Digital Meme (Japanese Classics on DVD)

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lady wakasa · #26 Post by **lady wakasa** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:29 pm

Just wanted to say that I'm back from my boondoggle and I've finally gotten a chance to watch Talking Silents #1 & 2. Mizoguchi is one of my favorite directors, and it's really enlightening to see just how developed his style (asthetic?) was even in his early films.

Now I'm sick, so I'm going to crawl off, get some soup, and go to bed. %^<

htdm · #27 Post by **htdm** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:12 pm

According to Digital Meme's newsletter - the next installment of their Talking Silents series will be the 1928 version of Kurama Tengu starring Arashi Kanjuro (Arakan). The blurb said the DVD would be released sometime in April. No word yet on whether any other titles are planned for release with this.

Keaton · #28 Post by **Keaton** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 6:19 pm

dmkb wrote: No word yet on whether any other titles are planned for release with this.

I hope so!

Regards,

Dennis

the dancing kid · #29 Post by **the dancing kid** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:01 pm

Are these releases only available directly from Digital Meme? I'm hoping that there's a retailer that has the discs for cheaper but I haven't been able to find them anywhere.

htdm · #30 Post by **htdm** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 1:37 am

All of the these discs can also be ordered through Amazon.co.jp. They are slightly discounted but I'm not sure whether postage is higher than what Digital Meme charges.

lady wakasa · #31 Post by **lady wakasa** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:03 am

dmkb wrote:All of the these discs can also be ordered through Amazon.co.jp. They are slightly discounted but I'm not sure whether postage is higher than what Digital Meme charges.

I don't know what the postage differences are, but the Amazon price I just found is the Digital Meme price with tax included (D-M doesn't charge tax when shipping internationally).

If you can order far enough before the release date - they've discounted each one so far, although they charged at the time I ordered, not when they shipped.

evillights · #32 Post by **evillights** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:30 am

(1) The version of 'Tôkyô kôshinkyoku' ("Tokyo March-Piece" is probably a better translation than "Tokyo March" -- it's a reference to a piece of music, here in a kind of metaphorical, "lyrical" sense -- not a multi-mile hike) on Vol. 1 runs roughly 2-1/2 to 3 minutes shorter than the version found on the "Cinéma 0" disc in France, which is the Cinémathèque Française restoration. (With the speed differential between the Digital Meme being true NTSC and the French disc being 4%-faster PAL negligible.)

The print used on the French disc is the 1999 restoration created by compositing the 35mm print in the Cinémathèque's archives and the opening section of the only known extant Japanese print of the film, which exists on 16mm, and which the French print had originally been missing, pre-reconstitution. The French 35mm footage incorporated everything within the Japanese 16mm print, plus a bit more:

-The key "photo-taking" segment, to capture Orie's image for the keepsake, is intact. This comes at the end of the tennis game, which is in turn followed by a jealous/teasing chase between one of the women and the son.

-There are a few more shots of the father in conversation with the geisha Orie.

-A few more shots of the celebration between the friends.

-The striking "cuckold" image created by the shadow of the deer-horns merging with the shadow of the father's head on the floor. Inside of the shadow the faces of Orie, and a woman who is presumably Orie's dead mother, appear like visions. This occurs before the father's declaration to the son that he cannot marry Orie under any circumstances.

The Japanese print, as found on the Digital Meme disc:

-Includes the lovely original intertitles, complete with striking graphic design.

-Retains a quick insert shot (in two places) of the name of the firm ("Toyo") at which the two friends work. It's possible that this is an "insert" made after the fact, as this print and transfer...

-Repeats the opening montage, sometimes looping shots, for the sake of adding "closure" to something that existed primarily as a fragment. (As such, who can say what was the actual source of the "Toyo" insert.)

