KYOTO INTERNATIONAL FILM AND ART FESTIVAL 2020

A program born out of the specialty screenings of "Classic Silent Movies" at the Kyoto International Film and Art Festival. Challenge the live action screening with Katsudo Benshi narrator and commedians! Check out this new way of enjoying silent films, in this narrator battle for the best comedian. Screenings: "Kyoto News", "Kenka Yasube" and "Laurel and Hardy's Liberty".

Cooperation: Toy Movie Museum / Kigeki Eiga Kenkyukai

Part 2 of the reguar Yoshimoto Yurakucho Theater event "Katsuben de GO!". The film "Urban Woman", by master director of the world's first dracula movie "Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens", and the supreme melodrama "Sunrise" has never before been seen in Japan. While this is a silent film, enjoy the charms of the visual beauty of the genre, together with the live narration and music.　Cooperation: Gucchi's Free School　"Urban Woman" DVD with narration is also available for sale https://gucchis-free-school.com/event/classicvol2/

Shojiro Sawada, the founder of Shinkokugeki, was invited by Shozo Makino to play Kunisada Chuji written by Rifu Yukimoto. His realistic acting brought realism to sword fighting films in the era of change from Kabuki to film.
Since then, with the influence of Tsumasaburo Bando, sword fighting and samurai films reached their heyday, triggered by this monumental work.
The Shinkokugeki "Kunisada Chuji" is divided into four parts, "Mt. Akagi", "Yamakataya", "Amadera" and "Goyo", and was shot in just three days, in a similar style to a stage play.
With this screening you will be able to watch the longest existing version of the film. It appears that the title Kunisada Chuji was added when the film was re-edited for 16mm film for home use.

Sentaro Kurahashi, who launched Shinkokugeki together with Shojiro Sawada left the group due to illness, and the second Shinkokugeki was launched in Osaka. From this arose Denjiro Okouchi (at the time Isamu Masachika, who came to be known as Jiro Muromachi), who starred in the two roles of Jirocho Shimizu and Kira no Nikichi.
The director is Kichiro Tsuji. He competed at Nikkatsu Kyoto with Daisuke Ito in sword fighting films. He was great at sword action, aiming for leftist trendy films.
The story involves the fall of a bloodied Namerikawa no Hachigoro when the Shimizu family are drinking sake after returning from Ise worship. The cowardly Otogoro and Saheita Kajiwara are blamed, and the younger brother Tomoemon plans to avenge the death with Komasa Daimasa etc. by hitting the Otogoro family. However, fearing that a lieutenant has turned, he visits Kira no Nikichi and asks Jirocho to apologize. Then Chokichi comes from Kobe and he cries when the "Kojinyama" territory inherited from his parents is stolen by sibling Toku Ano. Nikichi's wife Okiku is the younger sister of Toku Ano.

The original title was "Family Life", but this was changed to the French title "Une Partie D'auto" for its Pathe-Baby (9.5mm) release.
The mischievous boy from the Bush family next door is always touching everything. One day, when his father is out, he releases the brake on the care and it suddenly starts rolling backwards. Fortunately a collision is avoided, but the rear is hit hard. Unable to get control of the car with the large Mrs Bush, the car keeps running through the town, bouncing around like a grasshopper, and nearly causes a catastrophe on the Hollywood hills.
In the usual way of comedy films, this is full of excitement and falling off cliffs without dying. No matter how many times you watch it, you can always laugh at Mrs Bush's skydiving scene.

The original title in 1921 was "High and Dry", but it appears that this was changed to "An Accidental Champion" for the Pathe-Baby release. The latter half was then changed to the current title "Ga! Ga! Marions-nous" (Let's get married).
The story involves Jimmy going to ask a father for his daughter's hand in marriage, only to find another rival for her love. At the same time, the housekeeper, who is in love with Jimmy, kidnaps the daughter and pretends to be her. The wedding day then approaches...
This is a short film, but it is full of laughs. The leading actor Jimmy Adams is a forgotten comedian, who can be enjoyed in this very rare work.

