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Prewar Proletarian Film Movements Collection

These are the periodicals of the two major organizations for prewar proletarian film, as well as some smaller organizations. Where covers and interior pages contain color, separate color scans are available for close analysis; click on "Cover" or "Graphic" to view. Press "Browse" for a list of all the pages, or "pdf" to download the entire issue.

Most issues contain 20 or 30 articles; our annotations note the most important or interesting of them.

Precursors to Prokino

Eiga No Eiga 1.1 (November 1927) [Cover | Browse | pdf]

Aji Shuichiro is the publisher of this journal; he is better known by his pen name, Kishi Matsuo. He became a major critic, but this is one of his first projects. Eiga no Eiga contains various writings with a leftist orientation.

Eiga No Eiga 2.1 (January 1928) [Cover | Browse | pdf | Back Cover ]

This is a special issue on Charlie Chaplin. In contrast to most popular criticism, it emphasizes the political and social aspects of Chaplin's cinema.

Eiga Kaiho 1.2 (February/March 1928) [Cover | Browse | pdf]

Eiga Kaiho(see cover photograph above) is a continuation of Eiga no Eiga, which folded after the two issues above. In the introductory article to the first issue, Kishi Matsuo issues a call to critics to approach film writing from an explicitly proletarian point of view. A number of the young writers would become major critics later in their careers, including Hazumi Tsuneo, Takeda Chuya, Ishimaki Yoshio.

Eiga Kojo 1.4 (December 1927) [Cover | Browse | pdf]

Eiga Kojo, or "Film Factory," is the name of a research group dedicated to the study of the scenario. The journal of the same name is their dojinshi, which published a wide variety of critical and how-to articles, as well as entire scenarios. They intended to treat everything from bourgeois entertainment films to politicized works. The main force behind Eiga Kojo was Uchida Kisao.

Eiga Kojo 2.1 (January 1928) [Browse | pdf]

Contains eight scenarios by writers with experimental inclinations. They imagine something like cine-poems that still engage social realities, rejecting the fantasy worlds of popular entertainment films.

Eiga Kojo 2.3 (March 1928) [Cover| Browse | pdf]

Contains six scenarios. As one can see with Kimura Tamotsu's scenario on pages 18 to 20, these writers were searching for new ways of writing screenplays, not simply imagining new forms of films. His play with print type suggests the influences of Dada, Futurism and other art movements.

Journal of the Proletarian Film Federation of Japan

The March 1928 issue of Eiga Kojo announces the dismantling of their group. On March 25, the writers of Eiga Kojo and Eiga Kaiho joined together to form the Proletarian Film Federation of Japan (Nihon Puroretaria Eiga Renmei). This new group began publishing its own organ, Puroretaria Eiga in June of 1928. One of the main issues they dealt with in the pages of their journal was the censorship system.

Puroretaria Eiga 1.1 (June 1928) [Cover | Browse | pdf]

This issue (right) prominently features a pronouncement that explains the self-criticism of their previous activities that led to the formation of the new Federation. Each of the issues also other film journalists under critique. In the inaugural issue, for example, they write about Eiga Jidai.

Puroretaria Eiga 1.2 (July 1928) [Cover | Browse | pdf]

In addition to a proposal to spread the censorship fight as far as the reception context, this issue features a special section on a conference about the state of film criticism in Japan. The topic was a critique of so-called nonpartisan film journals, particularly Eiga Orai (a theory journal published by Kinema Junpo) and Kyoto's Eiga Zuihitsu. The latter publication was an effort led by Shimizu Hikaru, and championed an avant-garde, pure cinema; it is not surprising that it would become a target here. Curiously enough, the representative of Eiga Orai appearing on the panel was Iwasaki Akira, who can hardly be described as non-partisan. However, this panel occurred on the cusp of major changes in the history of political cinema in Japan. Iwasaki was about to help form Prokino, taking up a position every bit as radical as the members of the Federation and forcing Eiga Orai to discard any trappings of non-partisanship; instead, it folded shortly after this.

