Comparative historical research on the representation of music in colonial films in early modern Japan

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24720064
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Study of the arts/History of the arts/Arts in general
• Research Institution: Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music
• Principal Investigator: KASAI Amane 東京藝術大学, 音楽学部, 講師 (00584161)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 音楽学 / 映画研究 / 植民地表象 / 日本 / 台湾 / 朝鮮 / 満洲 / 国際情報交換

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study deals with auditory elements in films produced or screened in the former Japanese colonies, to examine their backgrounds and functions during the World War II. As a preliminary research, the state of remaining films has been confirmed, while articles on film music in newspapers and magazines have been compiled into a database.
The analysis of such texts and discourses clarifies (1) commissions to compose music for films newly made in the colonies, (2) trends in adopting existing musical pieces for them, (3) filmmakers’ policies on music, and (4) influences from cultural censorship on film music.

Free Research Field

芸術学・芸術史・芸術一般