V.A.: Shochiku popular songs of the movie screen
Farside Records: "Special collaboration box set of 2 double CDs (4 discs) and DVD.
The CDs are 'Natsukashi no Eiga Daizenshu -Shochiku Eiga Hen' Volumes 1 and 2. They are compilation albums of hit songs from hit films performed by film stars and musicians from another legenday company of Japanese entertainment, Nippon Columbia, or Columbia Music Entertainment as it is now called.
The DVD has footage from the film 'Natsukashi no Utagassen (Sweet Memories of the Song Competition)' released in 1950 with many dance performances and songs, black and white, 55 minutes. Plus footage from the film 'Natsukashi no Eiga Kayo-shi (Sweet Memories of Cinema Song History)' released in 1974, featuring many of the greatest stars at the time with their greatest hits including rare footage of a 12 year old Hibari Misora. Black and white and colour, 22 minutes."
Nippon Columbia Music V.A. : Shochiku popular songs of the movie screen (2010)***°
- Luxury box with 80 min dvd, 2 double CDs-
松竹キネマ90周年x日本コロムビア100周年 懐しの松竹映画大全集 スペシャルBOX
~音と映像で甦る銀幕の歌謡曲~(DVD付) CD+DVD
The two double CD’s feature tracks from movies with great songs. They are comparable to the first 50s music compilation I just reviewed before. Different from other compilations, these tracks aren’t taken from the discs with film music that came out, but are taken from the movies themselves. This of course will include some spoken word, conversations and situations before or during the music is playing, often as intros before the songs break loose, giving a ‘more complete’ context.
The DVD compiles such tracks in a more complete setting too. Most performances are solo lead voices in a ballroom or a movie set setting in which the people listen and often are personally and directly affected, bringing words and music to a story. It is the perfect, almost romantics settings for such songs. It contains classics like "Tokyo Kid" which will stick with you once you saw/heard this. Several of the tracks can be found on the previous CD1 of the double CD of the 50s which I have reviewed before. Recommended, for foreigners especially for the included DVD which is a great introduction of such songs, showing its film moment context too. Just now and then the expressions are just dance-based expressions and pure entertainment, a kind of musical theatre. Some of it still is recorded with the orchestra / choirs on a different moment I guess.
DVD 'Natsukashi no Utagassen'
1. Opening
2. Takiko Mizunoe, Tatsuko Kawaji / Musical Number
3. Haruhisa Kawata / Kasho Number
4. Hibari Misora / Tokyo Kid
5. Michiko Namiki / Ringo no Uta
6. Dick Mine / Ireland no Muramusume
7. Yumeji Tsukioka / La Conga
8. Rokuro Tsuruta / Minato no Koiuta
9. Aiko Hirano / Kimi Matedomo
10. Mieko Takamine / Omoide no Bolero
11. Mitsuko Mito / Namida no Komadori
12. Shuji Sano, Yumeji Tsukioka / Hiren Moyo
13. Ken Uehara, Yuriko Hamada / Yoninme no Shukujo
14. Toshinobu Sawake, Setsuko Hara / Yuwaku
15. Masao Wakahara, Michiyo Kogure / Hana no Sugao
16. Teiji Takahashi, Yasuko Fujita / Shunsetsu
17. Ichiro Fujiyama, Harue Wakahara / Koi wa Basha ni Notte
18. Shizuko Kasagi / Bolga no Funauta, Jungle Boogie
19. Haruhisa Kawata / Jungle Boogie
20. Chikage Awashima / Koi no Suiren
21. Tadashi Kinoshita / Yaburedaiko
22. Mieko Takamine / Wakare no Tango
23. Shochiku Kagekidan / Alulu no Onna
24. Hibari Misora / Kanashiki Kuchibue
25. Mieko Takamine / Aoi Akari, Akai Akari, Machi no Hoshi
26. Saeko Kozuki / Musical Number
27. Shizuko Kasagi / Kaimono Boogie
28. Takiko Mizunoe / Musical Number
29. Akemi Kurenai, Yuri Akebono / Haru wa Cabeck de
30. Yuri Akebono, Chinami Katsuura / Yume o Meshimase
31. Chizuko Ashihara, Emiko Akizuki / Musical Number
32. Noboru Kirishima, Mitsue Nara / Kondo Aumade
Natsukashi no Eiga Daizenshu -Shochiku Eiga Hen Vol.1 (2 CDs)
Disc 1
1. Noboru Kirishima, Miss Columbia / Tabi no Yokaze (Aizen Katsura, 1938)
