Period Dramas in Japan FINAL PAPER

ART THEATRE GUILD Unabhinge Jpronizhe Kin01962-1984

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THE RISE OF UNDERGROUND CINEMA | ANDTHE EARLY YEARS OF ATG By Hirasawa Gc

An Experiment Called ATG for-Nothing.19`),TakahshiOsamu with Kmo dake arite im(Only She Knows,19`), Tamura Isutomu withAkuimin bThe birth of ATG(Ar Thearre Guild of Japan) in 19a marke

an epoch in the distribution of experimental films and art films sonr (Dsire to Be a Bad Man,19).Peopleulked about them in from all over the world, which hardly had a chance of being comparison to French directors who had made their debuts at |shown in commerial theatrs.In April1962 ten Art Theatres young age,like Francois Tuffut.Jean-Luc Godard,Claude were established natiopwid to sreen the fims ATG disribute Chabrol and Louis Malle, and they were called the Shochiku Jerzy Kawalerowicz's Matrka Joanna od aniolowe was the first,fol- Nouvelle Vague. lowed by numerous other cinematic masterpieces. Seting u Nakahira Ko,however,earlier had depicted the lusty rebellion ATG was possible thanks to the efforts of the people concernec

|kerjitsw(Crazy Fruit,1956),and this accelerated the Sun-Tribe-centering around Towa's Kawakita Nagamasa and Kurwakit: Kashiko,and including film critis like Ogi Masahiro and lscki boom,which was created by the novel sTaiyo no kisetsus(Sei-

son of the Sun,1956) by Yoiro'selder brotherlshihara Shintaro.Tsuneo of Sanwa Kogyo, but it's probably safe to say that another With Kdbiuke（Kises,1957),Masamura Yasuz, who hadcrucial factor was the film-historical turning point at that time.

In 1958,as many as 1,127,450,000Japanese people went to th movies.The Japanese film world shall remember this as th Italy,similarly had come up with a new image of youngsters who

lay bare their individual desires, and evoked a lot of sympathy.biggest audience ever.Then,in 1960,the establishment of a net. work was completed by the six major movie companies,and Of course the hact remains that there was a difterence that ma thunks to the provision of a screening system, serial work by the even be called a rupture,but film-historically we should still so-called egreat masters,and the rapid advance of rivaling inde. acknowledge that these films prepared the Shochiku Nouvelle pendent productions,a peak of 547 produced films and 74! Vague.If we look a it commercialy,we can not deny that young screens was reached. After thar,however, pardy due to the emer. asistant directors being promoted to directors in this way, was

the result of the upper levels at Shochiku aiming at rejuvenationgence of the new medium television, the number of moviegoers | is a way out of the busines slump.But in a more historical con-and theatres steadily decresed, and the majors began to scale rext,we can say that itis a group of works that was bom out ofdown their operation:

Meanwhile,several directors made theirdebuts:Oshima Nagi necssity amid the changing imes in the ltter half of the fifuies amounting to alot more than industrildemands.These posrwarsa with Aito kib nO madbi(A Town of Love and Hope,1959),a

Shinoda Masahiro with Koimo kutawidbi kppw(One Way Ticketcinematic and hisorical turnabouts were a big presence in the forLowe,1960),Yoshida Yoshishige with Rokude nasbi(C

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VEWAI 0 M TMET GOIO

A New Film Current As mcntioned earlier,1958 was a peak year for Japanese cinema, bt uat Pd eoalbou here is pot that captral flmhito.

|but what Id lke to tialk about here is not that capital fim-histo- |rical fact,but rather the strong current of new films that started

Irom this year. The Nihon University Film Study Club(Nihon Daigaku Gei.

