After 7.5 years of hard work, the archive portion of the Makino Collection is now fully processed, and a complete online finding aid has been published to assist interested scholars in identifying what part(s) of this enormous collection might be of use to their research. The Collection has, from the start, been in high demand. Yet, given the enormous amount of material, we are convinced scholars have only just begun to scratch the surface of the Collection’s potential.
The Collection is arranged in twenty two series and several subseries as well as sub-subseries. The physical organization reflects the original order; the finding aid reflects its intellectual arrangement by topic.
• Series I: Director Files, 1932-2005
• Series II: Critic Files, 1929-1998
• Series III: Film-related Individuals’ Files, 1863-2002 [Bulk Dates: 1900s-1950s]
• Series IV: Film Production Company Files (Studio Files), 1920-1995
• Series V: Scenarios, 1923-1990
• Series VI: Subject Files, 1908-2006
• Series VII: East Asian (Pre- and Post-War), 1923-2006
• Series VIII: Okinawan Cinema, 1999-2004
• Series IX: Western Cinema (Pre- and Post-War), 1918-2003
• Series X: Pre-War and Wartime Magazines, 1913-1981 [Bulk Dates:1930s]
• Series XI: Post-War Magazines, 1945-2004
• Series XII: Movie Theater Handbills/ Chirashi (Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa periods), circa 1870-1968
• Series XIII: Handbills/ Chirashi for Vaudeville Shows and Revues, 1915-1976
• Series XIV: Post-War Ephemera, 1949-2007 [Bulk Dates: 1970s-1990s]
• Series XV: Museums, Exhibitions and Film Catalogs, 1920-2005 [Bulk Dates: 1980s-1990s]
• Series XVI: Film Festival Materials, 1955-2006 [Bulk Dates:1990s-2000s]
• Series XVII: Photos and Posters, 1911-1987 [Bulk Dates:1920-1940]
• Series XVIII: Newspapers, 1926-1988 [Bulk Dates:1940s-1950s]
• Series XIX: Silent Film Materials, 1967-2002
• Series XX: Audio-Visual Materials, circa 1980s-2000s
• Series XXI: Other Film Related Materials and Books, 1891-1996
• Series XXII: Makino Mamoru Papers, circa 1970s-2015
Given the enormous size of the collection, and the level of detail in which it has been described, the finding aid is substantial, and perhaps somewhat intimidating. It includes extensive descriptions of the 22 series, and links out to no less than 80 (!) downloadable Excel spreadsheets, providing all the details needed to identify items. Do let us know if you have any questions about its use.
A very big thank you is due to the two archivists who tirelessly plodded through the daunting task of processing the materials. Beth Katzoff performed this task from Fall 2008 through Spring 2014, with periodic assistance from Atsuko Oya, while in the remaining 1.5 year Miki Masuda, with periodic assistance from Shuran Chen, finalized the process.