2. Noboru Kirishima, Miss Columbia / Aizen Yakyoku (Zoku Aizen Katsura, 1939)
3. Miss Columbia / Kanashiki Komoriuta (Aizen Katsura, 1938)
4. Noboru Kirishima, Miss Columbia / Aizen Zoushi (Aizen Kastura Kanketsu-hen, 1939)
5. Akira Matsudaira / Hitozuma Tsubaki (Hitozuma Tsubaki, 1936)
6. Akiko Futaba / Furuki Hanazono (Shunrai, 1939)
7. Noboru Kirishima, Michiko Namiki / Ringo no Uta (Soyokaze, 1945)
8. Michiko Namiki / Kawaii Sweet Pea (Hatachi no Seishun, 1946)
9. Ichiro Fujiyama / Asakusa no Uta (Asakusa no Bocchan, 1947)
10. Rokuro Tsuruta / Minato no Koiuta (Odoru Ryugujo, 1949)
11. Ichiro Fujiyama, Mariko Ando / Hana no Sugao (Hana no Sugao, 1949)
Disc 2
1. Noboru Kirishima, Mieko Takamine / Junjo Nijuso (Junjo Nijuso, 1939)
2. Mieko Takamine / Natsukashi no Blues (Natsukashi no Blues, 1948)
3. Mieko Takamine / Wakare no Tango (Wakare no Tango, 1949)
4. Mieko Takamine / Omoide no Bolero (Omoide no Bolero, 1950)
5. Mieko Takamine / Jonetsu no Rumba (Jonetsu no Rumba, 1951)
6. Mieko Takamine / Bokujo no Hanayome san (Jonetsu no Rumba, 1952)
7. Ichiro Fujiyama, Harue Wakahara / Koi wa Basha ni Notte (Dassen Jonetsu Musume, 1949)
8. Shizuko Kasagi / Peko chan Serenade (Peko chan to Densuke, 1950)
9. Chikage Awashima / Koi no Suiren (Josei Sanjuso, 1950)
10. Shigeko Orii / Carmen Junjo su (Carmen Junjo su, 1952)
Natsukashi no Eiga Daizenshu -Shochiku Eiga Hen Vol.2 (2 CDs)
Disc 1
1. Shigeko Orii / Kimi no Na wa (Kimi no Na wa, 1953)
2. Hisao Ito / Kimi Itoshiki Hitoyo (Kimi no Na wa, 1953)
3. Shigeko Orii / Kuroyuri no Uta (Kimi no Na wa Vol.2, 1953)
4. Hisao Ito / Wasure enu Hito (Kimi no Na wa Vol.3, 1954)
5. Columbia Rose / Aishu Nikki (Aishu Nikki, 1954)
6. Chiyoko Shimakura / Konoyo no Hana (Konoyo no Hana, 1955)
7. Chiyoko Shimakura / Omoide no Hana (Omoide no Hana, 1955)
8. Chiyoko Shimakura / Yugetsu (Ano Hashi no Aze de, 1961)
9. Keiji Sata, Shigeko Orii / Kimi wa Harukana (Kimi no Na wa Vol.3, 1954)
10. Yumeji Tsukioka / Shinju no Hitomi (Kimi ni Chikaishi, 1954)
11. Fubuki Koshiji / Banka (Banka, 1957)
12. Akira Wakayama / Yorokobi mo Kanashimi mo Ikutoshitsuki
(Yorokobi mo Kanashimni mo Ikutoshitsuki, 1957)
Disc 2
1. Hibari Misora / Kanashiki Kuchibue (Kanashiki Kuchibue, 1949)
2. Hibari Misora / Tokyo Kid (Tokyo Kid, 1949)
3. Hibari Misora / Ano Oka Koete (Ano Oka Koete, 1951)
4. Hibari Misora / Yoki na Wataridori (Yoki na Wtaridori, 1951)
5. Hibari Misora / Watashi wa Machinoko (Chichi Koishi, 1951)
6. Hibari Misora / Hibari no Hanauri Musume (Chichi Koishi, 1951)
7. Hibari Misora / Izu no Oodoriko (Izu no Oodoriko, 1954)
8. Hibari Misora, Koji Tsuruta / Yume no Hanakage (Ano Oka Koete, 1951)
9. Hibari Misora / Haru no Samba (Kyodai, 1953)
10. Hibari Misora / Wakai Utagoe (Ojo-san Shacho, 1953)
11. Hibari Misora / Ohariko Mimmy no Nichiyobi (Seishun Romance Seat Aokusa ni Zasu, 1954)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shochiku:
"The company was founded in 1895, which makes it the oldest company in Japan involved in film production." "It was originally a kabuki production company, and was named “Matsutake” in 1902 after the combined kunyomi reading of the kanji take (bamboo) and matsu (pine) from their names, reflecting the traditional three symbols of happiness, bamboo, pine, and plum. The name was changed in 1937 to the onyomi reading of Shōchiku. Shochiku grew quickly, expanding its business to many other Japanese live theatric styles, including Noh and Bunraku, established a near monopoly due to its ownership of theaters, as well as kabuki and shimpa drama troupes. The company began making films in 1920, about a decade after its main rival Nikkatsu. Renaming itself “Shochiku Kinema”, the company sought to break away from the prevailing pattern of jidai-geki and to emulate Hollywood standards. It was the first film studio to abandon the use of female impersonators and brought new ideas, including the star systemand the sound stage to Japan."
