Multi medias are taken from the following sites.
Back Alley Noir: Femme Fatal of noir
http://filmnoir.suddenlaunch3.com/index.cgi?board=video&action=display&num=1162536134&start=60
Cities at Night: The views from space
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/CitiesAtNight/
Enjoy Tokyo Website
http://www.enjoytokyo.jp/id/s2/29046.html
Hatena Fotolife
http://f.hatena.ne.jp/takerunba/20080728025119
Joshua Redman - Jazz Crimes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ICJUFOJa2g&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Ftokyoasnoir%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded
Night Job Wesite
http://night-job.jp/index.php?age=09store_list/09_000000&type_sex_set=no&mst_occupation_cd%5B%5D=1
TBS Documentary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xWO19vOVjY
2009年4月25日土曜日
At last...
When the semester first began, I had no idea what noir was. Although I looked up on the interest and searched for the meaning of "noir", there were no result. That is because in Japanese we say "noa-ru", instead of noir.
As I understood about noir little by little, the movies we saw in class started to make sence. It is not only the stories that become clear, but the historical, political, and social background, the role of women, change in the meaning of god after WWII, and all these kinds were connected to each other.
The project helped me understand the role of the city in noir. I knew what it mean, but as this blog gets complete, I found that Tokyo has a perfect set for the noir. It has a different history and social patterns from the United States where American noir was made. But the night life in complicated structure of Tokyo sets the noir features of the crimes and femme fatal.
I really enjoyed the course and the movies much more than I thought at first. It gave me hwo to enjoy the movies by exploring how the history influenced society in U.S.A., and gave me oppotunities to look at new style of movies.
As I understood about noir little by little, the movies we saw in class started to make sence. It is not only the stories that become clear, but the historical, political, and social background, the role of women, change in the meaning of god after WWII, and all these kinds were connected to each other.
The project helped me understand the role of the city in noir. I knew what it mean, but as this blog gets complete, I found that Tokyo has a perfect set for the noir. It has a different history and social patterns from the United States where American noir was made. But the night life in complicated structure of Tokyo sets the noir features of the crimes and femme fatal.
I really enjoyed the course and the movies much more than I thought at first. It gave me hwo to enjoy the movies by exploring how the history influenced society in U.S.A., and gave me oppotunities to look at new style of movies.
2009年4月23日木曜日
Japanese Noir
There are Japanese noir stories although they do not have much historical and social influence like American Noir does. As a matter of fact, stories that deals with blackness can be found alot.
One of the good example is Fuyajo, or Sleepess Town in English. It was a novel originally written by Hase Seishu, and later the movie was created. The story takes a place in sleepless Kabuki-cho where many Chinese mafias and Yakuza exist.
The main character, Kennichi, heared that his friend named Tomiharu, who killed one of the gang boss and had been away from the town, has come back to Kabuki-cho. The mafia also heard the Tomiharu is back, and tells Kennichi to bring Tomiharu to the mafia. Kennichi does not know where Tomiharu is, but there comes a lady who says who wants to sell Tomiharu. This lady is actually Tomiharu's best friend. As the story goes, Kennichi and the lady fall in love...
It is a little hard to explain the complicated story, but it has the noir features, male/female relationship, crimes and violence in the city.
One of the good example is Fuyajo, or Sleepess Town in English. It was a novel originally written by Hase Seishu, and later the movie was created. The story takes a place in sleepless Kabuki-cho where many Chinese mafias and Yakuza exist.
The main character, Kennichi, heared that his friend named Tomiharu, who killed one of the gang boss and had been away from the town, has come back to Kabuki-cho. The mafia also heard the Tomiharu is back, and tells Kennichi to bring Tomiharu to the mafia. Kennichi does not know where Tomiharu is, but there comes a lady who says who wants to sell Tomiharu. This lady is actually Tomiharu's best friend. As the story goes, Kennichi and the lady fall in love...
It is a little hard to explain the complicated story, but it has the noir features, male/female relationship, crimes and violence in the city.
2009年4月22日水曜日
Landscape and Structure of Tokyo
Thoughout the semester we watched many noir films, and a lot of them took places in the city. For example, Maltese Falcon takes in San Fransisco, and Double Indemnity is in Los Angeles. The city is an important key for the noir films, and there is a connection between the city and noir, and a reason for it.
Land scapes and structure of the cities are very complicated. Comparing to rural side, it is very hard to see the neiborhood because there are tall buildings that block your view. And the complicated structures of the cities make the story more interesting. For example, when one is trying to escape from someone, it is more thrilling to see someone running in a hide and seek-like environment. This environment is the city where a lot of buildings, streets, and people exist.
