50000 Films Found?

[Aaron Gerow]

I unfortunately can concur with the skepticism of those who fear many 
of the films are in bad condition. For a little bit more information, 
there is one article by Yasui Yoshio, head of the Planet Bibliotheque 
de Cinema, in the February 2004 edition of Neo Neo (this is the 
internet documentary film magazine edited by Fuseya Hiroo). Yasui is a 
dedicated film collector who has programmed many film showings and 
talks about trying to get films out of Abe. Abe said that he had once 
lent out a print of Chuji tabi nikki (this was the 3-part film by Ito 
Daisuke of which most of the third part was found about ten years ago) 
and never had it return, so he resolutely refused never to lend out a 
print again. He also said he was waxing the films and purchased proper 
cans to store them. Yasui, however, couldn't see the stored films. Abe, 
however, did once lend out two films so that they could be duplicated, 
and at least those were in good condition.

http://cafesta.oem.melma.com/mag/39/m00098339/a00000006.html

I also found a mention that Abe did research on explosives during WWII. 
Perhaps he then knew how to handle nitrate stock? We can only hope and 
wait...

Aaron Gerow
KineJapan owner

Assistant Professor
Film Studies Program/East Asian Languages and Literatures
Yale University

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