Classic Japanese Silent Film on DVD
Classic Japanese Silent Film on DVD
Is there any chance to get some of the classic silent Japanese films like "Soul on the Road" (1921, Ushihara Kiyohiko) or Ito Daisukes Samurai-films on DVD? There is an excessive CD-Rom floating around, but the costs for this DVD are about 200 US. A Criterion release with selected and restored classics of this silent era would be a project for the ages!
- Steven H
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:30 pm
- Location: NC
Japanese silent film (and a number of films from the 30s in general) is truly in a sad state. There are a handful of silent Ozu films available with english subtitles (here's a related thread), the CD-ROM you mention, and that's about it. I believe there's a little bit more than that available on VHS in Japan (six silent Shimizu Hiroshi films, at least), but I can't find any etailer links (might be out of print.)
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
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As far as I can tell, all the Japanese silent film video releases are out of print.
There are no Shimizu DVDs at all. And no DVDs of any other very early Japanese films.
All of Ozu's silents are out on DVD in Japan -- a few of these have been released with subtitled intertitles in Hong Kong (by Panorama).
There are no Shimizu DVDs at all. And no DVDs of any other very early Japanese films.
All of Ozu's silents are out on DVD in Japan -- a few of these have been released with subtitled intertitles in Hong Kong (by Panorama).
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
What Made Her Do It? (Shigeyoshi Suzuki, 1929) R2 JP
What Made Her Do It? (Shigeyoshi Suzuki, 1929) R2 JP
Nani ga kanojo o sô saseta ka
HMV
Considered a lost film for more than 60 years, a surviving print was found is Russia in 1994 of this controversial film. 37% of the film has been lost, and intertitles have been created for the missing elements.
This is the first time the film is available on DVD in the world, and also as a change and hopefully a new trend, English subtitles are provided.
As extras, a 44 page booklet (most likely in Japanese only) and 35 surviving minutes of the director's 1927 film " Yami no Tejina" [Dark Magic(?) I don't know if there is an English title for this film]
Nani ga kanojo o sô saseta ka
HMV
Considered a lost film for more than 60 years, a surviving print was found is Russia in 1994 of this controversial film. 37% of the film has been lost, and intertitles have been created for the missing elements.
This is the first time the film is available on DVD in the world, and also as a change and hopefully a new trend, English subtitles are provided.
As extras, a 44 page booklet (most likely in Japanese only) and 35 surviving minutes of the director's 1927 film " Yami no Tejina" [Dark Magic(?) I don't know if there is an English title for this film]
- Sanjuro
- Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:37 am
- Location: Yokohama, Japan
Just in case any new folk come across this newly combined thread in the top forum decrying the lack of silent Japanese DVDs and get confused here some links:
New Shimizu silent box set discussion is here.
Digital Meme silent Mizoguchi etc discussion is here
And of course, Eclipse Ozu discussion is right over here
New Shimizu silent box set discussion is here.
Digital Meme silent Mizoguchi etc discussion is here
And of course, Eclipse Ozu discussion is right over here
-
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:38 am
For reference some may be interested in the following report on the Pordenone Festival of Silent Film 2005 which focused on Japanese Cinema:
Midnight Eye Pordenone Report
Chris xx
Midnight Eye Pordenone Report
Chris xx
- the dancing kid
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 7:35 pm
A Page of Madness (1926)
Teinosuke Kinugasa's A Page of Madness / Kurutta ippeji (1926)
From Aaron Gerow's website:
From Aaron Gerow's website:
Gerow also has a monograph on the film forthcoming from the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of Michigan.A colleague informs me that a DVD of the film will be released in 2009, so stay tuned for info on that as well.
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
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Re: A Page of Madness
I recently heard AG give a presentation on Page of Madness -- he provided some surprising information on this film. The book should be very interesting.the dancing kid wrote:From Aaron Gerow's website:
Gerow also has a monograph on the film forthcoming from the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of Michigan.A colleague informs me that a DVD of the film will be released in 2009, so stay tuned for info on that as well.
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- Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:26 pm
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