Puroretaria Eiga 1.3 (August-September 1928) [Cover | Back Cover | Browse | pdf]

This issue features a call for a united front against the censorship system.

Journals of the Proletarian Film League of Japan

In April of 1928, a wide range of left wing artists organized under the banner of NAPF. Sasa Genju, Iwasaki Akira and Nakajima Shin represented a film unit within the organization's theater troupe. In October 1928, the Federation members decided to disband and join Sasa's film unit. And when NAPF reorganized in February 1928, the film people created their own, independent film league under NAPF's wing. This is the Proletarian Film League of Japan, or Prokino for short. Their first periodical was Shinko Eiga.

Shinko Eiga first appeared in September of the year of Prokino's establishment. It was published by Shinko Eigasha as the official organ of the League and distributed by Kyoseikaku, a Leninist publishing company that also put out translations of Gorky and a proletarian literature series. The primarily editors were Ima (Kon) Toko, Murayama Tomoyoshi and Iwasaki Akira. Other editorial members included Ueda Isamu, Nakajima Shin, Matsuzaki Keiju, Sasa Genju, Kishi Matsuo, and Kitagawa Tetsuo. They published 10 numbers under this name before changing the official organ to Puroretaria Eiga. In this inaugural issue, which reaches over 100 pages, the range of issues they addressed is impressive: foreign left-wing films, the documentary, war cinema, the situation in the studios and the theaters, a scenario by Murayama, and much more. It also includes a survey asking various figures their opinion concerning the proletarian film movement, including the famous censor Tachibana Takahiro.

Shinko Eiga 1.2 (October 1929) [Cover | Browse | pdf | Back Cover]

Recent Soviet film theory, special sections on the talkies and censorship, a scenario by Murayama Tomoyoshi entitled Sports.

Shinko Eiga 1.3 (November 1929) [Cover | Browse | pdf | Back Cover]

Stills from Eisenstein's October, which had just been banned. Reports from the studios about problems and strikes, scenarios by Ima (Kon) Toko and Murayama Tomoyoshi.

New emphasis on extended synopses of current films, illustrated with many stills. Roundtable on Mizoguchi's Metropolitan Symphony (Tokai kokyokaku, 1929).

Special section of reportage from the studios, allowing a glimpse at the everyday lives of film crews and actors. Recaps of events and tendencies in 1929. Unusual article on Korean film. Scenarios by Uchiyama Teizo, Takida Izuru, and Murayama Tomoyoshi.

Special section of reportage from the movie theaters, a continuation of the previous issue's focus on the production context. Article on Dziga Vertov, who was receiving little attention in Japan (in contrast to Eisenstein and Pudovkin). Articles on still photography, including one by Horino Masao. Scenarios by Takemoto Kenzo and Kita Yokichi.

Special section on proletarian film in Korea. One essay is penned by Lim Hwa, the famous poet and second chair of the Korea Artista Proleta Federatio (KAPF). A photo-synopsis of Victor Turin's Turksib (1929), written by Iwasaki Akira. Special section featuring film workers talking about Shinko Eiga Studios, the tendency film from the perspective of a benshi. A visit to the studio producing Prokino's animated shorts.

Special section on women, with several essays written by women. Opinions of filmmakers whose work was cut by the censors. Scenario by Kitawa Tetsuo.

Criticism of "Don Quixote-style critic" Takida Chuya, a former member of the Federation who was subsequently purged from Prokino. Documentary treatments by Prokino studios in Kyoto and Tokyo.

Shinko Eiga 2.6 (June 1930) [Cover | Browse | pdf | Back Cover]

Introductions to new Prokino films. Proposal to change the name of Shinko Eiga. Announcement of Prokino Tomo no Kai (Friends of Prokino), which created a formal route for sympathizers to lend their support.

Inaugural issue of Puroretaria Eiga ("Proletarian Cinema"). Articles about prospects and agendas for the upcoming year. Scenarios by Kamimura Shukichi, Aoki Ryosuke, and Namiki Shinsaku.

