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were Japanese performers who provided live narration for silent films (not only Japanese films, but also Western films). ''Benshi'' are sometimes also called or .〔All these forms are abbreviations of , where means "moving pictures", i.e. an old term for films, and is an orator or public speaker, see 〕 ==Role of the benshi== During silent films, the ''benshi'' stood to the side of the movie screen and introduced and related the story to the audience. In theatrical style, ''benshi'' often spoke for the characters on-screen and played multiple roles. Stemming from the traditions of ''kabuki'' and ''Noh'' theaters, the benshi's narration and general commentary were an important part of the Japanese silent film experience. The ''benshi'' would also provide translation for foreign (mostly American) movies.〔Standish, Isolde. ''A New History of Japanese Cinema: A Century of Narrative Film''. New York: Continuum, 2005. ISBN 0-8264-1709-4〕 Much like in the West, Japanese silent films were often accompanied by live music (in addition to the ''benshi'')—however, unlike Western films, which tended to have a theatre organ as accompaniment, Japanese films had a score which supported the traditional Japanese instruments one would find in a ''kabuki'' play. Since ''benshi'' performed without external amplification, they had to carefully coordinate with the orchestra in order to be heard. At that time theaters typically seated 1000, so a trademark of successful ''benshi'' was the ability to project their voices into large spaces.〔Dym, Jeffery (2008). ''A Brief History of Benshi (Silent Film Narrators''). http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/a_brief_history_of_benshi〕 Famous benshi active in the silent era include Musei Tokugawa (at the Aoikan and Musashinokan theaters), Saburō Somei (at the Denkikan), Rakuten Nishimura, Raiyū Ikoma (at the Teikokukan), Mitsugu Ōkura, and Shirō Ōtsuji. In the 1995 film ''Picture Bride,'' Toshirō Mifune portrays one of the ''benshi'' who traveled to various sugar cane plantations in Hawaii during the early 20th century. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Benshi」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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