Japanese propaganda movies

[Heinrich George]

I believe this is an excerpt from Kato hayabusa sento-tai, known in English as Colonel Kato's Flying Squadron or Colonel Kato's Falcon Squadron. Presumably the reflective officer sitting on the couch is the colonel. According to some sources Kato was an actual officer, not a screenwriter's invention.

The film was released in March 1944. A Region 2 DVD was released in December 2005. Takashi Shimura, who appeared in many of Kurosawa's films, is featured:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwXj4zgK ... re=related

The song the pilots sing in the above excerpt, with English subtitles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS12isLj ... re=related

[Peter H]

Film still fromThe Story of Tank Commander Nishizumi,1940

[Peter H]

Five Scouts 1938

[Peter H]

Chocolate and Soldiers

[Peter H]

Mud and Soldiers

[Peter H]

Lights,camera,action...

[Peter H]

More movie scenes

[Peter H]

Something from 1942 as well

[hisashi]

Film still fromThe Story of Tank Commander Nishizumi,1940

西住戦車長伝
Starring: Uehara Ken
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Uehara
西住小次郎 Nishizumi Kojiro, 1st Lt. (Captain after death). KIA in 1938 (25 years old). A Type 89 I-Go tank platoon leader. His tank had over 1,300 bullet mark.

Kojiro_nishizumi.jpg (51.02 KiB) Viewed 985 times

[hisashi]

Five Scouts 1938

五人の斥候兵

A sergeant led four soldiers for scout, but China fortification was superior on firepower. Four members barely found their way and returned one after another. They worried about the last soldier but they must begin attack. The search was aborted. Later the lost man came back. He worried of parted buddy and was searching others by alone.

[hisashi]

Chocolate and Soldiers

チョコレートと兵隊 1938
Many of casts became famous as movie stars after the war. Also, Honda Ishiro was one of staffs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishir%C5%8D_Honda

Son of a newly drafted man was eager to collect package paper of chocolate. The chocolate seller held a campaign in that 100 package is exchangeable for a new chocolate. On the front father gathered packages from other soldier's. One day the son received 1,300 empty packages from his father and gladly sent them to the seller. Another day when he came home, his younger sister gladly showed plenty of chocolates (seller's staff was impressed and sent extra), but mother told him the father was reported as killed in action.

[hisashi]

Mud and Soldiers

土と兵隊　1939

Like a documentary film, soldiers live, walk, fight and die.

[Peter H]

Thanks hisashi

Nishizumi's tank again