(2) The version of 'Tôjin Okichi' ("The 'Barbarian' Okichi" -- as in, 'westerner' in the pejorative sense) as found on the Digital Meme disc is probably not even a "fragment" from the film -- but exactly as the press release says, is a -PR fragment-. It's a single, static full-shot (à la very early cinema) of Yôko Umemura, the star of the film (and identified in a Japanese title onscreen), dancing to a song on a stage in front of a couple props and a backdrop depicting a ship at sea. The clip is likely as much a promo piece for the full-length film as for the wax 78 single of the song that's being performed. Whether this was actually directed by Mizoguchi is highly suspect -- possibly the footage of the waves that introduce and close the piece. That, or he just turned the camera on, told the A.D. to do whatever, and left to have a drink.

Still, supposing the "waves" are the thing (or it's very possible he did the whole thing, and simply shot it as an industrial "promo" piece -- it serves the same purpose as a modern music-video) -- this would still technically be a "Mizoguchi fragment." If there's any other authorship in the mix it remains (as far as I know) anonymous.

So just be aware of all of this! Given how completely ridiculous the pricing on these discs is. Still, these are essential discs to accumulate, in any manner one might -- but it's the "Cinéma 0" disc which must be obtained, if one wants the most complete extant version of 'Tôkyô kôshinkyoku.'

Speaking of which, I liked the music that accompanied the film, but found the benshi narration on top of it absolutely horrid. The silence on the more integral "Cinéma 0" disc is much more preferable, leads to a much more powerful experience.

craig.

Michael Kerpan · #33 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:27 am

I think it is valuable to have the benshi narration -- and would scarcely describe it as "horrid". But it is easy enough to turn the sound off, if that's the way you prefer the film.

Screenshots from the Digtal Meme DVD

evillights · #34 Post by **evillights** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:06 pm

Michael Kerpan wrote:I think it is valuable to have the benshi narration -- and would scarcely describe it as "horrid". But it is easy enough to turn the sound off, if that's the way you prefer the film.

Just my own opinion. And yes, it's easy enough to turn off the sound, but due to the benshi narration, subtitles run across the feature itself as well -- and, not corresponding to any audio track (now that the sound is off), introduce a new, and I feel disruptive, rhythm across the montage. If one turns off the subtitles as well, then one is left to contend with the Japanese intertitles for the narrative cues. It's all kind of a moot point for me with regard to this edition though, as I'll probably never watch it again -- the Cinémathèque's restoration is superior image-wise and, more importantly, more complete.

I really don't find benshi narration (a show on top of the show!) to be quaint or nostalgic, and couldn't care less how "traditional" it is for Japanese cinema as a historical institution -- I think it's really foul, as bad as the accepted practice of a musician plonking out a "medley of popular song" on a piano in real-time to a silent, or Einhorn + sundry exhibitors turning 'La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc' into Cirque du Soleil.

craig.

Michael Kerpan · #35 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:25 pm

Well, I don't have access to the Cinematheque version. (I assume this only had French subtitling of the intertitles).

lady wakasa · #36 Post by **lady wakasa** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:05 am

htdm wrote:According to Digital Meme's newsletter - the next installment of their Talking Silents series will be the 1928 version of Kurama Tengu starring Arashi Kanjuro (Arakan). The blurb said the DVD would be released sometime in April. No word yet on whether any other titles are planned for release with this.

Any more news about this? I signed up for their email list, and I've checked the website periodically, but haven't seen anything. In the past their preordering has been up by this point in he release cycle.

htdm · #37 Post by **htdm** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:02 am

The last mention was in their 12/11/07 Newsletter:

2007.12.11 号外
KATSUKICHIメールマガジン号外
KATSUKICHI読者の皆様、本日(12月11日)の毎日新聞夕刊に、弊社デジタル・ミーム
の記事が掲載されました！！ご興味のある方は毎日新聞夕刊をご覧ください。デジタル・ミームでは、
今後も嵐寛寿郎主演作品『鞍馬天狗』（2008年4月発売予定）など名作を続々DVD化していく予定です。

lady wakasa · #38 Post by **lady wakasa** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:40 pm

htdm wrote:The last mention was in their 12/11/07 Newsletter:

KATSUKICHI

Thanks for the info...

Well, maybe I'll email them about it, but I'm going to take this to mean that the Kurama Tengu release is delayed. %^<

lady wakasa · #39 Post by **lady wakasa** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:54 pm

Just wanted to mention that as of today, Digital Meme has Kurama Tengu and The Frightful Era of Kurama Tengu listed. So it's going to happen, and soon.

