I’ve been looking for it for so long! It would be greatly appreciated!
I can't help but see the connection with current censorship in American cinema. It seems like if you don't fall in line with "the message" your movie doesn't get made. I love this video, thank you for exposing me to a piece of history I had no idea existed. I will be reading more about this.
Censorship was imposed in American cinema too, from 1940s until the late 60s when Hollywood collapsed (Red Scare, House of Un-American Activities). And it's happening again (Woke/ESG messaging) and Hollywood is collapsing again. Its up to us to create our own New Wave, but the cycle will probably repeat again.
I mean... in what way? There are plenty of counter cultural movies in america that get made, and the Indie scene doesn't suffer any gatekeeping at all. In fact that's really what it is, gatekeeping. Gatekeeping by gatekeepers that (rationally and fairly) wish to make money based upon their large investments. If you want to be a filmaker you can do it, and no one is going to stop you. Unlike the censorship of that time where the government (or specifically the american military) would actually stop you.
@@jhonjacson798 the very platform we're on now censors its creators if they cover certain topics. it may not be the government or military but it censors which videos can be made or monetized. there are incentives by the government for big tech but that's an entirely other subject. let's not pretend that the only reason there is gatekeeping is for monetary gain. disney has been hemmoraging money for years now and have gone full steam ahead with the same message, and if you stray from that, fired. Not to mention the countless other franchises who have lost money doing the same thing.
Around 13:30 the film ‘A Japanese Tragedy’ is taken up. The director of this film is not Keisuke Kinoshita but Fumio Kamei. Kinoshita’s film has the same title but it was made in 1953 and a feature film. The film by Kamei is a documentary.
It's pretty disturbing what the American government tried to do to Japanese cinema, and culture in general. Having won a war in the name of freedom and tolerance, they pretty much replaced Japan's cultural fascism with their own. So then again, it's incredible how well their industry recovered and gave us one of the greatest eras of cinema.
But they left though... of their own accord. It wasn't cultural imperialism it was de-fascisation. Heavy handed... but hell it seems like it worked. Obviously not necessarily because of the war time censorship, but still, a nation like that is not one to be trusted at this time given the atrocities that they committed.
I've only just started the video so i dont know if its gonna be mentioned so i already want to comment and ask if anyone knows what that image in the introduction during Exclusive Essays part at 0:02 is from
You start with Akira Kurosawa and after that I didn't stop. Japanese cinema from that period, specifically Kurosawa, for me is in fact a cinema emulating paintings in movement, color or black and white, all cinematographic movements There's this painting in motion but photography direction, you know, Japan for me is what shaped the look much more in performance than in cinema verite visual realism paintings present in this cinema.
I'm guessing the song around the 20:00 mark is either OMEGAH RED feat. MF DOOM and RZA - Books of War ruclips.net/video/pTCp0kJYF30/видео.html Or the original that is was sampled from.
The first Japanese film I saw was "The 7 Samurai". This occurred around 1971, when I was about 7 years old. This masterpiece by Kurosawa remains one of my favorite films. Once a year I need to rewatch this film. And I always discover something new.
Try Harakiri by Masaki Kobayashi. I have exams so I haven't checked it out but it is claimed to be BEST samurai movie ever
Me too, but I was 13 and 1966 on TV. Since then, have watched most of the films shown in the RUclips and could not agree more about how good 'Seven Samurai' is.
The first I watched was also about the age 7 and also Kurosawa. Yojimbo. But the directors that really got me were Mizoguchi and Oshima.
and.... godzilla minus one is instant classic
Yasujiro Ozu's "personal/family" films remind me of the films coming out of Egypt in the 1950s as well, which focused on small family dramas. But it should be no surprise, since Yousef Chahine (my favorite Arab director from this period) said he studied Japanese films as a university student in Europe post-WW2.
Could you please cite the most characteristic example of those 1950s Egyptian films (?)
That was a wonderful video, thank you!
Define golden age. There are so many. Thank you for this it's so good. arigatou
What a great documentary!!!
movie at 36:48 ?
It's pretty weird how you describe the US's censorship of Japanese media during this time period and frame it as the big bad US bullying the poor filmmakers, but never go into why the censorship was implemented to begin with, or why it was necessary. Not all of the ultra-nationalist hardline militarists that started the war died during the war, and in fact the same groups that ran Japan before the war still ran Japan after it, and are arguably still running it. The discussion of post-war censorship in this video doesn't seem entirely unbiased or in good faith.
some of those censorship choices are pure insanity though. no mount fuji? really? but anyway the Japanese have been based and continue to be based to this day. America is garbage. now that Hollywood is also garbage these days its time for Europe and Asia to take over. future is now old man.
