Movies - Benshi

	Movies - Benshi

Benshi (弁士 in Japanese) were performers who provided live narration for silent Japanese films.

Role of the Benshi

During silent films, the benshi stood to the side of the movie screen and introduced and related the story to the audience. In theatrical style, Benshi often spoke for the characters onscreen and played multiple roles. Stemming from the traditions of Kabuki and Noh theaters, the benshi's narration and general commentary were an important part of the Japanese silent film experience. Much like in the West, Japanese silent films were often accompanied by live music (in addition to the benshi). This tradition was adopted in Taiwan under the name benzi.

Many benshi were quite famous in their own right, and garnered great acclaim. The silent film era lasted until the mid-1930s in Japan in part due to benshi, despite the introduction of sound in full-length films in the late 1920s. The adoption of this new technology was slowed by the popularity and influence of the benshi. Though the tradition has mostly faded, there are still a few remaining active benshi in Japan.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Benshi ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Benshi; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Searches on eBay