What are “Talking Silents?”

In Japan, silent films were not truly “silent.” During screenings of silent films, the three elements of live performances from bands, narrations from “katsubenshi” performers, and the film itself on screen, would all combine together to create an even greater artistic experience, that could also be called performance art. Digital Meme has revived this Japan-only concept through DVDs, as the Talking Silents.

Talking Silents 1 Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi

Taki no Shiraito (The Water Magician) (1933, Irie Productions, 98 mins.)
Starring: Takako Irie, Tokihiko Okada, Ichiro Sugai

Tokyo Koshinkyoku (Tokyo March) (1929, Nikkatsu Uzumasa, 28 mins.)
Starring: Shizue Natsukawa, Reiji Ichiki, Isamu Kosugi

Talking Silents 2 Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi

Orizuru Osen (The Downfall of Osen) (1935, Dai Ichi Eiga, 90 mins.)
Starring: Isuzu Yamada, Daijiro Natsukawa, Ichiro Yoshizawa

Tojin Okichi (1930, Nikkatsu Uzumasa, 4 mins.)
Starring: Yoko Umemura

Talking Silents 3 Featuring Tsumasaburo Bando

Orochi (Serpent) (1925, Bantsuma Production, 74 mins.)
Directed by Buntaro Futagawa
Starring: Tsumasaburo Bando, Misao Seki, Utako Tamaki

Gyakuryu (Backward Flow) (1924, Toa Tojiin Studio, 28 mins.)
Directed by Buntaro Futagawa
Starring: Tsumasaburo Bando, Benisaburo Kataoka, Teruko Makino

Talking Silents 4 Featuring Tsumasaburo Bando

Koina no Ginpei, Yuki no Wataridori (Koina no Ginpei, Migratory Snowbird) (1931, Bantsuma Production, 60 mins.)
Directed by Tomikazu Miyata
Starring: Tsumasaburo Bando, Kikuya Okada, Reiko Mochizuki

Kosuzume Toge (Kosuzume Pass) (1923, Makino Tojiin, 39 mins.)
Directed by Koroku Numata
Starring: Hataya Ichikawa, Shinpei Takagi, Tsumasaburo Bando

Talking Silents 5 Featuring Kanjuro Arashi

Kurama Tengu First and Second Acts (1928, Arashi Kan Productions, 71 mins.)
Directed by Teppei Yamaguchi
Starring: Kanjuro Arashi, Takesaburo Nakamura, Reizaburo Yamamoto, Kunie Gomi, Yoshikazu Arashi

The Frightful Era of Kurama Tengu (1928, Arashi Kan Productions, 38 mins.)
Directed by Teppei Yamaguchi
Starring: Kanjuro Arashi, Reizaburo Yamamoto, Kunie Gomi, Keiichiro Arashi

Talking Silents 6 Featuring Utaemon Ichikawa

Nishikie Edosugata Hatamoto to Machiyakko (A Color Print of Edo) (1939, Shinko Kinema, 65 mins.)
Directed by Kazuo Mori
Starring: Utaemon Ichikawa, Yaeko Kumoi, Shinpachiro Asaka, Wakako Kunitomo

Dokuro (Skull) (1927, Ichikawa Utaemon Productions, 32 mins.)
Directed by Sentaro Shirai
Starring: Utaemon Ichikawa, Kuninori Kodo, Ritsuko Niizuma

Talking Silents 7 Featuring Denjiro Okochi

Oatsurae Jirokichi Koshi (Jirokichi the Rat) (1931, Nikkatsu)
Directed by Daisuke Ito
Starring: Denjiro Okochi, Naoe Fushimi, Nobuko Fushimi, Minoru Takase

Yajikita Sonno no Maki (Yaji and Kita Yasuda’s Rescue) (1927, Nikkatsu)
Directed by Daisuke Ito
Starring: Goro Kawabe, Denjiro Okochi

Yajikita Toba Fushimi no Maki (The Battle of Toba Fushimi) (1928, Nikkatsu)
Directed by Tomiyasu Ikeda
Starring: Goro Kawabe, Denjiro Okochi

Talking Silents 8 Directed by Torajiro Saito

Kodakara Sodo (Kid Commotion) (1935, Shochiku Kamata)
Starring: Shigeru Ogura, Yaeko Izumo

Akeyuku Sora (The Dawning Sky) (1929, Shochiku Kamata)
Starring: Mitsuko Takao, Yoshiko Kawada

