The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography

by Stuart Galbraith IV

Overview

Since its inception in 1933, Toho Co., Ltd., Japan's most famous movie production company and distributor, has produced and/or distributed some of the most notable films ever to come out of Asia, including Seven Samurai, Godzilla, When a Woman Ascends the Stairs, Kwaidan, Woman in the Dunes, Ran, Shall We Dance?, Ringu, and Spirited Away. While the western world often defines Toho by its iconic classics, which include the Godzilla franchise and many of the greatest films of the legendary director Akira Kurosawa and actor Toshiro Mifune, these pictures represent but a tiny fraction of Toho's rich history.

The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography provides a complete picture of every Toho feature the Japanese studio produced and released—as well as foreign films that it distributed—during its first 75 years. Presented chronologically, each entry in the filmography includes, where applicable, the original Japanese title, a direct translation of that title, the film's international, U.S. release, and alternate titles; production credits, including each film's producers, director, screenwriters, cinematographers, art directors, and composers, among others; casts with character names; production companies, technical specs, running times, and release dates; U.S. release data including distributor, whether the film was released subtitled or dubbed, and alternate versions; domestic and international awards; and plot synopses.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810860049
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	05/16/2008
Pages:	528
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Stuart Galbraith IV is the author of seven books, including The Emperor and the Wolf (2002), the joint biography of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune, and Japanese Cinema (2008). He also provides DVD audio commentaries and liner note essays, writes a DVD column for the English edition of The Daily Yomiuri, and reviews DVDs at DVDTalk.com.

Editorial Reviews

This work lists all movies Toho produced....Significantly, the films after World War II reflect the complex social and historical topics that producers and screenwriters have tried to tackle. The appendixes list Toho's chronology, overseas theaters, and film series. The book may interest foreign film lovers, and it is recommended for large city libraries and academic institutions offering cinema courses.

American Reference Books Annual

Rich with little-known facts, the book includes a detailed historical overview and a catalogue raisonne of movies organized by decade....The book is a valuable resource for cinematic and film history collections.--Library Journal

This work lists all movies Toho produced....Significantly, the films after World War II reflect the complex social and historical topics that producers and screenwriters have tried to tackle. The appendixes list Toho's chronology, overseas theaters, and film series. The book may interest foreign film lovers, and it is recommended for large city libraries and academic institutions offering cinema courses.--American Reference Books Annual

From the Publisher

This work lists all movies Toho produced....Significantly, the films after World War II reflect the complex social and historical topics that producers and screenwriters have tried to tackle. The appendixes list Toho's chronology, overseas theaters, and film series. The book may interest foreign film lovers, and it is recommended for large city libraries and academic institutions offering cinema courses.

American Reference Books Annual (ARBA)