Other Studio Systems: Britain, Japan, India, China - m 14

Other Studio Systems: Britain, Japan, India, China

TERMS/PEOPLE

Alexander Korda was a Hungarian-born British film producer and director and screenwriter, who founded his own film production studios and film distribution company Several producers had received extensive investments and loans but had few profitable films. As a result, many sources of funding dried up, and responsible production firms suffered along with opportunists. Alexander Korda’s policy of big-budget films had been only partially justified. Korda was active in the British film industry, and soon became one of its leading figures. He was the founder of London Films and, post-war, the owner of British Lion Films, a film distribution company. Korda produced many outstanding classics of the British film industry

Alfred Hitchcock

British International Pictures
The two main firms, Gaumont-British and British International Pictures (BIP) had been formed during the silent era but now expanded significantly. BIP’s new studio was the biggest of several in the London suburb of Elstree, which came to be called “the British Hollywood.” (As with studios in Los Angeles, British studios were scattered about the outskirts of London.)

Gendai-geki vs. Jidai-geki
The historical film, jidai-geki, was still the realm of swordfights, chases, and heroic deaths
The gendai-geki, or contemporary-life film, included many genres: student and salaryman comedies, the haha-mono (“mother tale”), and the shomin-geki, films about lower-class life

Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger
One small but important production firm, The Archers, was formed in 1943 by the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Hungarian-born Pressburger had scripted five Powell-directed films prior to the formation of The Archers. The most prominent of these was 49th Parallel

Mythologicals vs. Socials vs. Devotionals
The genres of the 1930s had been established in the silent era. The mythological film, using a plot derived from legend and the literary epics, had been a mainstay since Phalke’s day.
The social film, a romantic melodrama set in contemporary times Other socials addressed contemporary problems of labor, the caste system, and gender equality.
the devotional, a biographical tale of a religious figure. The most popular was Sant Tukaram

Quota Act of 1927 & 1938

Despite a few notable successes, the American market remained largely closed to British imports. Moreover, the Quota Act of 1927 was due for renewal. There had been much criticism of the original quota for encouraging quickies.
Britain’s crisis diminished after Parliament passed the Quota Act of 1938. It specified that higher-budget films would count double or in some cases triple toward satisfying quota requirements. The number of quota quickies dropped as both British and American producers attempted to make or purchase films of higher quality to gain extra quota credit.

Quota Quickies
Michael Powell, one of the most important directors of the 1940s and 1950s, had worked extensively in cheap quota films. he later called a “piece of junk,

Shomin-geki the shomin-geki, films about lower-class life. one genre ofThe gendai-geki, or contemporary-life film .

Films

Evergreen (Victor Saville, 1934) woman sings to private couple in mansion. Sabotage (Alfred Hitchcock, 1935) knife – husband – dinner

The Stars Look Down (Carol Reed, 1939) college kid goes back home. wearing hat

Went the Day Well? (Alberto Cavalcanti, 1942) nazi’s take over church. shoot pastor

In Which We Serve (Noel Coward & David Lean, 1942) couple sailor. family planes toys
also bombing in a house with women knitting.

49th Parallel (Michael Powell, 1941) teepee in Canada germans break paintings

Humanity and Paper Balloons (Sadao Yamanaka, 1937) samurai suicide have sake
example of Jidai-geki historical film

Woman of the Mist (Heinosuke Gosho, 1936) pregnant – dolls – china – I’ll be father
example of jidai-geki – younger directors – psychological

Street without End (Mikio Naruse, 1934) daughter in law – tells off mother sick guy
gendai-geki- contemporary life -

Wife, Be Like a Rose! (Mikio Naruse, 1935) poet mother – father – I’m leaving.

Star Athlete (Hiroshi Shimizu, 1937)Shimizu track-back from marching students drilling during a country outing. Soldiers march, kids great them

Woman of Tokyo (Yasujiro Ozu, 1933) your sister is a hostess shady cabaret out teapot

Passing Fancy (Yasujiro Ozu, 1933) you’re selling yourself. need money. I’ll raise money.

The Only Son (Yasujiro Ozu, 1936) mother washing floors son in Tokyo out n cries

Inn in Tokyo (Yasujiro Ozu, 1935) Is there a job for me?  You’ll be late for school, clothes, tires.

 

I Was Born, But … (Yasujiro Ozu, 1931) man exercising. spoiled kids eating uniforms

 

Sisters of Gion (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1936) geisha – I’m moving out –  furosawa foolish sister

 

Naniwa Elegy (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1936) serving tea – mistress confession, marry me.

cont clip – walking on bridge facing camera. female delinquency.

 

The Downfall of Osen (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1935) I won’t commit crime do it or die

 

The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1939) watermelon scene

Genroku Chushingura (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1941) guy in white – goes to death. Also, people running after a man to spare him. woman says I’ll show you where he is to kill him.

Sanshiro Sugata (Akira Kurosawa, 1943) two wrestlers – guy breaks window

Chandidas (Debaki Bose, 1932) she’s a witch. I’ll die friend, singing pearls in hair

Sant Tukaram (Vishnupant Govind Damle & Sheikh Fattelal, 1936) the masterpiece of 1930s Indian filmmaking. Tukaram’s faith creates several miracles, and he is eventually taken to Nirvana in a heavenly chariot.

The Goddess (Wu Yonggang, 1934) prostitute with baby. street scenes striped dress

Crossroads (Shen Xiling, 1937) scholar’s books guitar and mickey mouse

The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1939)

Kikunosuke Onoue (Kiku)
Fukusuke Nakamura (Fuku)
Kikugoro Onoue, the father
Otoku
Shikan Nakamura
Kikuguro's wife
Osata
Matsusuke Onoue