A historical function of visual cultures as pre-films in modern Japan

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16673
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Art at large
• Research Institution: Kobe Gakuin University (2017); Waseda University (2015-2016)
• Principal Investigator: Ueda Manabu 神戸学院大学, 人文学部, 准教授 (80546143)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 映像学 / 映画史 / 映画学 / 表象文化論 / 視覚文化 / データベース / 地域研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research pointed out the relationship between Japanese early films and pre-film cultures, focusing on magic lanterns and the expositions based on the material evidences. Specifically, in extensive surveys, it became obvious that the Asakusa's magic lantern culture was related to Japanese early films and those films were screened in the expositions in the Meiji era. Also, this research expanded the analysis to the relationship between Benshi (film explainer) and various oral arts, and to the cinema culture in the rural areas. Concretely, the research surveyed the connection of Benshi with Naniwabushi songs and investigated the transition from theater to cinema in the west area of Tokushima Prefecture.

Free Research Field

映像学