After winning a beauty contest in her teens, Clara Bow (1905-1965) who grew up poor entered the movie world. In 1927 she gained a big hit playing a department store girl with healthy sex appeal in the comedy "It", based on the novel by female British writer Elinor Glyn. This came to be known as the "It Girl" image of women in the 20s. Elinor Glyn herself went to Hollywood to find a suitable woman for "It" and chose Clara Bow and is said to have taught her the elegant behavior that made this pioneering role into the "It Girl".
In this film, Bow plays Prudence Severn, the daughter of a wealthy family. Her reckless behavior causes real headaches for her father. He tries hiring a detective to protect her, but it is no use. Then Donald Keith is hired to watch over her, but...

Aiming to acquire a new audience for 35mm slide film in the 1950s, the Puppet Theatre PUK worked with Mitsukage Slides to plan a series of 6 "World Masterpiece Stories" films. The first of these, "Korea - Chunhyangjeon" showed the respect for this folk tale from Japan's neighbor. Only Episode 2, Japan's "Nobara" and Episode 4, Italy's "Pinnochio" were actually produced. "Chunhyangjeon" appeals strongly to both the West and the East as a story of love between a young man and young woman that overcome many hardships, including their differencese in status. 41 slides were drawn by Yasushi Kawajiri, representing PUK, and only a few films have been found in Japan, each with different coloring. The Torokko Puppetry Library has digitized a film that was in good condition and together with the piano performed by Haruka Amamiya and narration by Kumiko Omori this film has been reproduced and distributed by the Toy Movie Museum in its original slide state.

"The Eccentric", an animated series from the Tresured Toy Film Box, will be shown from the Toy Movie Museum collection.
5 pieces have been selected, "Sunakemuri Takadanobaba", "Sho-chan no Dobutsu Jigoku", "Yukaina Renchu", "Otogi no Ojisan" and "Kasei Hiko". These animated films have a surreal and fantastic feel with the collaboration of light story telling and piano.

"The Folklore", an animated series from the Toy Film Tresured Box, will be shown from the Toy Movie Museum collection.
5 pieces have been selected, "Urashima Taro", "Issunboshi", "Manga Kobutori", "Umi no Momotaro" and "Momotaro Onigashima Taiji".
You can enjoy these old-fashioned cartoons, with a collaboration of light storing telling and piano.

Paul Parrott was the younger brother of American comedy actor Charley Chase, and was often mistaken for him. Later, he directed under the name James Parrott. He directed many masterpieces, including "The Music Box" by Laurel and Hardy, known in Japan as the "Gokuraku Combi (ultimate combo)".
With the skyscraper fad in the 1920s, like Harold Lloyd's "Safety Last", this film, "Take the Air" showed hilarious and dangerous gags and sketches on skyscrapers.

Harold Lloyd is one of the three kings of comedy, standing alongside Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Many of his films feature the familiar boater hats and celluloid round eyeglasses (Lloyd's glasses).
The story involves Harold being late for an amateur drama performance, making Mildred furious. Prompted by a phone call, Harold rushes to the theater, but faces difficulties from the moment that his car leaves the garage. First he reverses and destroys the garden next door, then he has engine trouble and is chased by the police, before finally arriving at the theater when the play is already over.
During the encore, he hurries to change into the costume of a masked swordsman and stands on the stage...
This film by director Hal Roach is often found in Pathe-Baby versions re-edited for home use, along with many other Lloyd films.

A silent comedy by Harold Lloyd, one of the three great kings of comedy. It can be said to be a prototype with the same set up as "For Heaven's Sake" (1926), which would be made 7 years later.
The story is about a penniless man Harold, and a hungry girl, and a puppy that is picking up a wad of bills. Believing that he will finally be able to eat some delicious bread, the money turns out to be counterfeit, and Mildred saves him from being charged by the police. Harold falls in love at first site with Mildred.
At the same time, unscrupulous lawyers aim to get the girl's inheritance and use rogues from the city to kidnap Mildred. Harold gets caught up in this strategy, but will he be able to rescue the kidnapped Mildred?
Includes a piano performance by Haruka Amamiya.

