Inventive stop-motion animator and puppet maker who garnered a worldwide reputation
Kihachiro Kawamoto, who has died aged 85, was best known in Japan for creating the vast array of puppets populating the live-action historical television series Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1982-84) and Tale of Heike (1993-95). He was also highly regarded internationally for haunting stop-motion animations, such as Dojoji Temple (1976) and House of Flame (1979), in which the figures are manipulated and photographed frame-by-frame so that they appear to move on their own.
Like his one-time collaborator Tadanari Okamoto, with whom he toured his independent films from 1972 to 1980, his exercises in stop-motion puppetry were influenced by European practices. But Kawamoto's ornate works are also deeply rooted in Japanese folklore and aesthetics, with an overarching philosophy based on Buddhism. They are a powerful reminder of the more artisanal traditions within Japanese animation that are often ignored by western commentators' focus on commercial anime.
Kihachiro Kawamoto, who has died aged 85, was best known in Japan for creating the vast array of puppets populating the live-action historical television series Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1982-84) and Tale of Heike (1993-95). He was also highly regarded internationally for haunting stop-motion animations, such as Dojoji Temple (1976) and House of Flame (1979), in which the figures are manipulated and photographed frame-by-frame so that they appear to move on their own.
Like his one-time collaborator Tadanari Okamoto, with whom he toured his independent films from 1972 to 1980, his exercises in stop-motion puppetry were influenced by European practices. But Kawamoto's ornate works are also deeply rooted in Japanese folklore and aesthetics, with an overarching philosophy based on Buddhism. They are a powerful reminder of the more artisanal traditions within Japanese animation that are often ignored by western commentators' focus on commercial anime.
- 9/5/2010
- The Guardian - Film News
A moment here to say a very public well done to Shinsedai Festival organizers Chris MaGee and Jasper Sharp. The complete festival lineup and schedule have been announced today and it's a stellar, diverse lineup of titles. Here's the announcement of the second block of titles:
The anticipation has been building for the past few weeks, but now we are very proud to announce the full line-up and screening schedule for the 2nd annual Shinsedai Cinema Festival taking place at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto. Joining the already announced screenings of Kenji Mizoguchi's silent classic "The Water Magician" (with live musical accompaniment by Toronto's Vowls), the Canadian Premiere of Gen Takahashi's police epic "Confessions of a Dog" and the Toronto Premiere of the ward-winning concert documentary "Live Tape" are:
Kakera: A Piece Of Our Life (Toronto Premiere/ Opening Night Film): Haru (Hikari Mitsushima) is a...
The anticipation has been building for the past few weeks, but now we are very proud to announce the full line-up and screening schedule for the 2nd annual Shinsedai Cinema Festival taking place at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto. Joining the already announced screenings of Kenji Mizoguchi's silent classic "The Water Magician" (with live musical accompaniment by Toronto's Vowls), the Canadian Premiere of Gen Takahashi's police epic "Confessions of a Dog" and the Toronto Premiere of the ward-winning concert documentary "Live Tape" are:
Kakera: A Piece Of Our Life (Toronto Premiere/ Opening Night Film): Haru (Hikari Mitsushima) is a...
- 6/17/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Plastic Paper is a festival of animation and puppet films that will run at the Park Theatre in Winnipeg, Canada on May 5-8 and is presented by the Big Smash! Film Collective. The program, listed below, includes short films, features, documentaries, installations and special events.
The feature films include Rocaterrania, Brett Ingram’s documentary on scientific illustrator and secret fantasy artist Renaldo Kuhler; 2010 Oscar nominated film The Secret of Kells; the little seen 1982 environmental and animal activist film The Plague Dogs; a new surreal work by underground animator Bruce Bickford; and more.
For special events, there will be a continuously-running video installation by Winnipeg animator Leslie Supnet called How to Care for Introverts; a one-day Master Class taught by the legendary Bill Plympton; a Saturday morning cartoon feast; a T-shirt making class; and more.
Below is the full lineup of all the films screening at Plastic Paper, but for more info on them,...
The feature films include Rocaterrania, Brett Ingram’s documentary on scientific illustrator and secret fantasy artist Renaldo Kuhler; 2010 Oscar nominated film The Secret of Kells; the little seen 1982 environmental and animal activist film The Plague Dogs; a new surreal work by underground animator Bruce Bickford; and more.
For special events, there will be a continuously-running video installation by Winnipeg animator Leslie Supnet called How to Care for Introverts; a one-day Master Class taught by the legendary Bill Plympton; a Saturday morning cartoon feast; a T-shirt making class; and more.
Below is the full lineup of all the films screening at Plastic Paper, but for more info on them,...
- 5/1/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
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