Japanese Silent Film Screening with Live Performance
Once known as “poets of the dark” benshi brought silent films to live through commentary and vocal performance, giving voice to the characters on screen. Perched on a podium beside the screen, benshi brought films to life. As many as 8000 benshi were performing across the country and the Japanese empire by the 1930s, and their popularity—and power—slowed the introduction of sound film in Japan.