Japanese Films
A Filmography and Commentary, 1921–1989
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Book Presentation:
Japanese culture as seen in film is a world of arranged marriages and loyalty beyond death, a world where suicide is an heroic act. Or a world where life’s sadness can be echoed in the falling petals of cherry blossoms. It is a world simultaneously exotic but also universal in appeal.
From Souls on the Road to Tampopo, this book is a film-by-film look at more than 80 of Japan’s best and most important movies. The entries, in chronological order, present the classics in many actors’ and directors’ careers and point out the hallmarks of their style while offering a history of the Japanese film industry. Japan’s unique characteristics and historical background, which may be unfamiliar to Western audiences, are also explained in the entries, thus adding to the reader’s enjoyment and understanding of these films.
Originally published in 1990 (St. James Press).
About the Author:
Freelance writer Beverley Bare Buehrer taught history, philosophy and film classes at Kishwaukee College in Malta, Illinois until her retirement in 2010. A contributor to The Magill Cinema Annual for many years, she is the author of three books and lives in De Kalb, Illinois.
Press Reviews:
"film buffs wishing to expand their knowledge and appreciation of Japanese cinema will welcome this new handbook…Buehrer has made a unique contribution to film reference literature. Her commentaries provide valuable insight into Japanese culture and the celluloid world that reflects it"—Booklist; "written with an enthusiasm for the topic"—Choice; "a helpful reference…accurate, academic study"—Mangajin; "excellent"—ARBA; "enjoyable and full of insights"—Sightlines.
> On a related topic:
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Reaching Adulthood in Everyday Japanese Cinema
Film Viewing in Postwar Japan, 1945-1968 (2024)
An Ethnographic Study
Transcendence and Spirituality in Japanese Cinema (2024)
Framing Sacred Spaces
Japanese Filmmakers in the Wake of Fukushima (2023)
Perspectives on Nuclear Disasters
Japanese High School Films (2023)
Iconography, Nostalgia and Discipline
Cinema of Discontent (2023)
Representations of Japan's High-Speed Growth
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