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Japanese life in manifold ways. The Japanese motion-picture industry has been greatly promoted ; the study of acting and production on the stage has been encouraged ; new elements introduced into native music ; fresh material furnished for the revue and dance, women’s dress and toilet modernized, etc. Furthermore, the films have promoted the study of foreign languages, helped to encourage fresh social life among young men and women. In short, they have done much to enrich the cultural life of Japan. For instance, the screen success of a book has often led to the tremendous sales of the translations of the original novel or play ; among the most outstanding, recent examples are Jules Renard’s Poil de Garotte and Pearl Buck’s The Good Earth. Many
Western plays that have been filmed have
been translated into Japanese and many of them are even performed on the stage. In addition, a few imported movies have been adapted, dramatized, and performed on the stage. Popular music composers have acquired some of the new American and French theories of composition. A large measure of adaptation from the musical films has been tried on the revue stage. As for the improvement of women’s Western style dress and toilet, one has only to recall those of a few years ago. What an incredibly rapid change !
Thus European and American films have exerted a powerful influence on the Japanese, translating the new trends of the world, and giving a quick tempo to the life of the people. But it must not be assumed for a moment that those imported movies have changed the whole mode of Japanese life, or that the people have become indiscriminately Westernized in their character and spirit. All that has taken place is the widening of the mental horizon by means of critical selection. Those elements which have been chosen are assimilated into native fashion in conformity with the culture, society, customs and current conditions of the country. Japanese men wear Western-style hats with their kimono and yet look perfectly natural. That is a good illustration of how things Western are being absorbed by Japan.
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