Author: N.A.
Source: "The Evening Post", Saturday, March 25, 1922, p. 14
Text:
No moving picture holiday
or restriction in the building of theatres and the importation of American
pictures is contemplated in Japan. The latest official reports on the industry
show, that Japanese enthusiasm for the pictures is probably equal to our own
(says an American paper). Since 1914 films made in the United States have been
steadily growing in favour, and today American pictures and machinery readily
dominate the market.
Throughout Japan there are today about 3000 moving picture, theatres. Tokio alone has fifty regular theatres giving daily performances. These houses seat from 500 to 1800 each, and in the course of a year play to over 10,000,000 people. Osaka has over thirty movie theatres, and even very small towns have halls of some kind where occasional shows are given. More than half the theatres are owned or controlled by a movie trust.
The popular enthusiasm for the pictures is evidenced by the surprisingly high prices obtained for seats. -The better class of theatres charge from 25 to 75 cents, and in some cases as much as 7s 6d. This is very high, considering the purchasing power of money in Japan. It must be remembered that a large proportion of the workers receive wages of only 50 cents a day. In the cheaper theatres the lowest admission does not entitle the purchaser to a seat, but to standing room only. A considerable part of the audience is therefore constantly, on its feet. It is a question if even American audiences would be willing to stand for several hours rather than miss a picture.
The moving pictures have seriously affected the spoken drama, and their influence is lamented by many. In Tokio, for instance, there are fewer than twenty regular theatres, and all these play to less than half the audiences attracted by the moving pictures. The moving picture theatres are enabled to pay much higher salaries than in the speaking drama, and the best Japanese actors and actresses are constantly forsaking the regular theatres for the movies, as are the most skilful directors and managers.
The number of home-made pictures in Japan is constantly increasing. There are two studios in Tokio and Kyoto which regularly employ one hundred actors and fifty camera men. Practically all the cameras used are imported from America, France, and Germany. The projecting machines are for the most part made in Japan. The native workmen are hard at work producing machines which will equal the imported, but have not as yet succeeded. A duty of 50 per cent, has been placed on imported machinery.
Throughout Japan there are today about 3000 moving picture, theatres. Tokio alone has fifty regular theatres giving daily performances. These houses seat from 500 to 1800 each, and in the course of a year play to over 10,000,000 people. Osaka has over thirty movie theatres, and even very small towns have halls of some kind where occasional shows are given. More than half the theatres are owned or controlled by a movie trust.
The popular enthusiasm for the pictures is evidenced by the surprisingly high prices obtained for seats. -The better class of theatres charge from 25 to 75 cents, and in some cases as much as 7s 6d. This is very high, considering the purchasing power of money in Japan. It must be remembered that a large proportion of the workers receive wages of only 50 cents a day. In the cheaper theatres the lowest admission does not entitle the purchaser to a seat, but to standing room only. A considerable part of the audience is therefore constantly, on its feet. It is a question if even American audiences would be willing to stand for several hours rather than miss a picture.
The moving pictures have seriously affected the spoken drama, and their influence is lamented by many. In Tokio, for instance, there are fewer than twenty regular theatres, and all these play to less than half the audiences attracted by the moving pictures. The moving picture theatres are enabled to pay much higher salaries than in the speaking drama, and the best Japanese actors and actresses are constantly forsaking the regular theatres for the movies, as are the most skilful directors and managers.
The number of home-made pictures in Japan is constantly increasing. There are two studios in Tokio and Kyoto which regularly employ one hundred actors and fifty camera men. Practically all the cameras used are imported from America, France, and Germany. The projecting machines are for the most part made in Japan. The native workmen are hard at work producing machines which will equal the imported, but have not as yet succeeded. A duty of 50 per cent, has been placed on imported machinery.
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