Japanese Culture in American Films
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| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The subject of this presentation is the depiction of Japanese culture in American films. The main research objective is to show how Japanese people and culture are portrayed in films produced by American directors in either the United States or Japan. For better understanding of the topic, the thesis focuses on possible influences on the perception and depiction of Japan, such as Orientalism, World War II or Ruth Benedict’s The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, and common stereotypes concerning Japan and Japanese people appearing frequently on the Internet. The aim of this thesis is to compare and contrast seven American films from different from different directors and time periods which are concerning Japan or taking place in Japan. Based on the main themes shared by the films they are divided into three different categories – samurai, geisha and yakuza film. Each of the categories is includes at least two films which were made at least 15 years apart from each other. Through the analyses it should become clear if the influences and stereotypes are reflected in the depictions of Japan and its people. Also, the analyses will provide an answer to the question as to whether Japanese culture and people are depicted differently depending on the period when the films were made. |
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