mizoguchi's Tojin Okichi

[KATO Mikiro]

Concerning David Hopkins' question;

I think that Mizoguchi's Tojin Okichi (1930) was made to meet the demands
of the Japanese movie goers,  who wanted to see another "Kouta Eiga. " 
Mizoguchi, Nikkatsu and Victor had made a great success with Tokyo
Koushinkyoku one year before.   Just before the introduction of talkie
system,  they kinds of exploited female singers who came to a  movie
theater in person and sang a "kouta"  beside the proscenium "to the
accompaniment of" film showing.  And of course Victor released records just
as you have in your collection in order to get profits from the release of 
"Kouta Eigas. "   Quite often movie goers had known the songs to the movies
because of the records which were pressed and radiobroadcasted before the
movie release. 
By the way you must live in Nara or Osaka, and I in Kyoto, so someday could
I have access to your great collection?

KATO Mikiro
kato at www.cmn.hs.h.kyoto-u.ac.jp


At 8:26 AM 98.11.23 +0900, David Hopkins wrote:
>Anybody know anything about 1930 Tojin Okichi? Anybody seen it? 
>"Representing the Other" fans might note that Townsend Harris is played by a 
>Japanese actor. I'm curious because in my record collecting I came across a 
>record labelled Eiga Kouta, and it's definitely in the kouta style, Victor 
>51093, from 1930, side A Tojin Okichi (kurobune-hen), by Sato Chiyoko, side 
>B Tojin Okichi (akegarasu-hen) by Fumikichi. Small print says song is from 
>the movie, BUT the movie is silent!!! Any thoughts?
>
>Ashimachi Fumikichi was a noted geisha, I have several of her records.
>
>David Hopkins