Study Notes on Mid-Century Japanese Cinema and Third Cinema oct 17

Mid-Century Japanese Cinema Overview

Historical Context

  • Warfare and Occupation

    • Japan was engaged in warfare throughout the 1930s and 1940s, leading to significant political and social upheaval.

    • The occupation by Allied forces lasted from 1945 into the early 1950s, influencing artistic expression and cultural production in Japan.

Japanese Cinema Directors

  • Challenges for Directors

    • During this tumultuous time, filmmakers navigated a precarious cultural landscape.

    • Artists had to avoid overtly left-leaning or nationalistic messaging to appease occupying forces.

Key Directors

  1. Mizoguchi and Ozu

    • Established filmmakers of pre-war and wartime Japan with distinct styles.

  2. Akira Kurosawa

    • Unlike Mizoguchi and Ozu, Kurosawa began directing post-war and did not carry the same political burden early in his career.

    • His breakout film, Rashomon (1950), gained international acclaim, helping to redirect attention to Japanese cinema.

Rashomon

  • Film Structure

    • Distinctive Flashback Structure:

      • The film tells its story through multiple perspectives, exploring subjective truths and unreliable narration, which was innovative for its time.

  • Cultural Impact

    • The film was recognized for its unique storytelling and earned numerous international awards, marking Kurosawa as a significant global director.

Kurosawa's Signature Style

  • Cinematic Techniques

    • Camera Movement:

    • Kurosawa’s cinematography is known for its kinetic energy. He often used multiple cameras and created dynamic shots.

    • Themes and Content:

    • His films frequently depict violent action, pessimistic worldviews, and deep human values. Film examples include:

      • Seven Samurai

      • The Hidden Fortress

      • Yojimbo (1950s-1960s)

    • Influence on Global Cinema:

    • Films like Seven Samurai have inspired various adaptations in Western cinema, including influences seen in Star Wars.

Kurosawa's Movements in Film

  • Movement in His Films:

    • Nature: Kurosawa intertwines elements like wind, rain, and fire into scenes, enhancing emotional resonance.

    • Groups: Often featuring large ensemble casts, Kurosawa's storytelling gives weight to emotional scenes.

    • Individuals: Character blocking conveys emotions clearly, with actors using repetitive gestures to signify their character's state.

    • Camera Movement:

    • Fluid transitions from close-ups to wide shots in one take, imbued with narrative elements that guide viewers.

    • Editing Style:

    • Kurosawa often cuts on motion, enhancing the cohesiveness of scenes and maintaining viewer engagement.

Evolution of Japanese Cinema Post-Kurosawa

  • Emergence of Japanese New Wave

    • Following Kurosawa’s success, Japanese cinema experienced a new wave inspired by earlier French Nouvelle Vague.

    • Studio System Impact:

    • Lower-end studios (e.g., Nikatsu and Toei) sought to attract younger audiences with new genres, including crime thrillers and rock musicals.

    • Notable movements from Shochiku studio led by director Nagisa Oshima, who could push against traditional cinematic norms.

Characteristics of New Wave Films

  • Disruption of Traditional Cinema

    • New wave directors favored jarring camera work, handheld shots, and disjointed editing, in direct response to mainstream cinematic traditions.

    • New Genres:

    • Rise of Yakuza films (Japanese gangster cinema), along with increased violence and sexual content (pink films).

  • Viewer Engagement:

    • Films intended to activate viewer thought and challenge traditional narratives around crime and social issues.

  • Censorship Challenges

    • Films faced restrictions demarcating boundaries on sexual content, violence, and politically provocative themes.

Impact of Television on Cinema

  • Decline of Studio Influence

    • Television's introduction in the mid-60s offered free entertainment, leading to decreased influence and power of traditional studios.

    • Emergence of filmmakers who could engage audiences in new, politically charged ways emerged despite censorship and competition.

Third Cinema Overview

Context and Definition

  • Third Cinema Concept

    • Term Exploration:

    • Refers to an approach to filmmaking that stands against both First Cinema (Hollywood mainstream) and Second Cinema (art-house Europe).

    • Emerging during the Cold War, especially in Latin American contexts, emphasizing political resistance and cultural decolonization.

Historical Background

  • Cold War Influences

    • Post-World War II, nations were navigating complex geopolitical tensions, with Latin America experiencing ideological battles between capitalism and communism.

  • Cuban Revolution

    • The 1950s revolution led to a golden era for Cuban cinema, while subsequent dictatorships across Latin America compelled filmmakers to engage politically.