「ラドン」は、なぜ “Rodan” なのだろうか？
"Rodan" is "radon" in the Japanese original. Why is that?
Japanese cinema has always been one of those goldmines I didn't expect to be as perfect as it still is
Japanese music is insane too.
Media geniuses over there
Japanese has very rich and deep history in arts you would be surprised how artistic movements, expression that have helped popularize or even invent.
What do you recommend, I wonder? I'm interested now.
@@comradestannis Japan is very influential with the inventions of paint colors and shades (blues and indigo). Japanese garment makers are top notch. Animation, Manga, Video games, scary movies (Uzakami's), and Samurai films. Their written language is an art form.
Edit: if the question is about movie recommendation I misunderstood what you were asking.
@@comradestannis music or movies?
I am so happy you made this. The golden age of Japanese cinema is one of the greatest. More people need to discover it.
Is that like the 70s or something? The "Pink movie" exploitation era?
@@robto what do you mean?
@@Martinmd12-zt7vusorry, I mistook you for someone else 😜
@@robto Ah I see
@@robtoThis vid is arguing the 50s is the ‘golden age’ of #Japanesecinema.
For me on a personal level, it's the 1960s that form a true golden age of Japanese cinema. Foundational classics like Yojimbo, Harakiri, The Bad Sleep Well, the Zatoichi series, -- more low key gems like Pale Flower, Goyokin, Samurai Rebellion -- they all came out in the 60s. Maybe some of these are more pulpy works than the works discussed in this video, but they're perfect as far as I'm concerned. I do understand and ultimately agree with the author's argument though.
Plus Teshigahara
yes! gald to read this, would love to learn more about the opposite end, Sezuki and the pulp films, Yakooza/ gangster films
'Seven Samurai's reputation pretty much speaks for itself at this point. So I'll try to single out just a FEW bits that I liked (of many) to comment on here. I love the way Kurosawa uses flowers to capture innocence and femininity, parallel Katsushiro with Shino, and trigger the conflict that sparks their love story. Also love the scene where they stand with fire between them, Shino fleeing; Katsu approaching. Just excellent.
'Life of Oharu' is also pretty great. A visually evocative movie (the scene where Oharu wanders her emotional wasteland next to the flatland walked by nobles is wonderful) that scathingly deconstructs the cruelty of the feudal Japanese class system, incendiary in its suggestion of whores being more humane than the rich. But there is an issue in that it's a series of episodes that keep the stakes even. It becomes a tad predictable.
Great video, btw!
That last film you mentioned seems interesting. I'll give it a watch.
@@comradestannis Yeah, give it a look! It's a good one!
I'm bummed I cant get Netflix DVDs by mail any more. This is how I worked through the golden age of Japanese cinema, but left many holes needing to be filled. I don't want to subscribe to a half dozen streaming sites tho. If only I knew where my public library is ...
@@jasonhesseltine3520 Public library has DVDs and other such stuff, right? They have it at mine.
The praise heaped by this video on the films of the Golden Age of Japanese Cinema seems to me more than warranted. However, I've got a number of issues with the assertions made. The first is the claim that the Golden Age lasted from 1952 (the end of occupation) to 1960. This is far too restrictive a timeline. I consider the Golden Age as beginning in 1949 with Ozu's Late Spring. More importantly, I see the Golden Age as extending into the early-to-mid-1960s, up to 1965, when the Japanese industry finally began to collapse. The video does not talk about young directors of the 1960s like Nagisa Oshima, Shohei Imamura or Masahiko Shinoda, all of whom were part of the Golden Age, in my view. And in fact, older directors like Kurosawa and Naruse also did splendid work during the early 1960s period. Secondly, the speaker blames the loss of many important prewar Japanese films to the Occupation Censorship, which he claims made the deliberate decision to destroy them. This is nonsense. Most of the titles of the lost films shown beginning at 12:30 would not, based on what we know about them, have been censored by the Occupation, as they would have contained no objectionable content. So many prewar films were lost simply because the Japanese industry didn't see the point of preserving them, as very few films would ever have merited a re-release. There are obvious errors of fact as well, such as the claim that all Mizoguchi's films from 1952 until his death were period films. His final film, Street of Shame, was a modern, not period, film. Finally, although the narrator keeps saying that there were many more great Japanese directors than "the Big Three," he mentions very few of these. Thus, the name of the very important figure of Tomu Uchida, who directed the masterpiece A Fugitive from the Past (1965), is never uttered. So this is a somewhat flawed overview, IMO.
bruh I watched "the eel" and "vengeance is mine" . I am glad Imamura isn't talked about..
