CIN201Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Cinema Of Japan, Benshi, Diegesis
Feb. 11, 2016
CIN201 TUTORIAL 2.5
TOPIC
JAPANESE DISTINCTIVENESS
• How do particular cultures create distinctiveness?
• Two approaches
(1) Burch
- Reading off the diegesis
- The antithesis of Western diegetic practices
- Pre-1925 Japanese films
- What is distinct about Japanese editing?
Distancing functions traditional arts
Deviation from Western norms that is deliberate
Distanciation Kabuki theatre
Western cinema institutional mode of representation that becomes
internationalized, but Japanese cinema is in opposition to this
- These distancing functions of ancient Japanese arts are carried on in the
Benshi
- Doesn’t see Ozu and Mizuguchi as unique, as just symptomatic of the time
- He sees the distinction as cultural
(2) Kirihara
- Mizuguchi and Ozu are not symptoms, but unique
- Claims that the Benshi (culture) wasn’t the only delay to sound
- Also says Japan wasn’t as isolated as Burch thought
- Historically, Burch’s assumptions about culture distinction don’t add up
- Says Burch’s argument relies too much on Japanese “difference”
- That traditional Japanese art and drama (Kabuki theatre) is not the same as
Japanese film
- Kirihara says it isn’t a question of opposition, but that Japan engages in these
norms in a stylistic fashion
MIZIGUCHI (style)
• Favours long takes, actors facing backwards, walking sequence
• Stylistically, the story is relayed instead of depicted
• There’s an elliptical quality to the narrative
• It is self-conscious and suppressant
- Film has 142 shots lasting 2 hours
- Every shot is at least a minute long (very long)
- Most shots are long takes featuring medium-long or long-shot framings (making
spatial strategies evident)
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Document Summary
Japanese distinctiveness: how do particular cultures create distinctiveness, two approaches (1) burch. Deviation from western norms that is deliberate. Western cinema institutional mode of representation that becomes internationalized, but japanese cinema is in opposition to this. These distancing functions of ancient japanese arts are carried on in the. Doesn"t see ozu and mizuguchi as unique, as just symptomatic of the time. He sees the distinction as cultural (2) kirihara. Mizuguchi and ozu are not symptoms, but unique. Claims that the benshi (culture) wasn"t the only delay to sound. Also says japan wasn"t as isolated as burch thought. Historically, burch"s assumptions about culture distinction don"t add up. Says burch"s argument relies too much on japanese difference . That traditional japanese art and drama (kabuki theatre) is not the same as. Kirihara says it isn"t a question of opposition, but that japan engages in these norms in a stylistic fashion.