The city is also narrow and small environment, which gives the tightness in the movie. Usually the rooms in rural area are bigger than the ones in the city. So the small rooms in city can represent the limit, hardness, and tightness of the character.
Speaking of these characteristics of the city, Tokyo is one of the most complicated city with high density of people. There are many narrow streets that run through the city. Once you get into these tight streets, it is hard to get out, which gives the mystery and confusion in the film.
The city is like the complicated human body. You have big organs like the heart, lungs and liver... blood vessel connect each other, and there are small capillary vessel. You need both of them, otherwise the body cannnot function right. The city has big towns in different locations. Big street connect each other, but there are the narrow street here in Tokyo that connects the big streets. And in film noir, the the system and structure of the city is necessary.
2009年4月20日月曜日
Kabuki-cho -- Kyabakura Girls or Femme Fatal
In many movies, women play important roles. This is true for the noir movies as well, and often the women called femme fatal. They are supposed to be very beautiful and sexy like the goddess, but inside is very greedy and money hungry. With the attractive apperences, they get close to men to satisfy their money and sexual desire. However, men think that they are destined to meet one of these women at certain point in life, and they dedicate themselves to women. This misunderstanding changes men's life dangerous, happy, and hopless.
In real life, there are women who are like this. In a place called Kabuki-cho, Shinjku, many cabaret clubs, usually called "kyabakura", exist. At kyabakura, young, beautiful and pretty girls sit right next to men and serve drinks. At the same time, men are responsible for buying the drink for them, as well.
The men who spent too much time on kyabakura usually go into bankruptcy because the price of the food and drinks are very expensive. These men also buy expensive bags, watches, and jewelries for the girls and bring them to the kyabakura in order to make the girls like the men.
It is not like film noir where the man and women meet by "destiny". It is the men who go there to meet the kyabakura girls, but these kyabakura girls are expecting men to spend money for them. Just like femme fatal in the noir films, these women are only thinking to satisfy their greedy desire.
Roppongi -- Liquer and Music
When talking about the night life, no one can forget liqures. In the noir films, there were many scenes where the characters had alcohole. In Pick-up on South Street, McCoy always had beer in the box that he had in the river in New York. In real life, nothing but beer makes a man's life much happier, and his time something precious.
Although the beer is not cooled in the river like McCoy did, there is a place known for drinking in Tokyo. Roppongi is the center of the night life, and the streets are crowded with people from here and overseas.
There is a historical reason why Roppongi became the way it is. The Japanese army's facilities in this area were taken by the American army. As more Americans were in the town, the stores started to focus their business more on those Americans who have money. The shops sold liquirs and they become bars where the Americans stayed. Starting since then, the place has been an entertainment place.
Alcohole is the only legal drug in the society. You cannot separete alcohole and night life. It gives people to enjoy their times with others. It also may cause troubles and crimes. Either way, alcohol is the easiest tool for people to experience something unreal, or become free from their normal lives. Alcohole can affect and change one's life.
Music is a great tool to enjoy night. In Roppongi, there are many clubs where the DJs spin the discs for young generations. At the same time, music like jazz and blues are very classic, and they match more with the night life and the noir themes. The sound of fast drum and trumpet are the reflection of neon lights and people's heart in the form of sound.
Although the beer is not cooled in the river like McCoy did, there is a place known for drinking in Tokyo. Roppongi is the center of the night life, and the streets are crowded with people from here and overseas.
There is a historical reason why Roppongi became the way it is. The Japanese army's facilities in this area were taken by the American army. As more Americans were in the town, the stores started to focus their business more on those Americans who have money. The shops sold liquirs and they become bars where the Americans stayed. Starting since then, the place has been an entertainment place.
Music is a great tool to enjoy night. In Roppongi, there are many clubs where the DJs spin the discs for young generations. At the same time, music like jazz and blues are very classic, and they match more with the night life and the noir themes. The sound of fast drum and trumpet are the reflection of neon lights and people's heart in the form of sound.
2009年4月19日日曜日
Noir and Tokyo
American Noir films are a reflection of the real life events. Problems in the society are converted into the movies. Sometimes they were the science of the post WWII that scared the citizens of United States. And sometimes they were the male and female relationships. It is the women who looked for money and sex. Men, on the other hand, fell in love with those women, and their lives fell into the bottom.
In many cases, whether the movie is about science, relationships, or crimes, no color film was made because of the low budget, and to express the coldness, emptiness and separatenes. Many movies used shadows and contrast of black and white. And usually the scenes had alot of night shots.
