Moreno Redondo, María Nieves. Narradores del silencio. La figura de los benshi en el cine japonés de los orígenes, Zaragoza, Prensas de la Universidad de Zaragoza, 2024, 353 pp. ISBN 978-84-1340-709-8
Abstract
This study examines the history, roles, and functions of the benshi, or narrator of Japanese silent films, over several decades. It explores the influence of this figure on both film production and style, as well as on audience reception. The benshi stands out in world cinema as a unique phenomenon and plays a prominent role in the debate surrounding the modernization and opening of Japanese cinema to the West; he plays a decisive leading role in the cinematic spectacle—even attaining star status—as cinema merges with live theater. However, there are sectors that view the benshi as an obstacle to that modernization and to the very development of cinematic language, which must be autonomous from the interpretations of these commentators.
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