|jutsubu Eiga Kenkyukail released Ksg to kutrutbud no laitat (Conurrsation Remren Naland Sok 1osgTheNnIlhi Conversaion Between Nal and Sock,19-8).Ihe Nihon Unlversity Film Study Club had been formed the year before,and ths hm took the shape of a group productio0,meaning all mem-bers equally participated in the film,regardless of roles such as production,acting.photography lighting, assistant director,ctc. |It was also a strictly independent production of the Film Srudy Club,and by not seeking profit through screenings,it liminated the arising of commercial demands. In the year that we can call the most successful of the Japanese film world in the capitalistic Sair(19》),directed by Adachi Masao et.al. sense,a film was made which was totally unrelated to that logic ITIt wns an acmnt to eet rid of he hierardhy that put the dirert period,came into being,and the magazine Kiroku Eigas wasis

sued by the Documentary FilmmakersAssociation,led by Nodaon top,which inevitably went hand in hand with the films up til Shinkichi and Matsumoto Toshio.The theory that aimed at thethen, and for that very reason supported the commercial succes

Of course, we can give the names of Hirano Katumi.KoHiroo. etc.as actors,but it was strictly a group production, refusin the center of the debate, was put into practice with Matsumot let the film be summed up by specitic proper names.

made their debuts withAito kbno macbi and RoludeIf we explore the current of ]apanese independent and exp ctively.The produced works violendly clashed with theorymental films,which sarted in the ltter half of the fiftis,we can

|name three groups1. the group of student flms centering

around the Nihon University Film Study Club, with Hirano Kat. sumi,Jonouchi Motoharu. Adachi Masao. Okishima lsao.ete. isalo a ict thaKngi（o katiabi mo aranprecsded themmas and further the Tomon Scenario Study Club of Waseda Universi. ty (Shinaken),with Yamatoya Atsushi,Tanaksa Yo20, ctc., th Kyoto University Film Club with Tanabe Yasushi, etc, the Kan sai Academy Film Study Cub with Yamano Koichi, etc;2.t group of avant.garde films of Teshiaharna Hiroshi.Teravam ut:face of the Japanese Communist Pry at the 6th Shuji,the Experimental Srudio of Yamaguchi Katsuhiro, th Graphic Group ot Otsuj Kiyoj, etc.,who followed the low ol awvant-garde art that was advocated by Hanada Kiyoteru Takiguchi Shu26,etc:）. and the group of personal films,repn stnuggle of1960.Just like the Bund (CommumitLegve h sented by Obayashi Nobuhiko,Takabayashi Yoichi, etc., w used 8mm cameris at home, like awint-erde artists who were unknown at the ime -

segawa Genpei,, Shinohara Ushio, Yoshimura Masunobu, group, we can name lwanami Film Production's Hani Susumu, Kuroki Kazuo,Higashi Yoichi, Tsuchimoto Noriaki,Ogaw whidh unfolded from Yomiuri Independent,a public exhibitShinsuke,and also Matsumoto Toshio.Later all these grour without prior seletion,with 1957/1958 as a boundary-a new |would become deeply involved with ATG films, which I will t: current was bom in film as well, which caused a big urnabout.abour again later on.Teshigahara belonged to the econd grou This brought forth Teshigahana's Otosbiana (The Pifill,1962organized with Ogi Masahiro, Hani Susumu and others,6Cin ma 57a, and together they made the group production To 1958in 1958.It was an aggregate of fimmakers and critics wl Nhon University Film Study Clu were already active, and aimed at entnanc into owerseis exper VAN Filim Sclence Research Centermental film festivals.After that,they did not produce films,but it hs the 1960Security Treaty situation developed, the Nihon Uni.was a film group that was made to resolutely search for a direc. versity Flim Smdv Club cootinuuddommt—d . tion of filmmaking that did not ride on any commercial bse. These are not films that were completed as they all persistentlystarted from the Sogetsu Art Center,which was established in th joined ranks with the Nihon University activists as participants,same year, and ws about to play an important role in experi and portrayed the struggles from that point of viewbut it aw ments in all fields of art,including film, such as the prompt o6nuogy that presented imegs isa procs of ac.troduction of John Cage and Fluxus by Yoko Ono. In the ifties, various movements were formed that concemed Jonouchi and Adachi, established the VAN Film Science Rese.themselves with the theory and practice of postwar art with a larch Center(VAN Eiga Kugaku Kenkyio)as a placetoboth livefocus on the fine arts. In film we can siy that uch theoretical a and produce films together. Together with the Yohimura Atelierpractical developments began to show from 1957,the year whe pf Neo DadaOrganisers, which was formed by Shinohara Ushio, the magazine sEiga Hyoronw was published by Kusu Sanpei,ar Akasgrwa Genpei and a few othen. VAN beame a space offrom 1958., when fim and crticism socicties,in which peoplc communication,whete not only fimmakers,but pcople from all like Oshima and Yoshida participated in their assistant directol genre of exprsion,likefie ars,photography,music, theatc,

