Namikiza cont.

[Ono Seiko and Aaron Gerow]

There was an interesting article about the closing of the Namikiza in the 
last issue of Kinema Junpo (no. 1266).  Otaka Hiroo criticized all those 
who have used the case of the Namikiza to perpetuate the old nostalgic 
narrative that, "Film is on decline in Japan. The good old days are gone. 
 No one watches Japanese cinema anymore."  

He points out that Namikiza's business has been quite stable for some 
time and that in fact the first quarter of this year showed the best 
profits in the history of the theater.  Clearly the main reason the 
theater is closing is because the building is old and the owner wants to 
build something else, but Otaka implies part of the blame should be 
placed on the mistaken attitude that film is on decline in Japan, that 
meigaza don't matter anymore.

Aaron Gerow
Yokohama National University
KineJapan list owner
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