  • Emerging Film Criticism

    • Influence of scholars like Tashan Gabriel, who organized thoughts on these cinemas and their political ramifications.

Manifesto on Third Cinema

  • Toward a Third Cinema Manifesto

    • Authored by Ernesto Solanas and Octavio Getino in 1969, addressing the dilemma filmmakers faced under oppressive political regimes.

    • The aim was to create cinema that reflected the struggles of the colonized and resist imperial narratives.

Core Characteristics of Third Cinema

  • Opposition to Status Quo:

    • Contrasts both First Cinema (profit-driven, escapism) and Second Cinema (auteur-driven, commercially still constrained).

  • Cultural Decolonization

    • Envisions films as tools for social change, allowing marginalized voices to resist and critique systemic oppression.

    • Focuses on the local struggles of ordinary people in their contextual narratives, countering dominant ideologies.

Guerrilla Filmmaking and Distribution

  • Guerrilla Production Style

    • Films often configured outside traditional systems, shot with minimal permissions to avoid censors.

    • Circulated underground, aiming to provoke thought and discourse among audiences where official channels failed.

Theoretical Foundations

  • Marxist Roots:

    • Films are deeply rooted in Marxist theory, using art as a form of resistance and critique against established hegemonic narratives imposed by dominant cinema forms (Hollywood).

  • Gramsci's Cultural Hegemony

    • Examines how dominant narratives marginalize voices from the global South; cinema emerges as a space to contest and restore representation.

Key Manifestos from the Era

  1. Toward a Third Cinema

    • Insights from filmmakers contending with oppression.

  2. Cinema Nova (Brazil)

    • Manifesto by Glauber Rocha emphasizing social inequality and intellectualism.

  3. Other regional theories related to revolutionary themes across Cuba and Bolivia, focusing on the respective socio-political landscapes.

Conclusion & Discussion

  • Significance of Third Cinema

    • Proposes new understandings of societal narratives, urging active engagement and renewing how film can influence social structures and identity construction in post-colonial contexts.

  • Discussion Prompt

    • Conclude with the implications of these movements on the broader cinematic discourse and how they challenge or reinforce existing frameworks in film studies.


Historical Context

  • Warfare and Occupation - Japan was engaged in extensive warfare throughout the 1930s and 1940s, including the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II, culminating in immense political, social, and economic upheaval. The subsequent occupation by Allied forces, primarily the United States, lasted from 1945 to 1952. This period significantly influenced artistic expression, imposing strict censorship on themes of nationalism and feudalism, and promoting democratic ideals. The cultural landscape was heavily scrutinized, shaping what filmmakers could produce and distribute.

Japanese Cinema Directors

  • Challenges for Directors - During this tumultuous time, filmmakers navigated a precarious cultural landscape marked by strict Allied censorship. Artists had to meticulously avoid overtly left-leaning, nationalist, or anti-American messaging, which meant self-censorship and a focus on apolitical subjects or themes that aligned with democratic principles endorsed by the occupying forces.

Key Directors

  1. Mizoguchi and Ozu - Kenji Mizoguchi and Yasujiro Ozu were established, highly respected filmmakers of pre-war and wartime Japan. Mizoguchi was known for his long takes and focus on the plight of women, often in historical settings (e.g., Ugetsu). Ozu, on the other hand, was celebrated for his static camera, low-angle shots, and poignant portrayals of domestic life and family dynamics (e.g., Tokyo Story). Both navigated the political climate with distinct, often indirect, stylistic approaches.

  2. Akira Kurosawa - Unlike Mizoguchi and Ozu, Kurosawa began directing relatively late, with his first feature film released in 1943. He did not carry the same heavy political burden or established reputation from the pre-war era, allowing him more freedom to explore new narrative styles post-occupation. His breakout film, Rashomon (1950), dramatically gained international acclaim, winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and an Academy Honorary Award, thereby redirecting global attention to Japanese cinema and paving the way for other Japanese directors.

Rashomon

  • Film Structure - Distinctive Flashback Structure: The film famously tells the story of a samurai's murder and the rape of his wife through four contradictory testimonies from a bandit, the wife, the samurai (through a medium), and a woodcutter, all presented in a non-linear flashback structure. This innovative approach to subjective truths and unreliable narration was groundbreaking for its time, challenging audiences to question the nature of truth itself.

  • Cultural Impact - Rashomon was lauded for its unique storytelling and sophisticated philosophical depth. Its international success, particularly in the West, introduced Japanese cinema to a global audience and established Kurosawa as a major world director. This momentum significantly contributed to the