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uld meet. The recording of the strugle was completed through LSD experiments,black massceremonies: he VAN production Dok)wwewto 6/1(Document 6/15) inproduced Sa

1961.For the screening of the film a trailblazing intermedia ex.ermedia ex· after the 1960 Security Treaty defeat through the image of a woman's congenitlly constricted vagina.and organized a 6Sain periment was carried out.Under the concept of a one-time hap. CeremonySain mo g the folowing year as a happeningpening, regardless of the fact that it was a gathering to mourn

Kanba Michiko, who got kiled during the struggle, sponsoredscreening.Tone Yasunao, Kosugi Takehisa of Group Music, etc. by the Zengakuren (AllStudents Federation), westem paintings participated under the leadership of Adachi Masao,and an |were projected on top of the screen with slides,obstaces were |dangling from the ceiling, and two contradictory soundrracks unfolding. but on the day itself the film was stolen and the

screening became impossible. However, since they took evendashed against each other in the hall,.while symbolicilly inserting police assaults or dose-ups of photographs of Kanbai's face. |whole thing turned into one big brawl and uproar in which the

whole audience paricipated.In the end. the commotion was soWe can also name the earlier Axpo 而yakeu(Securiy Tre 1960) by Matsumoto Toshio as representative recording of tl

196O sruggle,but if we look back at the fact that both were PF to be raided.Just before, papers pertaining to a case of fake 1000-yen notes involving Akascgawa had been sent to the films that were requested by a specific party or group, and the

| fact that the numerous existing documentaries of the struggle by SchoolJirisu Gakko） and the Tokyo Action Front (Tokyoindependent prodution companies uptill then could not han

Kodo Sensen),in which Adachi and the others had participated,been without connection to the Japanese Communist Party,thi had carried out extreme direct action.so that apparently thiswork can be called the first filmic attempt of a movement tha event was not judged to be a fim screening meeting but awould further unfold and be theorized in various forms from the

In other words, the sSain Ceremony presented confusion it-|The methodology of shooting a film with the cameraman sta ing completely on the side of the objct is called the methodology self, which not only transgressed the genres of expression but

even the framework of art and polirics.bu that in irself allowedof complicity.The accepted theory is that it was established with Tsuchimoto Noriki's first independent film,Ryagaeusei Cwa the development of Dokyw期ewto 6/15,and it was a symbolical

|attempt that embodied the ideology of VAN as space of commu:Su Rinr(Chua Swee Lin,Exchange Student.196),and conti- nication.The exnerimental spirit.which floowed from the Nihornued by Ogawa Shinsuke'sAssatamo mor(The Oppressed Stu. University Film Study Club to the VAN Film Science Researchdents,1967).Dokyumewto 6/15 provoked the violent anger o |Center,can be called the pillir that supported the undergroundthe participants, who had expected a proper recording of th films of the sixties.and in its turm the concept of underground1960 Security Treaty strugle. Besides,through a defect,only or

of the collding soundtracks in the hall could be heard. so that culture itself.It was that which cleared the way for the late night |showings at Art Theatre Shinjuku Bunka. and, through their suc.the executives heavily denounced the producers of VAN and the cess,the flm production by ATG,from which the undergroundhall was tumed into confusion.Because of these circumstances.

it is hard to say that the screening of the work itself continued Ssori-za(Theatre Scorpio) was born. into the developmcht of a movement,although it was scrcenec

Art Theatre Shinjuku Bunkaonce more at a gathering the following yeat. But what we can sl is that this was unmistakably the first work that presented and As ATG got started,Kuzui Kinshiro became manager of the Ai

Theatre Shinjuku Bunka,the central theater of the ATG chain.put into practice the methodology of placing one's own persor Kuzui tried various experiments for the showings,and built up aon the side of the action.Later on,film screenings as perform

ances became formalized with visual artist limura Takahiko as film production system through ATG, so if there is one person central figure.bur this screenine also paved the way for that type who can't be omited from the story of ATG,it has got to be him.