@@culturedaadmi4683 That's your opinion and you're entitled to it. But Imamura was nominated for the Grand Prix at Cannes five times and won twice (including for The Eel); he won the Best Director Award from the Japanese Academy (again for the Eel) and was nominated twice (in addition to winning an Academy Lifetime Achievement Award the year after his death); and he won the Best Film Prize at the venerable Kinema Junpo Awards (roughly the equivalent of the NY Film Critics Circle Award) five times, including for *both* The Eel and Vengeance Is Mine. Only Yasujiro Ozu won the award more times (six) than Imamura. He won many, many other awards, too, in Japan and in Europe. I happen to believe Vengeance Is Mine is a masterpiece, though a very cold and harsh one. So it would appear that your opinion is the outlier, not mine.
@@heinrichvon hm well I can't really debate much because I don't have a list of awards on me and I am sure not gonna change my opinion lol but tha said one can't please everyone and that's a good it gives filmmakers need to experiment more and make different films.
The over-pronunciation of Japanese words in this video is so absurd it takes me right out of the video every time it happens. When Japanese people say jidaigeki they simply say "jidaigeki," in the same tone of voice as everything else in the sentence; they don't shout "JIDAIGEKI!!!" at the top of their lungs like madmen.
There are so many masterpieces from this era!
This could be continued to the following decade, with the crazy movies of the Japanese New Wave.
Golden age for Kurosawa, sure, but a lot of people will beg to differ, that the 70s and even the 80s were the true golden ages for ALL Japanese cinema, not just those few main directors who made their name in the 50s. Shohei Imamura is always overlooked, just because he crossed into ultra violence and erotica, and those aren't palatable for a more mainstream audience, but his movies are on point in the late 70s and into the 80s.
Then you have Juzo Itami in the 80s as well. I know those are just 2 directors, but the problem with labelling something into such compartmentalised mainstream opinions of Kurosawa's early era, is not a great analysis of "CINEMA" overall, just because the subject matters were not palatable nor box-office acceptable movies.
I would love to see a follow up video discussing the Japanese New Wave, which I think is the most fascinating movie era in Japan.
Good idea.
Why is it the "most fascinating era", for you?
@user-pi8qw9jj7h- I found the Japanese New Wave era the most fascinating because of the history and the cultural attitudes at the time. It was the youth’s way of throwing up the middle finger to the old style of filmmaking and the political old ways of thinking at the time, and the Japanese New Wave had so many great films that pushed the boundaries of storytelling and were unapologetic about being controversial.
@@davy209 Sound very Tarantino-like.
@user-pi8qw9jj7h- Yes! I love Tarrentino’s movie style! That’s the reason I like Japanese New Wave films because it’s very similar to the same rebellious energy of American films during the late 1960’s- 1970’s, which is my favorite era of American film history!
As an addendum to the point about post war US censorship; before and during the war Japanese filmmakers were also subject to strict Government censorship, only the rules were reversed! Pro militarism and pro Emperor themes were strictly enforced. Although all government level censorship is difficult for artists, perhaps the fact that Japanese filmmakers were able to create such masterpieces within the various and evolving restrictions was ultimately a testament to their incredible skill.
I came into the comments to say this. Kurosawa talked specifically about how much more reasonable he found the American censors to deal with and how nonsensical the demands of the Imperial censors could be, thought that might reflect Kurosawa's politics as much as anything.
@@N3MOII As someone not from the countries discussed (thus hopefully a little less biased) it really seems that this part of the video tries to push a certain narrative. It seems a little absurd for the narrator to barely mention the fascist censorship, as if having the whole Japanese movie industry forcibly (the censorship subverted into making ultranationalist propaganda to defend a genocidal war wasn't also an important factor for the Golden Age of Japanese Cinema
One cannot talk about bleak anti-war movies like the Kon Ichikawa's the Burmese Harp, an adaptation of a book from antiauthoritarian writer Michio Takeyama, can't be contextualized without mentioning the ultranationalist censorship too. It should have mentioned alongside occupation censorship
Hideo Gosha is another underrated Japanese master filmmaker. Check out Outlaw Samurai and Goyokin.
