Films of the Sea

[Michael Kerpan]

I always assumed that Hideo Oba's 1948 Taifuken no onna was shot (at least in part) at sea.  It certainly _looked_ liked it was. (Most notable otherwise for the fact that it features Setsuko Hara at her most sultry ever -- seemingly channeling Rita Hayworth).

Michael Kerpan
Boston

--- On Thu, 7/16/09, Ken Shima <nihoneiga1960 at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Ken Shima <nihoneiga1960 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Films of the Sea
> To: "KineJapan" <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
> Date: Thursday, July 16, 2009, 3:11 AM
> Hello there,
> 
> I was reading through a review from Shin-Eiga magazine
> about the 1953 version of "Kanikosen/The Crab Factory Ship"
> and came across the somewhat dubious claim that this film
> was the first sea film (kaiyo mono) in Japan.
> "わが国最初の海洋物の大スペクタクルとして、ドラマ化しようとする".
> But it seems that there could have been a number of sea
> films for the Navy right or dealing with Navy or fisherman
> themes prior to 1953. My knowledge is lacking in Navy or sea
> film history and I was wondering if anyone can substantiate
> or deny this claim of the 1953 Kanikosen as the Japan's
> first sea film? Just to be clear, this film was shot on
> location on a fishing ship in the Bering sea, so the claim
> could be about an ocean film being shot on location in the
> sea rather than a mock-up or studio set. Any ideas? Films?
> 
> Kenneth Shima
> 
>