The seminar deals with narrative patterns and the unique aesthetic of the Japanese cinema, with the aim of analyzing the traditional/cultural roots of this cinema and the way it consolidates these traditional elements into an original and paradigmatic art that has influenced cinematic artists throughout the world. We will examine how this cinema develops existential themes, such as the appearance of ghosts and the vanquishing of demonic creatures, as well as themes dealing with human family and societal relationships, while adapting earlier literal and dramatic sources along with developing completely new narratives for these themes. We will examine how additional elements, such as eroticism, nature, humor, death scenes, acting styles, movement, singing, costumes, spatial design, filming and editing techniques, all derive their originality from elements that have been developed throughout the history of Japanese aesthetic of the various arts and cultural phenomena, and are then molded into innovational forms in the films.
We will examine these subjects for all periods of Japanese cinema, starting from the films of classical directors, such as Kurosawa, Ozu and Mizoguchi, and up to the films of modern directors, such as Morita, Itami, Kitano and Miike