The statement that Ozu's filming style was unflinching for all of his carrier is incorrect. He actually evolved gradually and solidified the distinctive simplicity he is best-known for today fairly late, during the post-war period.
This may sound controversial,but as a movie buff with thousands seen, Ozu bores me to death. I tried,across the years to watch any of his movies,but can't.
Kurosawa,on the other hand, is jack of all trades-master of most. For me,they have everything,drama,cinematography,posing,action,story,little bit of humor.
Seen at least 20 movies of his,and there's not a bad movie. Maybe cause i'm westerner,as he was seen as orientated towards the Occident.
Odd fact,i watched The Searchers by Ford,and immediately saw where Kurosawa took his influence. If you have any Ozu movies that can incite somebody like me-do tell.
@@alakhazom Ozu used a very lively camera style in his early career. If you enjoy silent comedies, I recommend "I Was Born, But..." from 1932.
I’ve been a big fan of your channel for a while. But this video was such an assassination of the historical record I was compelled to speak. I am a 61 year old American. Your depiction of the American occupation of Japan is so obscenely biased and agendified I am sad for those of your viewers too young or uninformed to understand the gross liberties you’ve taken with the truth. Please be aware that I am referring to the Japanese political leadership and military entities, not the Japanese people as a whole.
Japan was the aggressor in World War 2. Japan was the author of numerous atrocities in China and across Asia during the war-atrocities that are equal to what the Germans conceived and carried out in Europe. Japan moved its industrial production into residential districts to prevent precision bombing of non-civilian targets. Japan refused ultimatums of surrender, which if acceded to earlier, would likely have allowed them maintain some more control of their culture. Instead, Japan opted for total war, not only commanding their soldiery to fight to the death but planning for their citizenry to do so as well, in the event of invasion.
So please let us view the Allied/American occupation of Japan through a lens which takes into account the full difficulties the Japanese had presented as aggressors and absolutely reluctant conquered. Not the perverse micro lens of history which you report in this video, making the Americans seem sickeningly unreasonable and cavalier in trying to control a hostile population which had wreaked murder and havoc across the Pacific theater for years and years.
If I had been a contributor to your patreon account, I would have withdrawn my support after this hachet job.
some of those censorship choices are pure insanity though. no mount fuji? really? but anyway the Japanese have been based and continue to be based to this day. America is garbage. now that Hollywood is also garbage these days its time for Europe and Asia to take over. future is now old man.
This video pretty blatantly ignores some of Kenji Mizoguchi best work by trying to claim that all of his post-censorship films were historical and that he depicted women in films as "other wordily mystical entities". His final film, Street of Shame, was not only set in the then present, but it was a complete rejection of viewing women as mystical entities as it showed sex workers in a realistic and tragic way. Women of Rumor is another example of this from the final era of Mizoguchi's career.
I also wouldn't say it is accurate to claim that Ozu invented that style of film making, although the did perfect it.
I can't speak to how accurate the rest of this video is, but I am inclined to doubt a lot of what is said here given how clearly and obviously wrong your commentary on Mizoguchi's work is.
I loved this video but for me the golden age of Japanese cinema is the 60s with the new wave
While the occupation censorship obviously had a gigantic impact on the Golden Age of Cinema, it bothers me a bit how you only briefly mention the censorship of the Ultranationalist government. For example: You mention Kenji Mizoguchi and Kon Ichikawa, but omit that the first spent the pre-war era doing leftwing movies, until censored and (allegedly) forced to do pro-war propaganda; while the second's was anti-war not only due to the suffering of Japan, but also the suffering the military inflicted on others. The Burmese Harp is an adaptation of the work by the anti-authoritarian Michio Takeyama, who was against the war.
I find a little absurd to view 1950s Japan only by the lens of being an occupied the country and not the impact of it being a militaristic empire since the end of the Showa Democracy
Personal ranking:
1. Kurosawa
2. Kobayashi
3. Ozu
After the last video, feels bad man
This is one of the very rare youtube channels that provides such a thoughtful and insightful approach to the subject matter. You all are doing great work here!
