Sadao Yamanaka (山中 貞雄, Yamanaka Sadao, November 7, 1909 – September 17, 1938) was a Japanesefilm director and screenwriter who directed 26 films between 1932 and 1938.[1] He was a contemporary of Yasujirō Ozu, Mikio Naruse and Kenji Mizoguchi and one of the primary figures in the development of the jidaigeki, or historical film. Yamanaka died of dysentery in Manchuria after being drafted into the Imperial Japanese Army. He is the uncle of the Japanese film director Tai Kato, who wrote a book about Yamanaka, Eiga kantoku Yamanaka Sadao.
Only three of his films survive in nearly complete form. While long considered a master filmmaker in his native Japan, interest in Yamanaka's work redeveloped after the restoration and Japanese DVD release of the three surviving films. His most internationally discussed film, Humanity and Paper Balloons (1937), was given its first non-Japanese DVD release in the UK as a Masters of Cinema release.
Yamanaka began his career in the Japanese film industry at the age of 20 as a writer and assistant director for the Makino company.[2]
In 1932, he began working for Kanjuro Productions, a small, independent film company similar to many others founded during the same period as it was centered around a popular jidaigeki film star, this time Kanjuro Arashi. Here, he began directing his first films, all of which were jidaigeki. During his first year at Kanjuro, he made six films. He was "discovered" by the critic Matsuo Kishi[3] and gained a reputation for creating films that escaped clichés and focused on social injustices.[2] He formed the Narutaki-gumi with his friends, and they wrote under the pseudonym Kimpachi Kajiwara.[4]
During the 1930s he moved between several film companies, eventually settling in Kyoto and working for the Nikkatsu Company. Most of his films were silent films as sound did not gain a prominence in Japan until 1935-36. He worked twice with the Japanese theatre troupe Zenshin-za: first on The Village Tattooed Man (Machi no Irezumi-mono, 1935) and on his final film, Humanity and Paper Balloons.[2]
Humanity and Paper Balloons premiered the same day that Yamanaka was drafted into the Japanese army. He later died in a field hospital in the Japanese ruled Manchukuo, known today as Manchuria. The cause of death was inflammation of the intestines.[2]
Style and influences
Early on, Yamanaka had stated an interest in blurring the lines between several genres: comedy, historical epics, and comedy-dramas focusing on average people. Viewers and critics (notably, Donald Richie and Tadao Sato in pioneering studies of Japanese cinema) note in his surviving films the genesis of ideas later explored by the internationally successful Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujirō Ozu and Seijun Suzuki.[5][6]
Yamanaka has been characterized as a minimalist, one whose style favoured elegance and rhythm. In fact, he was a close friend of Ozu, who is often noted as a minimalist too.[2]
Director Kazuo Kuroki once said of Yamanaka, "Every film he made wonderfully depicted human purity and chastity with a tender, delicate gaze. I was astonished that a young man in his twenties accomplished such perfection."[8]
Partial filmography (surviving films)
The Million Ryo Pot (1935) - also known as Tange Sazen Yowa: Hyakuman Ryo no Tsubo (丹下左膳余話 百万両の壺)
^Fujiwara, Chris (11 September 2009). "Fleeting Glimpses by Chris Fujiwara - Moving Image Source". Moving Image Source.
^Trondsen, Trond (November 2005). . The News Fountain. Masters of Cinema. Archived from the original on 11 April 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2007.
Richie, Donald (2001). A Hundred Years of Japanese Film: A Concise History, with a Selective Guide to Videos and DVDs. New York: Kodansha America. ISBN4-7700-2995-0.
Sato, Tadao (1982). Currents in Japanese Cinema: Essays. New York: Kodansha America. ISBN0-87011-815-3.
