Twelfth-century cinema: traditionalist film theories in Japan of the 1930s-1940s

The article considers a unique period in Japanese history, when instead of engaging in a cultural dialogue with the West, Japanese cinema aspired to position itself as an embodiment of exclusively "Japanese" artistic tradition. The search for a "pure" national style was determined by the growth of nationalism and political confrontation with the West, as well as the lack of commercial success of Japanese cinema abroad. Japanese film studios’ attempts to modify their products by bringing them ...