Not on that last video
@@transgenderbasketballplayer Last video was profoundly based, as is the whole channel.
TCC and Accented Cinema are underrated
Probably my favorite region/era in film history, there were just so many classic and borderline perfect films made in Japan.
Harakiri, Sansho the Bailiff, and Woman in the Dunes are probably my top 3, but that doesn’t even include the multitude of incredible films from my favorite director Akira Kurosawa or others like Kaneto Shindo, Yasujiro Ozu, and many others.
Gimme some recs! I have a Criterion Channel subscription so I might as well use it.
@@comradestannis Aside from the 3 I mentioned before.
Onibaba, Kuroneko, and Kwaidan for horror.
For Kurosawa: Yojimbo, Throne of Blood, Ran, and Seven Samurai are probably the most "definitive" samurai films, but there are other great ones. High and Low is his best crime thriller. Ikiru is a beautiful, soul-crushing drama.
I love The Sword of Doom, its a chaotic samurai film, but I fully recommend it. The Lone Wolf and Cub films are also insane but amazing.
If Sansho the Bailiff works for you, definitely check out Mizoguchi's other stuff like The Life of Oharu and Ugetsu. Possibly the most empathetic filmmaker ever, especially for his female characters.
The only Ozu film I've seen is Tokyo Story, but that's probably the one everyone starts with. It's great, very subtle direction focused on realistic human emotions.
This doesn't really count because its well outside of the time period, but possibly my favorite Japanese film and one of my favorite films ever is Cure from Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Scary as hell.
@@comradestannis Don't know if these exist at Criterion but Rashomon, Harakiri and The Human Condition trilogy are some of my favourites.
i think they do or i hope 🤞@@teaMmMate
The world is full of cinematic wonders, beautiful stories, amazing characters and touching moments. I am turkish and grew up in germany - and i kinda like that i had access to so many different films from all over the world. I always push people to try something different. I wish people werent so stubborn and "simple minded".
Let me guess, you're completely fine with when the same thing was done to the Germans (as you should be, by the way)
For Scorsese it was French cinema, For his Juniors it was English Cinema, For me it was Japanese Cinema
I'm Japanese, but I always learn a lot about Japan and Japanese culture from foreign people who explore and study Japanese culture. Thanks a lot.
sure
Thank you for this video !! Japanese cinema, especially the golden age, continues to freaking wow me every time I watch a new film. My favorite cinematic art. Keep up the great videos and insightful analysis!
I don't like most things Japanese. I used to like anime as a kid, quite a bit, but grew out of it hard. Now, at like 30+ y/o, I just watched a movie called Harakiri (basically means sepuku ritual, of the samurai class), made in....I believe it was 1962, it was black and white, and subbed, yet it completely blew me away. The acting....the story....the way the story was told.....the characters....the villains....it was all excellent, every single scene, every actor, every aspect, the whole way through. I haven't seen that in a modern movie in America in I don't even know how long. Highly recommend.
Recently, Godzilla Minus One just came out and I don’t know about you, but I think the film really nails similar themes of 50s and early 60s Japanese cinema: the theme of finding purpose in a world of suffering, the theme of should I keep on living or die? I think it fits right in with the likes of Ikiru, Sansho the Bailiff, and it feels like the culmination of that time period. It moved me because the film was about the people of Japan rising to defeat an issue. Whereas the films from the 50s revolved around individuals finding purpose, which Minus One also explores. Minus One also explores the people as a whole redeeming themselves.
Japanese cinema, especially the samurai films, are top tier
26:42 probably my favorite moment in all of cinema
Among the most unforgettable, for sure . . .
Not much is better than post-war Japanese cinema. All that introspection.
I would say that the Japanese are having a bit of resurgence at the moment too wtih, Godzilla Minus One, First Love a series on Netflix which was really beautifully captured and the story was so relatable on so many different levels, not to mention the score. Also with the new Studio Ghibli movie The Boy and The Heron.
They are also venturing into theatre too with My Neighbor Totoro just the other year at The Barbican in the City of London and also Spirited Away which I have treated my wife to for her birthday in April.
Hollywood no longer is relatable. They cannot just write a story for the sake of a story they always have to incorporate some sort of agenda and I think people are just growing tired of it all and just want to enjoy a movie for the sake of a movie. This is why Godzilla Minus One has been doing so well at the Box Office because it is relatable and raw.
