Item #H9970 1969 Press books for Olivetti-sponsored film KYOTO dir. by Ken Ichikawa. Olivetti Co.
1969 Press books for Olivetti-sponsored film KYOTO dir. by Ken Ichikawa
1969 Press books for Olivetti-sponsored film KYOTO dir. by Ken Ichikawa
1969 Press books for Olivetti-sponsored film KYOTO dir. by Ken Ichikawa
1969 Press books for Olivetti-sponsored film KYOTO dir. by Ken Ichikawa
1969 Press books for Olivetti-sponsored film KYOTO dir. by Ken Ichikawa
1969 Press books for Olivetti-sponsored film KYOTO dir. by Ken Ichikawa

1969 Press books for Olivetti-sponsored film KYOTO dir. by Ken Ichikawa

2 10x10 inch press books, each different, in wraps, the first titled 'Kyoto, Documentary Film of Arts' and the second, with Olivetti logo on the outside is simply titled 'Kyoto.' In a mix of English, Japanese and Italian, with stills from the film and occasionally commentary from either the Italians (no less than Gio Ponti chimed in) or the Japanese (whose supervision was done by Kenzo Tange and Yusaku Kamekura, the great modernist designer). Each about 40-45 pp, one has an inserted printed piece of music done for the film. Unclear if there is more than one copy of one of these books in institutions, see OCLC no. 676251164 for the National Japan Library copy of the first of these two books. We found an online summation of this movie: "Commissioned by the Italian Olivetti Arte as a goodwill present to Japan with whom they were forging cultural relations, KYOTO is best described as an art film as even acclaimed director Kon Ichikawa (THE BURMESE HARP) could not categorize it as documentary, educational film, tourist film, or cultural film (or even an art film as it was described by the press). The mix of topics (the Ryoanji stone garden, Zen Buddhism, relgious begging, the Saihoji Temple moss garden, geishas, an exploration of the Katsura imperial villa, and the Gion Festival) is touched upon with varying degrees of thoroughness by poet/scripter Shuntarô Tanikawa (THE WANDERERS) out of a "keen desire to rethink what Japan meant" to him after a long stay in Western Europe. The descriptive narration is omnipresent but can viewers may be more interested in how the film embodies what Japanese culture expert Donald Richie described as "the Ichikawa look" owing less to traditional art than graphic design in its asymmetrical yet precise framing, as the images unfold beneath the dissonant scoring of esteemed composer Toru Takemitsu." Very Good. Item #H9970

Price: $125.00

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