Record of strikes and various struggles. Reports from various sections of Prokino (right).

Special issue on colonial cinema. Continuation of reportage from various struggles. Roundtable on Soviet cinema. Scenario by Kamimura Shukichi.

Puroretaria Eiga 2.10 (November-December 1930) [Cover | Browse | pdf | Back Cover]

Central committee's response to the third screening event held by Prokino, with short articles about the films by their producers. More records of struggles and strikes. Scenarios for three Prokino productions.

Puroretaria Eiga 3.1 (January 1931) [Cover | Browse | pdf | Back Cover]

Opinions and criticism from workers that attended Prokino's third screening event. Articles in support of Prokino by literary figures Akita Ujaku, Sugimoto Ryokichi, Tokunaga Sunao.

Roundtable between Prokino members and several "bus girls." Roundtable with Kinugasa Teinosuke and others who had just returned from the Soviet Union.

Photo essays, scenarios and articles introducing Prokino productions, including Yamamoto Senji kokubetsushiki. German proletarian filmmaking, including translations. Important article on the screening of Prokino films across Japan.

Special May Day issue. Inaugural issue, after changing name to Prokino. Various messages on the course of the movement. News from other parts of the world. Scenarios by Ko Shukichi and Kamimura Shukichi.

Eiga Kurabu 15 (January 5, 1933) [Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 ]

Eiga Kurabu was Prokino's attempt to publish a newspaper for workers, students, and people in the film world. It started publication from October 1931 to December 1933, and came out twice a month. This is the final issue of the volume that is still extant (nos. 9, 16, and 17 remain missing). All extant issues are available in the paper reprint of Prokino journals. Like most newspapers, Eiga Kurabu contains a wide variety of articles, including news from abroad, news from Prokino chapters across the country, film reviews, the announcement of the formation of a student film group in Kyoto, the description of a Prokino mobile projection unit and other stories.

Miscellaneous

Eicho 6.1 (January 1930) [Cover | Browse | pdf | Back Cover]

This issue marks the fifth year of publication for Eicho. It was produced by people interested in the technical side of cinema and small-gauge amateur film. The journal achieved a circulation of 3,000 at one point, making it close to a trade publication. Over the course of the run, it gradually became politicized and aligned with Prokino. In this issue, Prokino members Nakajima Shin, Kishi Matsuo, Nara Katsuya make an appearance to discuss "The Proletarian Film Movement and Sound Cinema." Special issue on the talkie. The political, social and technological aspects of sound cinema. The fate of the benshi.

Eiga Doko Kai 1.1 (April 1932) [Cover | Browse | pdf]

A thin dojinshi, this was published by a group of high school students from a school affiliated with Waseda University. They were the film unit of the literature section of the school and, while not directly connected to Prokino, they were basically sympathizers and enjoyed lectures by leading members like Yamanouchi Hikaru (Okada Sozo) and Iwasaki Akira.

Eiga Totsugekitai 3.7 (August 1933) [Cover | Browse | pdf | Back Cover]

Eiga Totsugekitai (right), or "Cinema Shock Troops," was a small journal put out by the Osaka branch of Prokino. While their Eiga Kurabu was aimed at a general audience of film fans and factory workers, this thin journal was probably distributed to members of Prokino. It reports on recent activities and future directions. Contains Yamada Minoru's scenario for 1933 May Day, which they wrote after photography was completed. The final film is lost.

Nihon Eiga Rodo Nenpo 1 (September 1933) [Browse | pdf ]

This is the first issue of the Nihon Eiga Rodo Nenpo, a publication designed to recap the major labor issues and actions in the film world every six months. It is an invaluable resource for the way it describes the general landscape of the organized left, particularly in the reception context. Prokino is well-documented, but little is known about smaller movements like these. It is unclear whether they ever published subsequent issues, but it is likely that the uptick in police pressure in 1934 could have spelled the end of this effort to network all the film movements in Japan.

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