[KineJapan] Danryu

[Aaron Gerow]

Saw the restored version of Yoshimura Kozaburo's masterful debut film, Warm Current (Danryu, 1939), last night at the NFAJ. The version that has long been available is a 124-minute abridged version (soshuhen) put together after the war, but the original was in two parts and 177 minutes long. The restored version is 174 minutes and again in two parts. It was put together using a 132 minute 35mm version prepared for US release in 1941, a 169 minute recently found 16mm print, and the current 124 minute version. The resulting print is peculiar: the US version is the best visually but has English subs; the 16mm version is full of scratches and is hard to hear in parts so Japanese subs were added for those sections. But the overall effect is tremendous. The restored cut scenes provide more detail about both the conflicts in the hospital and the snobbery of the upper class (most of the golf scenes had been cut). But the clean US version really brings out Yoshimura's sparing but masterful use of closeups (Mito Mitsuko!) and the 16mm version shows some of his complicated camerawork. The audience really reacted to the film. A real masterpiece and one of the most important films in prewar Japan.

The Cinema: Lost and Found series continues next week. Danryu will show again on 5/10.


Aaron Gerow
Alfred W. Griswold Professor of East Asian Languages and Literatures and Film and Media Studies
Yale University
On leave AY 2025-2026
320 York Street, Room 108
PO Box 208201
New Haven, CT 06520-8201
USA
Phone: 1-203-432-7082
Fax: 1-203-432-6729
e-mail: aaron.gerow at yale.edu
website: www.aarongerow.com

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