Films

The films listed below will be shown in class and we will discuss the way they depict life in modern and future Japan.  The period under discussion is from the end of the war to the present and the invisioned future.   So our first film is a documentary that shows the changes in Japanese life after the war.  Then we will look at how life in modern Japan is presented by Japanese directors.  We will start with films that look at the neighborhood, the working class life of small businesses and craftsmen  and the middle class families or salarymen. We will discuss changes in family relationships as a result of the economic boom and the class differences that remain.  We will also explore the influence of new religions on city dwellers.  Two of the films will be animated episodes.  Sazae San is a popular animated series shown weekly on Sundays for over 50 years and based on a popular cartoon which began after the war in newspapers.  We will end with an animated version of the future which depicts life in Japan after the destruction of Tokyo (a popular theme in the 50s with Godzilla and other such movies).  Some of the films are dubbed or have subtitles, for others have provided either a transcript or and synopsis.

"MacArthur’s Children"

“Tampopo”

Sazae San 3 episodes: "Day before Girl's Day at the Isono House," ""Everyone  wants to be the Fire Warder" (hi no yo jin)" and "It's difficult to be a role model" (o tehon wa taihen desu)

 “Tokyo Story” Ozu Yasujiro

"Otoko wa Tsurai yo" #26 "Torajiro Kamone uta" 1980

"Family Game"

"The Taxing Woman Returns"

"Akira"

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