The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1950-10-14
By SHIG FUJITA

TOKYO, Japan, Oct. IA (SpeclaI
to Northwest Times)-Replacing the
militaristic. ultra -nationalistic trend
of the war years. so-called liberalism
became the keynote of all movies
after the end of the war in 1945
There was a flood of kissing scenes
"a thing hitherto unseen on the
Japanese screen-amateuriSh to the
point of absurdness and often un-
necessary to the story itself. Samu-
raj pictures gave way to gangster
movies, and while new crop OF
screen stars began to appear, the
old ones still hung on to their hard
won popularity by dint of their long
experience and superior acting abb
lily as well as their beauty and
Drawn.
Movies dealing with sex-both do
cumentary, educational and other
wise-which were so prevalent a
couple of years back have given way
to less sensa tional and more emo
tional reels.
Due to lack of modern equip
ment and bad film, japanese movie
standards are way below those Of
foreign countries, especially Am
erica. Economic conditions make II
imperative to be as careful as
possible about the money spent on
shooting a picture, with the con-
sequent low standards. However,
several publicized films which COB
bled up record sums in production
costs were a complete failure as
far as box office receipts were
concerned. Another reason for the
low standards is the OutmOded
equipment, which has been in use
for Is years now although the
normal life span is seven.
With the importation and showing
of foreign films being allowed, il
was natural that the Japanese people
should eagerly turn to them, espe-
cially the technicolor ones. Sad to
say, many of them have devoured
everything without digesting, SO that
they believe all Americans live like
the movie story people, that all
Frenchmen dress like John Cabin
and that all Italian kids are like
those in Shoe Shine Boy.
Recently, the trend in the Japan
csc movies has been toward detec-
tive and thriller types with samurai
and "chanbara" making a comeback
Love stories with more intricate
plots than before are still a favorite
theme, and the Daiei Studios last
year ran series of eight pictures
on a daughter line and re-
portedly made quite lot of money
on it.
Japanese movie companies arc
experimenting with technic0lOr
and have begun production on one
already with another in the Offing
next spring. Their first efforts will
probably not measure up to ex-
pectations, especially If compared
with those of Hollywood veterans
at the game.
Most of the best, first-run thea
tiers in Tokyo are showing only for
eign movies now. The Nichigeki, one
of the biggest and best known, was
in the red every month until it be-
gan showing American and other
foreign pictures in spring of this
year; it was able soon after to cross
off its debts. One look at the day.
newspaper shows that Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs", Adventures
of Don Juan, battle-ground" THE
Fighting Kentuckian", Joan of
Arc. to mention a few, are playing
at the best theaters in town today
with only two or three topnotch
houses showing domestic products.
A public opinion poll taken by
HOsei University students in which
over 1000 persons gave answers
shows that almost 20 per cent of