Thank you for yet another thoughtful meditation on film. How this video essay couches the films in both the trauma and politics prior to the golden age (which could be its own hour video) is what continually distinguishes your videos among the throng of film analysis.
I often wonder what it would be like to be encountering film in the midst of a great age from a particular country. I believe that currently is the contemporary cinema of regional India (Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil & Telugu). It too spans from profound reflections on the Indian “village” (Lijo Jose Pellissery), and intimate politics of domesticity (Jeo Baby) to the reimagined anti-heroes of Karnakata street life (Rishab, Rakshit and Raj B Shetty’s) through to mass appeal of sweeping historical spectacles of Rajamouli & Mani Ratnam.
Oh how amazing it would be to see your channel unpack the puzzle box that regional Indian cinema is currently producing! Even just a deep dive of the films of LJ Pellissery from you would be undoubtedly remarkable…
‘FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES’ is worth everyone’s time.
I hope the sword of doom is mentioned...
Ill never forget the level of entertainment I experienced when I saw "Hidden Fortress" that inspired Star Wars. The level of interaction between characters was great then just watching other Japanese classic movies was just something else
Mizouchi and Ozu are the masters. Companions to eternity.
A page of madness by Teinosuke rocks! (1926)
I remember seeing old Japanese movies in my early childhood. The thing is that the golden age started before the second world war, and it was only accelerated after.
Sansho the Bailiff is my favorite film of all times.
There is a version of the Koyaanisqatsi title theme in the background around minute 7: Does anyone know the track?
im looking for it too hehe!!
I feel Japanese Cinema came most to helping evolve Abel Gances concept of “the Music of Light.”
I will specify it by using the whole “monochrome” fad of the modern era such as Mad Max Fury Road and Parasite who have monochrome versions. Japanese Cinema understood black and white film, especially Kurosawa, and made those films his own realm of black and white. He took the idea of “the music of light” and created it literally through his films and Japan created masterpieces because it was an art and not so much a business.
Japanese cinema is still great. The problem is there is just less interest in it now from outside.
There's a reason people are less interested. Anime has taken over Japanese cinema. Check out highest grossing films and you'll 90% of them is anime..
Thanks for this important content. It’s so important to frame this cinema in the right context. So many excellent films! Great video.
well deth of the golden age cinma is rise of japanes anime industry and anime is still has the influance of these movies from fiftys.
fine commentary, but totally silent on Japanese cinema and its attitudes toward the 2nd world war which devastated other Asians...
What a fantastic piece, thank you! Great information, beautifully edited.
My favorite part about Japanese cinema are action movies they make
I love Japanese cinema but i couldnt exactly tell you why. And i still have so much to see.
7:00 Just recognized the simplistic version of Philip Glass's "Koyaanisqatsi" 😍
Some of the best movies of our times came out of this age of cinema.
Hello, would you please be so kind to tell me what's the name of the music you've used, starting at 05:10? Thank you for this very interesting video!
Ozu's works were the ones that I truly admire for real
I’ve seen most of Kurosawa’s pictures. Have always heard about Ozu but have yet to watch anything from him. Just watched Gate of hell because of this and my god…. Amazing film
Great video, thank you. Japan is still producing great films to this day!
10 years? more like 20 at least. 25 years Terayama
Tokyo Story is Ozu, not Kuosawa [c36mins]
Some art and film appreciation RUclipsrs are making the leap and putting in the hard work to become real artists and film makers. Maybe Cinema Cartography will do the same one day and make a film or something?
50s, 70s, 90s, and 00s are great for Japanese film
Thank you for this amazing video😇😇😇
Like that you included a clip from The Burmese Harp by Ichikawa, a deeply profound film.
6:30 music in the background kinda sounds like 8bit version of Koyaanisqatsi (great video)
Good catch. Sounds like the Candyman (1992) theme, also by Glass!
they had to do something to make everyone love them again after getting nuked twice
Would you please consider doing a video about the golden age of anime, which was arguably the 1980s?
got a bit distracted by the candyman theme, but fantastic
so its not Koyaanisqatsi?
Mizoguchi shoots scenes of another plane of existence.
Among the best periods of film any country has ever produced... if not _the_ all-time greatest!
Watch with subtitles on to get the name of the film, year and director of the movieclip.
I shouldn't have to, it should be listed in the description.