sadao, yamanaka, 山中, 貞雄, yamanaka, sadao, november, 1909, september, 1938, japanese, film, director, screenwriter, directed, films, between, 1932, 1938, contemporary, yasujirō, mikio, naruse, kenji, mizoguchi, primary, figures, development, jidaigeki, historic. Sadao Yamanaka 山中 貞雄 Yamanaka Sadao November 7 1909 September 17 1938 was a Japanese film director and screenwriter who directed 26 films between 1932 and 1938 1 He was a contemporary of Yasujirō Ozu Mikio Naruse and Kenji Mizoguchi and one of the primary figures in the development of the jidaigeki or historical film Yamanaka died of dysentery in Manchuria after being drafted into the Imperial Japanese Army He is the uncle of the Japanese film director Tai Kato who wrote a book about Yamanaka Eiga kantoku Yamanaka Sadao Sadao YamanakaBorn 1909 11 07 November 7 1909Kyoto City Kyoto JapanDiedSeptember 17 1938 1938 09 17 aged 28 Manchuria ChinaOther namesKimpachi KajiwaraOccupation s Film director screenwriterYears active1932 1938OrganizationNarutaki gumiOnly three of his films survive in nearly complete form While long considered a master filmmaker in his native Japan interest in Yamanaka s work redeveloped after the restoration and Japanese DVD release of the three surviving films His most internationally discussed film Humanity and Paper Balloons 1937 was given its first non Japanese DVD release in the UK as a Masters of Cinema release Contents 1 Career 2 Style and influences 3 Partial filmography surviving films 4 References 5 External linksCareer EditYamanaka began his career in the Japanese film industry at the age of 20 as a writer and assistant director for the Makino company 2 In 1932 he began working for Kanjuro Productions a small independent film company similar to many others founded during the same period as it was centered around a popular jidaigeki film star this time Kanjuro Arashi Here he began directing his first films all of which were jidaigeki During his first year at Kanjuro he made six films He was discovered by the critic Matsuo Kishi 3 and gained a reputation for creating films that escaped cliches and focused on social injustices 2 He formed the Narutaki gumi with his friends and they wrote under the pseudonym Kimpachi Kajiwara 4 During the 1930s he moved between several film companies eventually settling in Kyoto and working for the Nikkatsu Company Most of his films were silent films as sound did not gain a prominence in Japan until 1935 36 He worked twice with the Japanese theatre troupe Zenshin za first on The Village Tattooed Man Machi no Irezumi mono 1935 and on his final film Humanity and Paper Balloons 2 Humanity and Paper Balloons premiered the same day that Yamanaka was drafted into the Japanese army He later died in a field hospital in the Japanese ruled Manchukuo known today as Manchuria The cause of death was inflammation of the intestines 2 Style and influences EditEarly on Yamanaka had stated an interest in blurring the lines between several genres comedy historical epics and comedy dramas focusing on average people Viewers and critics notably Donald Richie and Tadao Sato in pioneering studies of Japanese cinema note in his surviving films the genesis of ideas later explored by the internationally successful Akira Kurosawa Kenji Mizoguchi Yasujirō Ozu and Seijun Suzuki 5 6 Yamanaka has been characterized as a minimalist one whose style favoured elegance and rhythm In fact he was a close friend of Ozu who is often noted as a minimalist too 2 Yamanaka is said to have been inspired by Hollywood films such as Rouben Mamoulian s City Streets Edmund Goulding s Grand Hotel and Frank Capra s It Happened One Night 7 Director Kazuo Kuroki once said of Yamanaka Every film he made wonderfully depicted human purity and chastity with a tender delicate gaze I was astonished that a young man in his twenties accomplished such perfection 8 Partial filmography surviving films EditThe Million Ryo Pot 1935 also known as Tange Sazen Yowa Hyakuman Ryo no Tsubo 丹下左膳余話 百万両の壺 Kōchiyama Sōshun 1936 河内山宗俊 Humanity and Paper Balloons 1937 also known as Ninjo Kamifusen 人情紙風船 References EditThis article cites its sources but does not provide page references You can help to improve it by introducing citations that are more precise and providing page numbers for existing citations September 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Sharp Jasper 21 September 2005 Midnight Eye review Humanity and Paper Balloons Ninjo Kami fusen 1937 Sadao YAMANAKA Midnight Eye a b c d e Rayns Tony July 2005 Humanity and Paper Balloons Masters of Cinema Archived from the original on 26 March 2007 Retrieved 9 March 2007 Ōsawa Jō Kishi Matsuo to 1930 nendai eiga hihyō no airo in Japanese CineMagaziNet Retrieved 25 February 2010 Richie 2001 p 71 Richie 2001 Sato 1982 Fujiwara Chris 11 September 2009 Fleeting Glimpses by Chris Fujiwara Moving Image Source Moving Image Source Trondsen Trond November 2005 Kazuo Kuroki Sadao Yamanaka The News Fountain Masters of Cinema Archived from the original on 11 April 2007 Retrieved 9 March 2007 Richie Donald 2001 A Hundred Years of Japanese Film A Concise History with a Selective Guide to Videos and DVDs New York Kodansha America ISBN 4 7700 2995 0 Sato Tadao 1982 Currents in Japanese Cinema Essays New York Kodansha America ISBN 0 87011 815 3 External links EditSadao Yamanaka at IMDb Sadao Yamanaka at the Japanese Movie Database in Japanese Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sadao Yamanaka amp oldid 1149190074, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