One of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, "Othello" depicts human weakness and stupidity with racism at it's root, showing how easy it is to fall into suspicion and jealousy when looking at life with the prejudice of "looking through colored glasses".
The story is of General Othello of the Moors who loves his wife Desdemona, but is caused by adjutant Iago to gradually become suspicious that his wife is having an affair, making him envious.
This film was re-edited on special standard 9.5mm film, and is believed to be the oldest film version of Othello. It has been digitized and is being released for the first time.

A pre-war sports movie by director Tomu Uchida. This year marks 50 years from his death. Director Uchida took on epics such as "Miyamoto Musashi" and "Kiga Kaikyo" after the war, but before the war directed light comedy silent films.
This story is set at the Waseda-Keio regatta. This was shot at the banks of the Sumida River, where the regatta is still held today. The main stroke role of Mochizuki was played by young star Tsunemi Hirose. Mochizuki, who enrolled in A University that lost the previous year gains the trust of the President's niece Mitsuko (Shizue Natsukawa) but a spy from the other side uses this relationship to create a scandal. The regatta approaches, with Mochizuki not able to participate... The supporters and atmosphere of student sports at the time are well presented.

This is one of the best movies by Buster Keaton, “the king of silent comedy.” If you have never seen any classic films, this is the one you should see first. Free-wheeling creativity, outstanding gags, amazing acrobatic moves, and pure love drama are all woven into this movie. This is a cultural legacy in the movie industry. The director and star, Keaton was known as a comedian with extraordinary physical strength, but it is less known that he had a thorough knowledge of camera techniques, film processing, and camera mechanics. He made the most of his technical knowledge to create this masterpiece. The “nightmare” scene is the highlight that amuses even current CG creators. Eri Kozaki, a talented pianist, who studied in Paris will play the piano. Toshiya Arano, the representative of Kigeki Eiga Kenkyukai and Vintage Co.Ltd., will talk about the filming technique. Kick back, relax, and enjoy the movie.

In 1926, with the popularity of Tsumasaburo Bando, Ryosuke Tachibana, owner of Bando Tsumasaburo Productions announced a grand plan to distribute worldwide and formed a joint venture under contract with Production house Universal Films in the US. However, Tsumasaburo Bando had an exclusive contract with Shochiku Cinema, so movies that he starred in couldn't be exported. For a modern drama, there was no draw for a film without a star, and this led to the withdrawal of Universal and the cancelation of the contract, leaving 35 works and the failure of the dream to distribute Tsumasaburo Bando films worldwide in just 6 months.
Starring Naminosuke Horikawa and Haruko Izumi, the comedy "Tosei Shin Shotai" is the only work remaining from this partnership and will be screened for the first tim at this year's festival.

This film, starring comedian Larry Semon, was believed to be lost until a fragment of it was discovered this February in Tokyo and was distributed around the world. After hearing this in the news, it turned out that a 16mm version of the film was also found in the possession of the Toy Movie Museum, and this will be screened for the first time at the film festival this year.
The original title in 1926 was "Stop, Look and Listen", but it was titled "Dorubako Semon" for its Japan release in 1927, although the title on the box when donated to the Museum was "Moshin Larry", so this is the title under which it will be screened here.
Larry was at his peak in 1920, but used production costs for short films like hot water, including this work, and there were contract violations with shooting that was supposed to take a few days experiencing long delays, and he was finally sued by Vitagraph. Financial difficulties always followed Larry.
The story involves a robber entering the bank where Larry works, before he is then mistaken for the criminal and is chased by citizens. The robber running away, Larry being chased, and the police and citizens chasing after them...The action continues with cars, motocycles and trains, a railway bridge is destroyed, and there are a series of ups and downs and close calls.
A feature of the film will be the appearance by Oliver Hardy of Laurel and Hardy as the robber.

"Kyoto News" was produced by the Kyoto City Public Relations Bureau from 1956 to 1994 and was shown in movie theaters in the city, and includes videos on topics such as citizen life, urban development and associated changing landscapes, festivals, welfare, international exchange and cultural activities, etc.
More than 60 years after production, this film is not only a history of Kyoto city administration, but is also now a valuable piece of cultural property.
Take the opportuniy during this year's online event to watch these newsreels of the "Kyoto Citizen's Film Festival", the roots of the current Kyoto International Film Festival, and one of Japan's three big festivals, the "Gion Matsuri".