Takeshi Kitano "The Asakusa Kid", FRENCH!!

[Peter Larson]

Just throwing something out here, I recently (to my dismay) purchased the
Asakusa Kid thinking it was in English (the title is!) and go the french
version (I don't read French). I could do a translation of the Japanese, do
you think there are any publishers that might be interested in that sort of
thing? I've already marginally started....  Is there anyone else working on
it? Anyone have any advice on marketing translations to companies?

Pete


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
[mailto:owner-KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu]On Behalf Of Michael Kerpan
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 11:45 PM
To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
Subject: Re: Books and videos of early Japanese films (Ozu, Mizoguchi,
Naruse, Gosho, ..)


On Wednesday 20 June 2001 09:04, Bradley Elfman <belfman at bellsouth.net>
wrote:

> I am interested in finding English subtitled, reasonably priced video
> sources of the Ozu films, and the films of Naruse, Mizoguchi, Gosho,
> Kinoshita, and Toyoda;

There is also a New Yorker video of Ozu's silent _I Was Born But_,but that's
currently all that's readily available in English by Ozu.  If you read
French
and can play PAL videos, a number of additional films are available (from
www.fnac.fr and www.alapage.com) -- including Tokyo Twilight, Green Tea Over
Rice, and Munakata Sisters (the last is the only Ozu "flop" I've seen yet).
There is also a Chinese subtitled VCD of _End of Summer_ if you are really
adventurous (from www.yesasia.com).  Other than these, there are the
Shochiku
videos (un-subtitled) (available from www.cdjapan.co.jp and
www.sasugabooks.com as special orders -- at about $50 per film) and several
silents (with Japanese narration and musical accompaniment -- from Matsuda:
www.infoasia.co.jp/subdir/matsuda/f_pages/fe.html).

There are lots of English-subtitled Mizoguchi videos floating around (try
www.facets.org), but only two Naruse ones (not even _Okaasan/Mother_ is
available currently). There are a few more Naruse films available as PAL
videos with French subtitles.

English-subtitled ilms from other "classical" Japanese directors (other than
Kurosawa) are hard (or just about impossible) to find.  You might be able to
find Kon Ichikawa's _It's Not Easy Being Two_, however.

> I am also particularly interested in learning more about Setsuko Hara.

FWIW, I haven't been able to find much on Setsuko Hara, despite considerable
looking about.

> Additionally, I would like to learn more about the films of other Japanese
> directors and their work since 1960 to the present. I would like personal
> recommendations, since I do not know which books to trust when it comes to
> contemporary Japanese cinema. My interest likes, like Ozu, in character
> rather than plot and action.

If you are an Ozu fan, you should borrow or buy David Bordwell's _Ozu and
the
Poetics of Cinema_.

The two Japanese directors (whose films are readily available with English
subtitles) most evocative of Ozu (in certain ways) are probably Kore-eda and
Kitano.  Kitano is most known for his violent films, but has done some with
relatively little (or even no) violence -- Scene at the Sea, Kids Return and
Kikujiro.  Although Kitano claims to have seen only one Ozu film (and
disliked it), he shares many stylistic traits with Ozu.  Kore-eda's
_Maborosi_ and _After Life_ should be easy to find. (These are two of my
favorite recent films -- of any provenance).

Although Imamura (who was an Ozu assistant early in his career) explicitly
rejected Ozu's methods and style, one recent film _The Eel_ shows flashes of
Ozu-ism (mixed with a bit of violence and sex).

Finally, Isao Takahata (an animated film maker) has made several Ozu-esque
(to some extent) films.  Only one, _Grave of the Fireflies_ is available on
video in English (warning, this is one of the saddest films ever made).
Another is available on a region 2 DVD, the Yamadas (another of my recent
favorite movies -- this one is NOT sad).

> I do not read or speak Japanese.

Neither do I -- but I suspect I will have to learn eventually, if I want to
pursue Japanese films further. ;~}

Best wishes

Michael Kerpan

PS There is a YahiooGroup (formerly an eGroup) devoted specifically to Ozu,
groups.yahoo.com/group/ozu/messages.  It's been quiescent lately, but has
been quite active from time to time over the past year.