Introduction

[Rayna Denison]

Dear All

I am a new PhD Student of Film at the University of Nottingham, England. Previously I was an undergraduate at the University of Oxford, where I read Japanese. Since that time I have been exploring my interest in Japanese film through my Masters degree for which I wrote on, among other topics, Takeshi Kitano's Hana-Bi. I am now focussing on Hayao Miyazaki's Mononoke Hime: on its history as a blockbuster in Japan and its art film reception and marketing in America.

Last year I was involved with the Asian Film Festival held here at the University of Nottingham at which I presented Tetsuo. For anyone who may be interested, the reviews and articles relating to that festival will shortly be published on the University's online journal of film studies, Scope.

My general areas of interest and specialist knowledge relate mainly to current and recent trends in Japanese film making, including the genres of horror, yakuza films and anime, but I have also read much on classical Japanese film. 

I look forward to discussing all of these issues, and many more, with you.

Rayna Denison,
University of Nottingham
Institute of Film Studies