PRESERVATION OF NARROW GAUGE FILMS IN JAPAN: A CASE STUDY OF 8MM FILMS |
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At the time, Japan was strengthening its colors of militarism year by year and in 1939 the country established a Motion Picture Law. The Law made it mandatory for commercial films shown at movie theaters to include Japanese culture in their content. This was a policy for producing military propaganda but the fact that it also created an important commercial opportunity for 16mm filmmakers including documentary filmmakers can not be understated. However by the closing years of the war, film in itself became such a rare commodity that decent films could not be made. It is also important to note that since narrow gauge film production was mostly a hobby to the wealthy class in the city, most of the privately produced films in 8mm, 9.5 mm and 16mm were destroyed by the air raids. After the war in 1945, one of Japan’s policies towards democratization under the supervision of the GHQ (General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) governing Japan during its occupation), was in the establishment of audio-visual libraries throughout the country. These libraries were established to supply 16mm motion pictures for academic and social education, and this led to the creation of many 16mm motion picture production companies. Thereafter, 16mm films would shape a very unique film history of being used not only to make privately produced films but industrial and educational films as well. Most social education films are stored by their production companies and because many of them are small many problems arise in the preservation of these films. However this paper shall concentrate only on private filmmaking centered around 8mm films and thus social education films shall not be addressed. After the Second World War, 8mm enthusiasts would also resume private filmmaking. However in Japan, a country whose loss from the war was considerable, filmmaking still remained in the domain of the wealthy as an interest and/or hobby. With the growth of 8mm equipment, 9.5mm film would see a decline. However, it would take the introduction of two new 8mm formats (the Super 8 by Kodak and the Single 8 by Fuji Film) in 1965 before 8mm motion pictures became a phenomenon, involving the general public. NEXT PAGE→ |
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