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The young intelligentsia of that time in Japan was most eager in its demand to imbibe Western civilization. European literature, especially drama, was devoutly translated, read and presented on the stage. At the same time, naturally, the intellectuals of the younger generation loved and appreciated Western films. It is only a matter of course that some of them, anticipating abundant possibilities for an artistic photoplay, chose the profession of film production. And thus a group of young talented novelists, playwrights, stage-directors and stage actors joined the film art movement. Their ac¬ complishments were such that an end was finally put to the old Japanese cinema which, after all, had been no more than a hybrid product of the traditional Japanese theatre. Secure foundations were thus laid by them for a new Japanese photoplay.
The founding of the Taikatsu (Taisho Katsuei Kabushiki Kaisha or the Taisho Motion Picture Company, Ltd.) and Shochiku (Shochiku Kinema Kabushiki Kaisha or the Shochiku Kinema Compamy, Ltd.) in 1920 may be regarded, economically, as a reflection of the post-war upgrowth of capitalism, but none the less, when viewed culturally, it was a phenomenon naturally concomitant with the intellectuals’ leaning towards active participation in screen art. Lor instance, the Taikatsu entered into a contract with Jun-ichiro Tanizaki as scenario-writer, then the most promising novelist of the coming generation, now one of the veterans of the literary circles of contemporary Japan. And the Shochiku invited Kaoru Osanai, the most active stage-director of that time, to organize an Institute for Screen Art Research, which was to train future directors and actors. The cultural level of Japanese films was thus hightened considerably. The Taikatsu produced “Amachua Kurabu” (The Amateur Club, 1920), “Jasei no In” (The Lewdness of a Serpentess, 1921), etc. These were received with words of high praise among high-class movie fans, owing, chiefly, to Mr. Tanizaki’s excellent scenarios. But they had too much of artistic affectation about them to be accepted by the majority, and the Taikatsu, failing financially, was soon incorporated into the Shochiku.
The Shochiku, which as a big capitalist had been in a ruling position in the theatrical enterprises, decided to enter the film industry in 1920, and founded the Research Institute, as already mentioned, with Kaoru Osanai as leader. At the same time, it invited a few technicians from Hollywood, and with the establishment of Kamata Studio in Tokyo launched upon its active career of film production. The most ambitious and progressive of all its products was ‘‘Rojo no Reikon” (A Soul by the Roadside, 1921), with Osanai as general director and Minoru Murata as director. But, in this instance again, a highbrow product of a great deal of ambition did not prove to be a financial success to the producers. And the money-making policy of the Shochiku did not hesitate to concede a point in its programme which originally had some artistic aspiratoins. It retired to the perfectly safe routine of turning out silly pictures that more or less suited the taste of the common people. These were, in a word, pictures of cheap
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