Powell, Brian. "The Samurai Ethic in Mayama Seika's Genroku Chushingura." Modern Asian Studies. 18.4 (1984): 725-745.

 

     This article explains the approach Japanese playwright Mayama Seika took in writing his version of the forty seven ronin. He ensured that the audience would learn in great detail about the events of 1703 and even went as far as to cite his sources during the play. He also explained how the actions of the forty seven ronin fit in with Japanese law at the time.

 

  To strenghten my argument, I compared Mizoguchi's version of the story to the play version written by Mayama Seika. In the analysis written by Brian Powell, the only deviation from the story that occured between the two was Seika's insertion of a few scenes that more than likely, did not take place. The goal of Seika's work, as was Mizoguchi's, was to portray the life and values of the samurai and ultimately, build up sympathy and pride for the way the samurai exacted their revenge.

Richie, Donald. Japanese Cinema: Film Style and National Character.New York: Doubleday, 1971.

        In this examination of Japanese cinema, Richie relates the films to the other art forms, and the traditions and attitudes of the Japanese people.  The book discusses not only discusses directors as Kurosawa and Mizoguchi, but also the popular films as well. It establishes the historical basis for the important post-war films that first brought Japanese cinema to the mainstream. Above all, this book explores the unique vision of the Japanese filmmakers, the vision 'which is the aesthetic of Japan - and  which has created some of the most beautiful and truthful films ever made."

 

     Richie's analysis provides great insight into the influence Japanese attitudes and traditions had on Japanese cinema during the time of Mizoguchi. It helps explain why the story of the 47 ronin is constantly being remade and keeping its place in Japanese culture. Again, the driving element of the film is the story of the ronin and their importance to Japanese culture to this day.

Standish, Isolde. "Chushingura and the Japanese Studio System." Japan Forum. 17.1 (2005): 69-86

 

   This article locates the Chushingura narrative within the studio system as the story chosen for all-star studio celebration productions to mark special events (kinen eiga), and examines the narrative's relation to the studio star system. The main question addressed is: how have established narrative conventions of the drama been manipulated to remain fresh to each viewing generation?

 

    This article helps explain the popularity of the 47 ronin narrative in Japanese culture and refutes any claim that the film was made to boost the Japanese war effort. It's appeal at the time and still today, is the "tragic hero" aspect of the samurai and their dedication to the samurai code.

Howland, Douglas. "Samurai Status, Class, and Bureacracy: A Historiographical Essay." The Journal of Asian Studies. 60.2 (2001): 353-380.

 

 This article explores the beginning of the samurai and their role in Japanese history. From being their own class in Tokugawa society to their ability to hold  public office, the samurai held much privelege in Japanese society.

   This article gives a good perspective on the role of the samurai in Japanese society and helps explain why the story of the 47 ronin continues to live on in Japanese folklore. Their status in Japanese history made them an interesting topic in early theater and later on in cinema. The samurai were the essential element of Mizoguchi's film and his goal was to pay tribute to them and their culture with his film.

Richie, Donald and Joseph L. Anderson. "Traditional Theater and the Film in Japan." Film Quarterly. 12.1 (1958): 2-9.

 

This article discusses the influence Japanese theatre had on the country's film industry. However, it singles out The Last Forty Seven Ronin as one of the rare films to have the Kabuki theatre influence. Although they come from the same story, Mizoguchi's film version is much more realisitic than the original Kabuki plays.

 

The fact that this article describes the influence of Kabuki theater on Mizoguchi's film shows that there was no intent to change the story to conform to the nationalistic feelings of World War II Japan. Even when it differs in its portrayal of reality, the film is much more a historical epic than a war propaganda effort. The realistic movements of the actors break away from traditional Kabuki theater and give a much more modern feel to Mizoguchi's picture.

"Kenji Mizoguchi." Encylopedia of World Biography. 2004

 

   This is a encylopedia article on the life and career of Kenji Mizoguchi. It explains hows Mizoguchi's version delves into explorations of the samurai code, its ceremonies and obligations. It also mentions that Mizoguchi's wife was committed to a mental asylum during filming. The article explains how Mizoguchi's belief of pathos lead him to emphasize punishment over triumph by neglecting to show the violent revenge of the ronin and instead, showing their death.

     This article is helpful in showing how Mizoguchi's beliefs and the events going on in his life at the time affected the way he remade the story. The fact that the film explores the oblligations and ceremonies of the samurai code explains why the main theme of the story was the way of the samurai and not an attempt to boost morale of the Japanese soldiers during World War II.

Cavendish, Richard."The Forty-Seven Ronin Incident December 14th, 1702." History Today; 52.1 (2002): 52

    This article is a brief summary of the actual story of the forty-seven ronin. In 1702, the forty seven samurai were demoted to ronin since their master, Asano was ordered to commit suicide for killing an officer named Kira Yoshinaka. The ronin decided that they must seek revenge in order to defend their honor code. Waiting nearly two years to strike, the ronin forced their way into Kira's house, killing him and several of his samurai. Their punishment was death by disembowlment and they became heroes of Japanese folklore.

   Gaining a true understanding of the forty seven ronin legend allowed for a clearer persepective on the films and plays made in their honor. It would provide a historical perspective in my paper and allow for comparison between the real story and  Kenji Mizoguchi's version.

In 1941, the Japanese military commissioned director Kenji Mizoguchi to make a film version of The Loyal 47 Ronin. The goal of the project was to provide the Japanese soldiers fighting in World War II with an inspiring tale of the revenge of the 47 samurai. Released a week prior to the Attack on Pearl Harbor, The Loyal Forty Seven failed as a war-propaganda film and instead paid tribute to the virtues of the Japanese samurai.