Movies arrived in Japan a few years
after their invention in the United States and Europe at the
end of the nineteenth century. Eventually films came to be produced
in Japan, and the cinema became a popular form of entertainment
beginning in the Taisho era (1912-26).
The 1930's witnessed the production of several masterpieces,
including Teinosuke Kinugasa's Yukinojo henge (The Revenge of
Yukinojo, 1935) and Sadao Yamanaka's Ninjo Kamifusen (Humanity
and Paper Balloons, 1937).
The film industry revived quickly after the war with a spate
of movies featuring original themes and styles, such as Yasujiro
Ozu's Tokyo Monogatari (Tokyo Story, 1952), Kenji Mizoguchi's
Ugetsu monogatari (Ugetsu, 1953). Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon
(1950) won the Golden Lion Prize at the Venice International
Film Festival, and Kinugasa's Jigokumon (Gate of Hell, 1953)
was awarded the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.
With the spread of television, however, the number of moviegoers
declined from a peak of nearly 1.2 billion in 1958 to around
150 million in the 1970s and an all-time low of 123 million
in 1994. The figures rebounded in 2001, thanks to a string of
hit productions and the opening of multiplexes throughout the
country. The number in 2003 was 162.3 million, up 1.5 million
from the previous year. Box office receipts in 2003 stood at
¥203.3 billion.(*1)
The Surge in Remakes
The remaking of Japanese movies by Hollywood has become a popular
trend in recent years. The Ring, a remake of Ring directed by
Hideo Nakata, a hit maker of horror films, became a runaway
hit both in the US and Japan with a box-office revenue of ¥15
billion and ¥1.7 billion. Hollywood has gained remake rights
for a number of other films directed by Nakata, such as Joyurei
(Don't Look Up, 1996), Kaosu, (1999), and Honokurai mizu no
soko kara (2002). Director Sam Raimi gained the remake rights
for Juon 2 (directed by Takashi Shimizu, 2003). Distant Horizon
Inc. has gained the remake rights of Joyurei (Don't Look Up,
1996) and Kairo (directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2000). Remakes
of Akira Kurosawa's films have also been done in the past.
Japanese film productions have realized that remake rights are
easier to sell to foreign film productions than distribution
rights, and are willing to utilize remake rights as a new business
opportunity. However, a legal system concerning remake rights
such as the holder or holders of the right and the agreement
format is not yet in place and needs to be developed as soon
as possible.
Revival in Period Dramas
Period dramas, or jidaigeki, are enjoying renewed popularity.
New period dramas were released consistently in 2002 and 2003.
Kei Kumai's Umiwa miteita (The Sea Was Watching, 2003), using
the last script written by Akira Kurosawa, Yoji Yamada's Tasogare
seibei (2002) are the major films in this category. Films released
in 2003 include remakes of the past films such as Chushingura
and Zatoichi.
During the 1960s, due to the rapid economic growth in the Japanese
economy, location sites suitable for period drama disappeared
and the production numbers dropped. However, one of the factors
boosting the recent revival of period drama is the development
of CG technology which has boosted the number of period drama
productions.
Recent International Acclaim
Works by independent Japanese directors came to be shown at
film festivals around Europe from the latter half of the 1970s.
Nagisa Oshima's Ai no korida ("In the Realm of the Senses,"
1976), for example, was a big hit, especially in France. Several
Japanese movies have been acclaimed at international film festivals.
Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980) and Shohei Imamura's Narayama bushiko
("The Ballad of Narayama," 1983) both won the Grand
Prix at Cannes.
Japanese films have been received well by critics in recent
years also. One turning point that shifted people's attention
again to Japanese films came when Masayuki Suo's 1996 Shall
We Dance? opened in the United States with great box-office
success.
At Cannes in 1997, Shohei Imamura's Unagi ("The Eel")
won the Palme d'Or, and Naomi Kawase's Moe no suzaku ("Suzaku")
received the Camera d'Or. Interest was further galvanized when
Takeshi Kitano's Hana-bi ("Fireworks") won the Golden
Lion Prize at the Venice International Film Festival in 1997.
Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi received another prize at the Venice
International Film Festival, the Special Director's Award, Silver
Lion in 2003 in which he established a firm reputation in the
international scene. Zatoichi makes the eighth accredited Japanese
film in major international film festivals.(*2)
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