Fist of ll,Kuzui remodeled the theatre and radiclly threw outof intermedia experiments. After Nmo kirokw(The Record of N,1959) and Pa P(Pu Pu, advertising posters for commercial films,and on the other hand 1959),the Nihon University Film Study Club was reorganizeda the New Film Study Club.Following the happening events Zer art, expanded the number of seats for the audience,and con-

structed a comfortable viewing system based on fixed seatingde conduite and Wan(A Lacquered Bowl,1962),and while goi capacity, etc. So, he turned it intoJapan's first art theatre worthy of the name. Seeing he got off to a good start,in19c he tried, as a further experiment,to organize a performance of an avant. garde play after the end of the last show:. This atrempt to turn Shinjuku into the Japanese Of-Broadway succeeded splendidly. and Shinjuku Bunka was no longer just abour film,but became a

formances by new dramatical companies that came into being through scssion from the maijor theatrical companies affiated with the existing tradirional sbingeI (New Theatre).If we consi- der that Oshima,Shinoda.Kurokicetc.paralllylft Shochiku and lwanami around the same time,we have to realize that the

same trend was going on regardless of genre of exprssion,be it film or drama.This theatrical experiment would later also have a

pig influence on film itself. | The dramatical performances would sill continue afer this,Sain(19c),dreted by AdachiMsao et.al.

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以归冬|

Rakak rw3okey 人aatma (AKA.Scrial Killkr,1969),directed by Adachi Maao ct.al.

Novenber 19pthe fist late night show flm sereening in the fild of activity of independent and personl filmmakers,and |was oruanized.That film ws Sui.Ever ince thetogether with Kaneaka Kenij,Adach

ud been lokingi vain formed At bhe end of the vear they held a puble eshibition|had an opportunity to show it,and they had been looking in vin for a screning venue in Tokyo. But then the screening at Shin juku Bunka ws deided.There was suppor from a lot of culur |canccld the yearbefore,aso induded many works by musicians

and arists like Tone Yasunao and Akasegrwa GCenal people and artists. and this time the show was a big suces Then,in 1965,the late night shows at Shinjuku Bunka began,

ako created the opportunity to succesively organize animatiol specials and creenings of individualfilmmakers. The following goto （Secret within Wall,1965) ws oicially entered into themonth.under the tirle -South Korea Toda (Kankokuno genio). there was the doublebll of Yanbogino wikk(Yunbogiks Dlan [y and Ai to kio no macbi as well s letures by OAhima hin im, suddenly tracted a lot of atention as a means of under.self.The event was organized during eight days,and since atte dance was good.people started to believe that for low budget in ijioined Wakamatsu Productions and produced several master.dependent productions.funds could be recouped even with screnings at just the Shinjuku Bunka.a long s a long run w possible. It was from this idea that Oshima's Nini bugeid emporary artists and films, focusing on the major cinematic (Manual of Ninja Martil Arts,1967) was born. So,after the b experiment with dramatical performance at the theatre after th cntitledaWorld Awant-Garde Fim Festival-The Pioneers olend of the screnings and the late night show of Sain,the founda. Cinematie Arte.Although a number of texts had reachedJapan,tion for ATG;film production wslhid byOxhima's sreening an there had been few chances to come in touch with the aw lecture. the big hir Yakoeu (Patriotism,1966) by Mishima Yul garde films themselves. So, these serial screenings, which wererdeased at the same time as Luis Bunuel'sLejornalZ'uwt fwn | organizd by condensing the time axis from Diga Vertow and de dumbre,which wais a crucial factor in the aspet of theatri |Man Ray up untilChris Markerhad a big impact on the entierun,and the production and distribution of Ninja bugeicbo.

