introductory texts for Japanese film

[Abe-Nornes]

Lewis wrote: 

>  I am looking for an accessible, non-technical introduction to
>Japanese cinema for use as the textbook in an elementary survey course
>for college students. 

He points to a pretty serious problem confronting any of us teaching
Japanese film studies. There really isn't an ideal book to teach a general
class. 

>_The Japanese Film: Art & Industry_  Anderson & Richie, Princeton U.P.

This is the mainstay. There is a revised version, but the bulk of the text
was written in the 1950s. It actually holds up remarkably well, despite a
few serious problems. I've assigned it in classes, and students find it a
tough read. Thick description is difficult for them. It's an overwhelming
book.

>_Japanese Cinema: an Introduction_  Donald Richie, Oxford U.P.

This is too slight for your use. 

>_Reframing Japanese Cinema_  A. Nolletti & D. Desser, Indiana U.P.

This has some good essays, some weak ones. Pedagogically, the more general
essays are easy to use, while those narrowly defined are really hit and
miss. Most teachers won't want to structure their course along the lines
demanded by the book. I've assigned the book, but never used all of it.

Other possibilities have gone out of print (the hardbacks are still
available at library prices), most significantly Burch's To the Distant
Observer and Desser's Eros Plus Massacre. Furthermore, our basic, general
history was published nearly three decades ago. Is this any way to run a
national cinema studies field?

Markus