Here in Japan, there are places that are noir like at night. Places that deal with violence, male/female relationships, and money like the noir films. Yet there are people always steping to this kind of city and looking for something that satisfies their desire.
In many cases, whether the movie is about science, relationships, or crimes, no color film was made because of the low budget, and to express the coldness, emptiness and separatenes. Many movies used shadows and contrast of black and white. And usually the scenes had alot of night shots.
Here in Japan, there are places that are noir like at night. Places that deal with violence, male/female relationships, and money like the noir films. Yet there are people always steping to this kind of city and looking for something that satisfies their desire.
2009年4月18日土曜日
Light into Dark...
Grown up to big cities like N.Y. and London, Tokyo welcomes everyone. In the morning and daytime, thuosands of people come to Tokyo. Students, business people, wonderers, travelers... they may come for different reasons, this they sure enjoy time here.
Shopping stores offer great clothing, and restarants make delicious lunch. While the sun is up, the city is filled with livelyness and happiness of the people.
The night gives a different face to the city. Instead of the sun light, the neon lights, car lights, and lights in the shops make shadows on the street. It is probably the best time to experience real Tokyo. And this is when the city starts to really function.
As many business people get off work and students are out of school, the flow of people increases in the evening. They go to towns like Shibuya, Roppongi and Kabuki-cho to look for their "somethiung". It might be liquer, women, money, or violence. And these things help people to be free and break one's shell in this concreate jungle.
While the daytime Tokyo has clean images, things become different at night. That is all because... Tokyo is a city that never sleeps...
Shopping stores offer great clothing, and restarants make delicious lunch. While the sun is up, the city is filled with livelyness and happiness of the people.
The night gives a different face to the city. Instead of the sun light, the neon lights, car lights, and lights in the shops make shadows on the street. It is probably the best time to experience real Tokyo. And this is when the city starts to really function.
As many business people get off work and students are out of school, the flow of people increases in the evening. They go to towns like Shibuya, Roppongi and Kabuki-cho to look for their "somethiung". It might be liquer, women, money, or violence. And these things help people to be free and break one's shell in this concreate jungle.
While the daytime Tokyo has clean images, things become different at night. That is all because... Tokyo is a city that never sleeps...
Tokyo?
Located in the south east of the mainland Japan, Tokyo is the capital of Japan. As one of the biggest cities in the world, all kinds of trends are founds here. Music, entertainment, fashion, food, bars, and you name it. This is the city where many cultures meet, get mixed, and where people create Tokyo's original flavor.
But how did Tokyo become such an interesting city? Japan is just a small island country floating at the eastern end of Pacific Ocean. It could have been some other countries in Asia that have more land and citizens so they can influence and stimulate their own countries as well as the rest of the world.
Well, the answer can be found easily if you look at the history of this "Yamato country". Back in Meiji period, the government invited many foreigners to Japan in the name of "Great Borrowing" for modernization. These people taught what they speciallized in such as technologies and science, but they also brought their cultures as well. Things like western bread and liqur started to appear. This is how the country started to change both at national level and cultural level.
And you cannot forget the influence of WWII. After Japanese unconditional surrender, Japan experienced a tremendous growth of rebuilding the country under the control of American GHQ. And even after U.S. occupation, Japan is still influenced by a lot of American Culture, so it is not exaggeration to say that U.S.A. has been the one who influenced Japan the most.
With these facts, Tokyo was developed to be the way it is now. Having both western and eastern charactaristics, Tokyo has been creating its unique and interesting face of the city.
But how did Tokyo become such an interesting city? Japan is just a small island country floating at the eastern end of Pacific Ocean. It could have been some other countries in Asia that have more land and citizens so they can influence and stimulate their own countries as well as the rest of the world.
Well, the answer can be found easily if you look at the history of this "Yamato country". Back in Meiji period, the government invited many foreigners to Japan in the name of "Great Borrowing" for modernization. These people taught what they speciallized in such as technologies and science, but they also brought their cultures as well. Things like western bread and liqur started to appear. This is how the country started to change both at national level and cultural level.
And you cannot forget the influence of WWII. After Japanese unconditional surrender, Japan experienced a tremendous growth of rebuilding the country under the control of American GHQ. And even after U.S. occupation, Japan is still influenced by a lot of American Culture, so it is not exaggeration to say that U.S.A. has been the one who influenced Japan the most.
With these facts, Tokyo was developed to be the way it is now. Having both western and eastern charactaristics, Tokyo has been creating its unique and interesting face of the city.
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