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Dear Markus and others,<br>I don't recall this specific scene in Those Who Tread,<br>but it is hard not to associate this description with<br>a classic scene from Chushingura where the leader<br>of the vendetta is traveling with a fake pass and<br>the real person whose name he is using initially accuses<br>him of misrepresentation until he observes the Ako crest on his <br>personal belongings. The audience and the accuser then<br>both see that the scroll is blank but the diegetic audience<br>is listening rather than looking and they are left only with<br>the accuser retraction of the accusation. At that point,<br>he switches the blank fake travel documents for the real<br>thing and the leader of the vendetta is back on his way.<br>According to my recollection at least three different productions <br>of Chushingura from the 30s on all show the blank scroll <br>in that context. For example, I'm sure the blank scroll is shown in Makino's<br>wartime production.<br>Best,<br>Mark Anderson<br><br><hr id="stopSpelling">Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:30:12 -0500<br>From: maline@maine.edu<br>To: KineJapan@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu<br>Subject: Re: Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail<br><br>I wonder if that's because in the scene we ultimately are most moved by Togashi's response, so we are given something approximating his point of view. As Togashi realizes that Benkei's Benkei's virtuoso performance/deception is driven by his passionate loyalty to his master, Togashi basically gives up his life to allow the group to pass. <br>
<br><div class="ecxgmail_quote">On Wed, Jan 26, 2011 at 11:19 AM, Nornes, Markus <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:amnornes@umich.edu">amnornes@umich.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="ecxgmail_quote" style="padding-left: 1ex;">
<div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span><table><tbody><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Thanks for the info. On Jonathan Zwicker's advice, I looked at the database of kabuki prints at Enpaku and it was rather stunning that none of them show the blank page, like Kurosawa. They are all frontal images showing the back of the scroll. </div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">Markus</div><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
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</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span></div></td></tr><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=201-0983" style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65);" target="_blank">http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=201-0983</a></div>
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</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div></td><td><div><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span></div><br></td></tr><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-8088" style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65);" target="_blank">http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-8088</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div></td><td><div><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span></div><br></td></tr><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2751" style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65);" target="_blank">http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2751</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div></td><td><div><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span></div><br></td></tr><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2782" style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65);" target="_blank">http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2782</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div></td><td><div><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span></div><br></td></tr><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2799" style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65);" target="_blank">http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2799</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div></td><td><div><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span></div><br></td></tr><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2805" style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65);" target="_blank">http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2805</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div></td><td><div><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span></div><br></td></tr><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2824" style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65);" target="_blank">http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2824</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div></td><td><div><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span></div><br></td></tr><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2824" style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65);" target="_blank">http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2824</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div></td><td><div><span style="font-family: Times; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"></span></div><br></td></tr><tr><td><div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2839" style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65);" target="_blank">http://www.enpaku.waseda.ac.jp/db/enpakunishik/results-big.php?shiryo_no=100-2839</a></div>
</td></tr><tr><td><div><br></div></td><td><div class="ecxim"><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>
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<br></div><div><div></div><div class="h5"><div><div>On Jan 26, 2011, at 10:40 AM, Junkerman John wrote:</div><br><blockquote><div style="word-wrap: break-word;">
<div>Hey Markus,</div><div><br></div><div>I think this is a reference to the Kabuki play "Kanjincho" (The Subscription List). Benkei and Yoshitsune get through a checkpoint disguised as Buddhist priests, but since they're only in disguise, the "subscription list" Benkei reads from is actually blank. After they're let through the checkpoint, the chorus sings</div>
<div><br></div><div> <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div>
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; color: black;"><div style=""><font style="font: 12px Times;" face="Times" size="3"><i>Having trod the tiger's tail</i></font></div><div style="">
<font style="font: 12px Times;" face="Times" size="3"><i>and escaped the viper's venom,</i></font></div><div style=""><font style="font: 12px Times;" face="Times" size="3"><i>they go on their way, </i></font></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; color: black;"><div style="display: inline ! important;"><font style="font: 12px Times;" face="Times" size="3"><i>on to the province of Mutsu.</i></font></div>
</span></i></span> </span> </i></div><div><br></div>John</span></span></div><div><span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br>
</span></span></div><br><div><div>On Jan 27, 2011, at 12:22 AM, Nornes, Markus wrote:</div><br><blockquote>In Kurosawa's Men Who Tread, there is a scene where Okochi Denjiro takes out a scroll, unravels it and reads it. However, Enoken is thrown for a loop when he sees that the paper is completely blank, which the camera dramatically emphasizes with a wonderful truck up and around the scroll. <div>
<br></div><div>Is this a convention of Noh or Kabuki performance, writing not being necessary because of the formalist nature of the dramaturgy? Or is it a reference to a specific play (or plays?)?</div><div><br></div><div>
I have heard of Chinese opera films with the same phenomenon. Can anyone think of other examples?</div><div><br></div><div>Markus<br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><div> <div style="word-wrap: break-word;">
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<div><div style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Consolas;"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="6"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-weight: normal; font-size: medium;"><b><div>
<font face="'American Typewriter'"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A. M. Nornes</span></font></div><div><font face="'American Typewriter'"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Chair, Dept. of Screen Arts & Cultures</span></font></div>
<div><font face="'American Typewriter'"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Professor of Asian Film, Dept. of Asian Languages & Cultures</span></font></div><div><font face="'American Typewriter'"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Professor, School of Art & Design</span></font></div>
<div><font face="'American Typewriter'"><span style="font-weight: normal;">===============================</span></font></div><font face="'American Typewriter'"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Department of Screen Arts & Cultures<br>
University of Michigan<br>6330 North Quad<br>105 South State Street<br>Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1285</span></font></b></span></b></span></font></div></div><div style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Consolas;">
<font face="Calibri, sans-serif" size="6"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-weight: normal; font-size: medium;"><b><font face="'American Typewriter'"><span style="font-weight: normal;">----------------------------------------------</span></font></b></span></b></span></font></div>
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</div></span></div> </div> <br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Sarah Maline, PhD<br>Chair, Department of Sound, Performance, and Visual Inquiry<br>
Associate Professor of Art History<br>University of Maine Farmington<br>Farmington, Maine 04938<br>207.778.7321<br> </body>
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