Takarazuka Kinema Kogyo (宝塚キネマ興行)
Takarazuka Kinema Kogyo (established in November of 1932, liquidated in February of 1934) was a film company that existed in Kyoto. It was established by Masatsugu TAKAMURA and Kisaburo MINAMI relying on the 'Omuro Studio' of Shoei Makino Kinema, the distribution network of Toa Kinema and funds from Hankyu Railway's Ichizo KOBAYASHI. However, the company ran into financial difficulty only half a year after its establishment and was unable to pay its wages. It was liquidated a little over a year after its establishment.
Brief history/summary
In November of 1932, Masatsugu TAKAMURA took over Toa Kinema after it had given up film production and established 'Takarazuka Kinema Kogyo' in partnership with Kisaburo MINAMI who had resigned as the president of Tokatsu Eiga-sha. The company changed 'Omuro Studio' to 'Takarazuka Kinema Studio' and put it into operation. They employed former employees of Toa Kinema, its production company Tokatsu Eiga-sha and Shoei Makino Kinema. The first film the studio produced was "Katakiuchi Aiyokuko", directed by Daisho HORIE of Toa/Tokatsu line, and it was released on December 15 of the same year. The studio released five films in its first year.
In July of 1933, there was a confrontation between management and employees due to unpaid wages. As the number of films the studio produced in July and August decreased substantially, its supply of films to movie theaters stagnated.
On January 14, 1934, the studio released the film directed by Tameyoshi KUBO called "Kiri no Chikado" at 'Osaka Park Kinema', as well as the film directed by Taizan GOTO called "Otone no Asagiri" and the first film directed by Takayama called "Katakana Jingi" at 'Osaka Shikishima Club.'
These were the last films produced by the studio. The company was liquidated in February of the same year.
Omuro Studio' was put back into operation in September by Etona Eiga-sha, established by Isuke TANAKA, and the studio was renamed 'Etona Eiga Kyoto Studio.'