Great documentary, it gave me a lot to think about, and a lot to add to my "must see" list.
that koyaanisqatsi edit
Setsuko Hara could smile and it would make you cry
The Shogun's killer is the best of the best
How to kill the interest in video about art? Tell that everything is subjective at the beginning. It means that there is nothing to learn here.
When does he say that? He believes the best moment in cinema is subjective
Your Japanese accent is really funny.
great work
Thank you
Excellent.
Does anyone know what the film the screenshot at 0:04 with the “community” title card is from? I’ve been looking for it for so long! It would be greatly appreciated!
Excellent video. Thank you for your effort.
I can't help but see the connection with current censorship in American cinema. It seems like if you don't fall in line with "the message" your movie doesn't get made. I love this video, thank you for exposing me to a piece of history I had no idea existed. I will be reading more about this.
Censorship was imposed in American cinema too, from 1940s until the late 60s when Hollywood collapsed (Red Scare, House of Un-American Activities). And it's happening again (Woke/ESG messaging) and Hollywood is collapsing again. Its up to us to create our own New Wave, but the cycle will probably repeat again.
I mean... in what way? There are plenty of counter cultural movies in america that get made, and the Indie scene doesn't suffer any gatekeeping at all. In fact that's really what it is, gatekeeping. Gatekeeping by gatekeepers that (rationally and fairly) wish to make money based upon their large investments.
If you want to be a filmaker you can do it, and no one is going to stop you. Unlike the censorship of that time where the government (or specifically the american military) would actually stop you.
@@jhonjacson798 the very platform we're on now censors its creators if they cover certain topics. it may not be the government or military but it censors which videos can be made or monetized. there are incentives by the government for big tech but that's an entirely other subject.
let's not pretend that the only reason there is gatekeeping is for monetary gain. disney has been hemmoraging money for years now and have gone full steam ahead with the same message, and if you stray from that, fired. Not to mention the countless other franchises who have lost money doing the same thing.
My favorite Japanese movie is Horishima Mon Amour. I let myself out of the building.
Ow wow, the Mizumochi stuff looks like the blocking from the wizard of oz.
Around 13:30 the film ‘A Japanese Tragedy’ is taken up. The director of this film is not Keisuke Kinoshita but Fumio Kamei. Kinoshita’s film has the same title but it was made in 1953 and a feature film. The film by Kamei is a documentary.
It's pretty disturbing what the American government tried to do to Japanese cinema, and culture in general. Having won a war in the name of freedom and tolerance, they pretty much replaced Japan's cultural fascism with their own.
So then again, it's incredible how well their industry recovered and gave us one of the greatest eras of cinema.
lets ignore pearl harbor
You don't get what he meant. @@tonyelectionfraud669
But they left though... of their own accord.
It wasn't cultural imperialism it was de-fascisation. Heavy handed... but hell it seems like it worked. Obviously not necessarily because of the war time censorship, but still, a nation like that is not one to be trusted at this time given the atrocities that they committed.
シネマー・カートグラフィーさん, ありがとうございます!
I've only just started the video so i dont know if its gonna be mentioned so i already want to comment and ask if anyone knows what that image in the introduction during Exclusive Essays part at 0:02 is from
It stuns me to see this and look at what to me is quite an infantalised film and TV industry over there now - it all seems about anime/manga now.
You start with Akira Kurosawa and after that I didn't stop.
Japanese cinema from that period, specifically Kurosawa, for me is in fact a cinema emulating paintings in movement, color or black and white, all cinematographic movements There's this painting in motion but photography direction, you know, Japan for me is what shaped the look much more in performance than in cinema verite visual realism paintings present in this cinema.
ありがとう
I know this is asking a lot but is there a way you could list all the films that has featured clips somewhere here? Thanks. I love this video.
Already at min: 8:00 and the music kicks ass and i cannot find it, would you plz add the songs you use? (im sorry)
I'm guessing the song around the 20:00 mark is either OMEGAH RED feat. MF DOOM and RZA - Books of War ruclips.net/video/pTCp0kJYF30/видео.html Or the original that is was sampled from.
@@robdielemans9189 sorry, is the one at arround minute 8, i do knopw tge one you mentioned
It's part of the soundtrack to the film 'Koyaanisqatsi', the composer is Philip Glass.
Why Kenji Mizoguchi still doesn't get enough credit in the West is just beyond me. Great content, thank you!