Then,the film festival aUnderground Cinema Japan/AmeriUnderground Theater Sasor-za (Theatre Scorplo) was hed at the same Sogetsu ArtCenter in June 19lbringingIn 19d.ObayashiNobuhiko,TikabayashiYoichi,limurna Taka: together ten American andJapanese flms,and this is when the|hko and Dynld Richicmsried a groun ward 意 the Bnousdks | term wndergowld got anchored in Japan. American filmmakersExperimental Flm Fesival. This was the signal to try and expandlike Stan Brakhage and RobertNelson wereinivited,and this uni.

YIENMLE 00 ART TMEATREGULD

fied a set of fims that had been variously called independentall forms of expression, be it underground or eabowe grounds, met,and thus it gave birth toal kinds of cinematic ideas,includ-film,personal film,student lim,experimental Him,OH-Holy· ing ATG and underground.Both expressed themselves in an in.wood Cinema,ec. Under the oveaill support of Sato Shigecomi,

the editor-in-chief of the magazine Eiga Hyorons,and with the dependent space and domain, and no matter what they focussed cooperation of Kanesaka Kenji and limura Takahiko, the Sogetst

each other and at times there were crosovers.That we may callArtCenter kept striving to introduce underground cinema, mainly from the US,and in November 1967 it started an experi the very relation between Shinjuku Bunka and Sasor-za,and th

|mental film festival that was open to public applications.Plenty of filmmakers emerged from there. FromJune 19g. Sato himself rented the playhouse Underground Theater Jliyu Gckijo, and Translated by Luk van Haute began independent showings.The following year,in 19?diree. tors formed the Japan Filmmakers Cooperative to manage un HIRASAWA G0 derground cinema, and the Japan Underground Center,fo Born in 1975 in the Kanagawa prefecture.Graduated from Meili which Sato served as representative, supervised it. Even after th Gakuin University. Free-lancing film historian with a focus on

|underground cinema and revoluionary cinema of the 1960s.HeCooperative broke up over a leadership dispute,the screeniny activities sill continued, and in 1971 Kawanaka Nobuhiro re. has organized severalretrospectives and is the editor of a number

| of books such s aUnderground Fim Archives(2001);&Bunbeiorganized it as the Underground Center. On the other hand. bessatsu- Godard (2002); Adachi Masao.Eiga/Kakumei| when the All-Campus Joint Strugele (Zenkyoto)movement

(2003);eJokyo bssatsu-AdachiMasro Eia/Kakumei o megut-arose, numerous documentarie of the struggle were produced, mainly by Tsuchimoto Noriaki and Ogawa Shinsuke,and inde.tea(2003). pendent screening activities were organized, revolving around the barricade strikes at factories and universities |In 1966, in the middle of this period of excitement for under.

ground cinema, Kuzui Kinshiro set out on a trip to the United States and several European countries.He wanted to do a tour of small theatres and underground theatres around the world, in |order to rebuild the dressing rooms in the basementr of Shinjuku Bunka into a,be it small, experimental theatre for film and plays. So,in August1967 the undergroundTheatre Sasori-za was com. peted,comparible to spaces of expression of underground cul- ture elsewhere in the world.The fomal opening film was Adachi Masao's Gingukei(Galaxy,1967).It is a symbol of underground cinema in Japan, following in the wake of the Nihon University Film Study Club and VAN,and should even be called a monu. mental work. Since then, the Sasori-za was the foothold of un. derground cinema,the place where many artists. yeterans and youngsters alike,were active, and later on quite a few ATG film.

makers would emerge from there as well. However,the Sasori-za, which was also open as a lounge bar after the end of the screen-

ings, was actually a space of communication where people from

44AtA3一1-A

P pi(1959,drected by Jonouchi Moharu

VIENMAIE2003 ART THE盯TR COIO0