A long time before dialogue became an integral part of cinema, audiences around the world relied on live musicians and title cards to follow along with the silent films. However, these silent films saw a different kind of evolution in Japan, which set it apart from Hollywood and much of the rest of the world. The Japanese theatres hired benshi, professional live narrators who stood beside the screen and voiced every character, instead of just letting their audience interpret scenes on their own. The benshi explained the plot and added dramatic commentary, eventually transforming silent films into theatrical events, giving the audience an experience that was more about the storyteller than the movie itself. Notably, according to many film historians, the benshi tradition became so influential that many people attended theatres in hopes of listening to famous narrators rather than watching the movie. Japan’s benshi, therefore, played an active role in shaping how the audiences understood and emotionally responded to a story, unlike Western silent films, where musicians typically accompanied the films.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