Michael Kerpan · #41 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:28 pm

benshi wrote:Hello everyone, I am new in this Forum; I'd like to know if any of you know where I could get DVDs of japanese silent movies with the "benshi" audio comment.

You can order these from Digital Meme

lady wakasa · #43 Post by **lady wakasa** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:53 pm

I wrote Digital Meme about Jigoku no Mushi (the Matsuda version) and got a very interesting answer that I think people here might be interested in...

Thank you very much for your interest in our products and for your purchase of Talking Silents V. Your copy will be among the first DVDs we ship once we take delivery -- the release date is 25 April so we will be shipping the DVD to you in about two weeks.

We do intend to release a DVD version of Jigoku no Mushi (never released on video or DVD) somewhere down the line -- perhaps in 2009 -- and I will certainly keep you posted. We will be continuing with releases from the Talking Silents series with at least 6 more films coming out this year. Please take a look at our website from time to time.

Best regards,

Larry Greenberg
CEO, Digital Meme

I'm really intrigued in the "at least 6 more films coming out this year," although I can wait and be surprised. %^}

Rufus T. Firefly · #44 Post by **Rufus T. Firefly** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:34 am

lady wakasa wrote:Just wanted to mention that as of today, Digital Meme has Kurama Tengu and The Frightful Era of Kurama Tengu listed. So it's going to happen, and soon.

It's happened. Mine arrived in the post today.

lady wakasa · #45 Post by **lady wakasa** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:36 pm

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:
lady wakasa wrote:Just wanted to mention that as of today, Digital Meme has Kurama Tengu and The Frightful Era of Kurama Tengu listed. So it's going to happen, and soon.
It's happened. Mine arrived in the post today.

I've just picked up mine today (have been busy between the Uchida at BAM and a dance movie blogathon I'm starting tomorrow, so just got to the post office). But I have it in my sweaty little palms, and will see it very soon.

htdm · #46 Post by **htdm** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:00 pm

Vol. 6 just announced:

New! To be released on July 31!
Talking Silents 6: Nishikie Edosugata Hatamoto to Machiyakko (The Color Print of Edo: Hatamoto to Machiyakko) and Dokuro (Skull) is offered with a 10% discount until July 31!

* The Color Print of Edo: Hatamoto to Machiyakko (1939, Shinko Kinema, 65 min.)
Director: Kazuo Mori
Starring: Utaemon Ichikawa, Yaeko Kumoi, Shinpachiro Asaka, Wakako Kunitomo

* Skull: (1927, Ichikawa Utaemon Production, 32 min.)
Director: Sentaro Shirai
Starring: Utaemon Ichikawa, Kokuten Takado, Ritsuko Niizuma

lady wakasa · #47 Post by **lady wakasa** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:19 pm

htdm wrote:Vol. 6 just announced

Oh, I'll be ordering them, but does anyone have info on the films themselves?

htdm · #48 Post by **htdm** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:26 pm

If you read Japanese, you can find some basic information on the Hatamoto series (mostly the postwar installments) here.
More in-depth info (in Japanese) on both titles can be found here.

lady wakasa · #49 Post by **lady wakasa** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:40 pm

htdm wrote:If you read Japanese, you can find some basic information on the Hatamoto series (mostly the postwar installments) here.
More in-depth info (in Japanese) on both titles can be found here.

Unfortunately, no. The only written thing I know is "yama." *sigh*

htdm · #50 Post by **htdm** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:43 pm

Digital Meme is announcing that the seventh installment of Talking Silents will be released 9/25. It will include the following three films:

Oatsurae Jirokichi goshi (1931, dir. Ito Daisuke!)
Yajikita son o no maki (1927, dir. Ikeda Tomiyasu)
Yajikita Tobafushimi no Maki (1928, dir. Ikeda Tomiyasu)

All of the films will have optional English subs for the intertitles/benshi narration.

Digital Meme (Japanese Classics on DVD)

Re: Japanese Movies (Benshi)