Japanese Cinema and LA History Collide with 'Benshi'

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HTLA is checking out some more movie history with a spotlight on the world tour, The Art of the Benshi, coming to L.A. on April 19-21. In this episode, HTLA producer Victoria Alejandro comes on to chat Japanese silent cinema and L.A. history with host Brian De Los Santos. 

Benshi were the narrators of Japan's silent film era. These artists introduced films and also provided live narration, portraying characters, and articulating the on-screen action, filling theaters and enthralling audiences. Including in L.A.

It's an art form with roots in this city that a lot of people don't know about, so join us as we dive in with lead benshi Ichiro Kataoka and professor of Japanese literature at UCLA Michael Emmerich!

You can find tickets and more information online at https://artofthebenshi.org/

And check out our LAist article here. 

Guests: HTLA producer Victoria Alejandro, UCLA professor of Japanese literature and tour organizer Michael Emmerich, lead benshi Ichiro Kataoka