Talking Silents 9 Directed by Masahiro Makino

Ronin-gai (Samurai Town, Story 1 and 2)
(Story 1 1928, Makino Productions)
Starring: Komei Minami, Juro Tanizaki, Toichiro Negishi

(Story 2 1929, Makino Productions)
Starring: Komei Minami, Hiroshi Tsumura, Toichiro Negishi

Sozenji Baba (1928, Makino Productions)
Starring: Komei Minami, Shinpei Takagi, Toroku Makino

Talking Silents 10 Directed by Shozo Makino

Jitsuroku Chushingura (Chushingura: The Truth) (1928, Makino Productions)
Starring: Yoho Ii, Tsuzuya Moroguchi, Kobunji Ichikawa, Yotaro Katsumi

Raiden (1928, Makino Productions)
Starring: Toichiro Negishi, Shin Kaneko, Masahiro Makino

Japanese Anime Classic Collection

A collection of 55 anime productions from the 1920s and 30s, compiled into four DVDs. Many of the productions include a narration from katsubenshi, including Midori Sawato, and each narration comes with a choice of English, Chinese or Korean subtitles. The DVDs also include “Record Talkies” (anime that came to theaters together with a gramophone record to provide a simultaneous audio track with music, voices, and effects). These DVDs are a digital remastering with synchronized audio. These productions are valuable educational resources on the roots of Japanese animation.

Audio Language: Japanese
Subtitles: Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean
Region Code: Region Free
© Digital Meme. All rights reserved.
Project/Production: Digital Meme

Bantsuma: The Life of Tsumasaburo Bando

An outstanding documentary introducing the life and times of the great actor Tsumasaburo Bando, known as “Bantsuma.” This DVD showcases famous scenes from Bantsuma’s performances, and interviews with those who knew him, in English and Japanese. The DVD special features include the “Bantsuma Digital Album” (containing over 100 photos and posters preserved by Matsuda Film) and a booklet containing an essay from the currently active katsubenshi, Midori Sawato.

Audio Language: Japanese
Subtitles: Japanese, English
Region Code: Region Free NTSC
Production: Matsuda Film Productions, 1980
Produced by Shunsui Matsuda
Interview/Composition: Tadao Sato
Interviews: Daisuke Ito (director), Hiroshi Inagaki (director), Ryu Guze (stage fighting instructor), Takahiro Tamura (actor), Shizuko Mori (actress), Utako Tamaki (actress)
© Digital Meme. All rights reserved.
Project/Production: Digital Meme

Masterpieces of Japanese Silent Cinema (DVD-ROM)

(Windows 95/98 DVD-ROM Japanese, English)

A database that lets you search through around 12,000 Japanese silent films with your home computer. From among these films, a highlight reel of 45 scenes has been compiled from films that stand out from Japan’s silent cinema, and include a narration from katsubenshi. Additional contents include still photos, posters, programs from the original release period, fliers, interviews, reference materials and more. The extensive search functions allow you to experience the roots of Japanese cinema.

■Editor-in-chief: Tadao Sato (Matsuda Film Productions)

■Minimum System Requirements:

OS: Windows 95/98* recommended, 64MB memory and over recommended
CPU: Intel Pentium 200MHz and over recommended (or a computer with similar specifications)
Hard Disc: At least 300MB of free space
Monitor: 800x600 pixel resolution, over 65,000 bpp.
DVD-ROM Drive: Commercially available type
Other: DVD-ROM Drive**, soundboard, mouse
This product was developed with support from the Information-technology Promotion Agency of Japan (IPA), after being selected as a product that supports the development of a market environment for leading contents in 1998.

*The software may not work when using OS versions older than Windows 95/98.
**In order to use this product, a computer with a built-in DVD-ROM drive is required.

■Contents:

The Great Library of Activities: Highlight scenes from stand-out silent films (approx. two minutes each), complete with katsubenshi narrations.
There is a wealth of variety, including period pieces, action-adventure, and animation.
Production Data Library: A search function for various data such as silent films, directors, actors and actresses and production companies.
Silent Film Reference Material Library: Introducing the historic and cultural backgrounds behind the silent film era. Includes highly valuable materials such as programs from the original release period, fliers, photos, posters. Interviews are provided by katsubenshi, film critics, and those related to silent films. Interviewees include Yoshikata Akiyama (projectionist), Tadao Sato (film critic), Fumindo Matsuo (actor), Midori Sawato (katsubenshi) and Kozaburo Yoshimura (film director), among others.