Nomura Hotei (野村芳亭)
Hotei NOMURA (November 13, 1880 - August 23, 1934) was a film director, screenwriter and producer who lived during the Taisho period and early Showa period. He is one of the individuals responsible for laying the groundwork of the Japanese film industry. His real name was Kumezo.
Biography and personal profile
Hotei NOMURA was born in Kyoto City on November 13, 1880. His father had the alias 'hokoku' and was in the business of making scenery and signs for theaters on Teramachi-dori street and Sanjo-dori Street in Kyoto, and monopolized the production of the scenery for the Miyako Odori (Dance of the Capital). After his father's death, Hotei NOMURA inherited his alias and produced kabuki-themed paintings. The nature of his father's business meant that he had a connection to Kyoto's theatre industry from a young age, and he was close friends with Shochiku founders Matsujiro SHIRAI and Takejiro OTANI.
In 1897, he served as an assistant when textile manufacturer Katsutaro INABATA invited the French engineer François-Constant Girel to give the first ever cinematograph show in Japan. He used this knowledge to become deeply involved in 'rensa geki' screen-and-stage plays and became president of shinpa geki (new school of Noh) at the Hongo-za Theater. It was also during this period that he met with Shozo MAKINO who was working at the Senbon-za Theatre before he going on to direct for the Yokota Shokai and Nikkatsu production companies.
When Shochiku formally began producing films in 1920, Hotei NOMURA was appointed to the board of directors at the Shochiku Kamata Studio. He directed the short film "Yukanuri" (evening paper seller) and increased the company's profits to become appointed head of the studio. Hotei NOMURA fused the American style of Henry Kotani with his own family dramas to produce the forerunners of modern Shochiku films. His use of contemporary drama actors in classical drama productions and realism in 'classical drama moving pictures' became the model for subsequent period dramas. At this time, Heinosuke GOSHO and Kazunobu SHIGEMUNE were his apprentices. In 1924, Hotei NOMURA resigned from his position as studio head and returned to directing, with his final film being "Taii no Musume" (The Captain's Daughter) before he left for the Shochiku Kyoto Studio. He continued to provide the public what they wanted by making films that possessed great artistry and also had the ability to attract audiences.
In 1934, he collapsed at the test screening of his final work as director, 'Machi no Bofu' (A storm in the town) in 1934, and passed away on August 23 of the same year. He was aged 53. The film director Yoshitaro NOMURA was his son.