The Development of the Train
| Original Title | 汽車の發達 |
|---|---|
| Japanese kana Rendering | Kisya no hattatsu |
| English Title | The Development of the Train |
| Production Date | 1932 |
| Author | Yasuji Murata |
| Duration (minutes) | 14 |
| Sound | silent |
| Color | b/w |
| Plot | “In the 17th century, an Italian engineer named Giovanni Branca invented a mechanism that used steam to power mortars and pestles. In the 18th century, the English inventor Thomas Newcomen created the world's first steam engine, which was used to pump water in mines. Then, 50 years later, the French inventor Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot invented the first automobile - a wagon with a steam-engine attached to it. Forty years after that, the British inventor Richard Trevithick built a steam-powered vehicle that ran on tracks. Then, the British engineer George Stephenson built the first steam locomotive. This was about 100 years ago”. (The above is illustrated in the animation.) “Recently, Britain celebrated the 100th anniversary of railroads by demonstrating Stephenson's steam locomotives. This includes footage of that event. In October 1872, Japan's first railroads began operation. Japan's first British-made locomotive is still preserved to this day. Japanese factories that manufacture steam locomotives today. Footage of electric locomotives, diesel locomotives, and electric trains. The passenger cars were improved from 4-wheeled cars to bogie cars. (The structure of bogie cars is illustrated in the animation.) Footage of sleeper cars, dining cars, and observation cars. The railroad network extends throughout the country. A C51 in motion”. |
| Description | An educational movie produced based on "The Development of the Train" in a pre-war elementary school Japanese reader (vol. 9). Animation and real-life images are used together to support children's understanding. According to Chuzo Aochi, who was in charge of composing and editing the film, he created the movie out of his interest in the story in The Development of the Train. Aochi says, "For this movie, the Ministry of Railways provided me with some scenes of demonstrations during Stevenson's age from record movies celebrating the centennial of British railways in the Ministry's possession. I also obtained a live film on the driving of America's oldest train from the Dave Lie academic movies. These scenes greatly contributed to this film." (Katsuei, May 1933). Dave Lie academic movies are educational films provided by Dave Lie, an American movie projector manufacturer that sold projectors to Okamoto Yoko, the company Aochi was associated with. |
| Production Company | Yokohama Cinema Shokai* |
| Distribution | 35mm version: Okamoto ＆Co.*, Oku Shokai Ltd.*, 16mm version:Konishiroku Honten |
| Release Date | 1932 |
| Credits: Director | Animation: Yasuji Murata* |
| Credits: Staff, Cast, etc. | Guidance: The All Japan Film Education Research Association* Edit: Chuzo Aochi* Photography: Mitsuharu Iida* |
| Intertitles | T1「本映画は 尋常小學校讀本卷九『汽車の發達』に據りて編む。」、T2「人が蒸氣の力を知り、之を利用しやうと考へたのは古いことであります。」、T3「今から凡そ三百年前、イタリーのブランカといふ人が 蒸氣の力で臼をつかせる工夫をしました。」、T4「それから約百年たって始めて蒸氣機關らしいものがイギリス人ニューコメンによって作られ、おもに炭山などで水を汲上げるのに使はれました。」、T5「其後五十年ほどたってフランスのキュニョーといふ人がこれを利用して始めて汽車を作りました。」、T6「これは荷車に蒸氣機關を取附けただけのもので一時間二マイル位の早さで普通の道路を走るのでした。」、T7「其後四十年ばかりたって、イギリスのトレビシックといふ人が之れに種々の改良を加へた上に、始めてレールの上を走らせるやうにしました。」、T8「間もなくイギリス人スチーブンソンによって、遙かにすぐれたものが研究せられ、遂に 一般の旅客や貨物を運ぶ程度に進歩しました。これが今から百餘年前のことであります」、T9「先年イギリスで鐵道百年祭が催された時、スチーブンソンの汽車が始めて運轉した當時の有樣を實演しました。」、T10「スチーブンソンの汽車は其後幾度も改良を加へられ、數年後にはアメリカでもこれを用ひる事になりました。」、T11「その當時の汽車」、T12「我國では明治五年十月に始めて汽車が運轉しました。其の當時用ひられた第一号機關車はイギリスで製作せられたもので今尚ほ大切に保存せられてゐます。」、T13「今では我國の工場に於て進歩した大きな機關車がどしどし出來上るやうになりました。」、T14「最近では電氣機關車も次第に多く使はれてまゐりました。」、T15「處によってはガソリン機關を利用した氣動車も用ひられて居ります。」、T16「また電車も澤山使用されてゐます。」、T17「客車も初めの頃は、小さい四輪車が用ひられました。」、T18「これは車軸が、車體に固定して居ますから、レールの曲りの急な處では脱線します。」、T19「今では凡て大きなボギー車が用ひられます。」、T20「ボギー車では、車軸が車體に固定されてゐません。」、T21「故に、レールの曲りの處でも脱線しません。」、T22「また客車には、いろいろ便利な設備が出來て居ります。」、T23「展望車」、T24「昔は東京から京都まで十日の旅、今は急行列車で僅に七時間で行かれます。」、T25「明治五年始めて東京横濱間約二十粁に鐵道が敷かれて以來………。」、T26「今日までおよそ六十年間に我國の鐵道は延長約二万五千粁に達しました。」、T27「一國の文明は交通機關の發達程度によってわかると云はれます。我國の鐵道も今後まだまだ進歩するでありませう。」、T28「汽車の發達 終」。 |
| Censorship - Date and Number | |
| References | ・ "Introduction to New Educational Movies: The Development of the Train," Eiga Kyoiku, No. 47 (January 1932), p. 38 (with photos) ・ Chuzo Aochi, "1932 Outstanding Educational Film recommended by the Association of Movies for Schools (managed by Daimai): The Development of the Train," Katsuei, No. 36 (May 1933), p. 30 (with photos). |
| Frames per Second | 18fps |
| Source of Digital Copy | The 16mm positive owned by Planet Film Archive -> The 35mm internegative owned by NFC |
| Completeness | no main titele no credit titles |
| Additional Notes | The mark of "*" will provide an additional explanation gained from the bibliographical information. |
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