Homework answers / question archive / The first motion picture camera was imported to Japan in 1897 by Shiro Asano

The first motion picture camera was imported to Japan in 1897 by Shiro Asano

Writing

Share With

The first motion picture camera was imported to Japan in 1897 by Shiro Asano. It catered for the working class and as such, the industry developed as staged plays filmed for the Japanese upper class. These films were mostly kabuki plays and later, shimpa which was a new form of theatre in the early 1900s. The first-ever kabuki play filmed was Momijigari, and was entirely theatrical. Before the First World War, Japanese films were entirely made up of staged acts and song recitals with a live commentator called Benshi, who provided dialogue for the audience to make sense of the films. This was due to the fact that the imported French equipment lacked intertitles and the films would make little sense if it were not for a commentator. (Walsh, 1998)

It is worth noting that cinema led to the fast decline in the Japanese culture. Modernization opened the country to western influence. film directors adopted the western form of drama and comedy for their films. A good example would be Shozo Makino, who used closed framings and rapid cuttings- a characteristic of American films in his samurai films. By the 1920s, the Japanese film industry was almost westernized. However, by mid-1930s, the Japanese citizens expressed resentment towards the western ideals that were ‘eating’ away from their culture. Just like the Germans at the time, the Japanese were politically brainwashed to uphold their culture and traditions and reject all western influences. The film industry, therefore, was forced to comply with this new atmosphere in the country.