Why I like International Movies I finally discovered answers to questions concerning movies. My questions were; why do movies fascinate me and millions of people,why do we watch them,what is important about movies. Though there are many different answers and some may change from time to time, I think movies are one of the broadest ways to learn the cultures of different countries,and yes, that was my mother's way of introducing my ancestral country and its culture to me. It continues to be one of my husband's and my way(s) of doing the same, Movies,as stated in one of these websites listed below, is "How change during the past to present is shown, and how we evolve as a people,community,and world. We learn all genres and styles, and mannerisms and all times from movies." My wish and hope is that worldwide more movie producers,directors,and actors and actresses will intertwine,work,and make movies together inter-countryly producing more movies promoteing peace. My humbe beginnings into the fascination of movies began at the Japan Cultural Center in San Francisco. Three theaters all centered around Laguna street,Post street,Buchannan street,and Sutter Streets hooked us into the Japanese world of movies and actors like Ken Takakura(also famous for Black Rain,) and Okawa Hashizo (Zenigata Heiji) and others. The first theater was KOKUSAI GEKIJO (International Theater) then, a family-owned theater which has long been changed into a fast-food place. It was exciting to watch for the coming movies with all the colorful movies posters in the show-windows. Another theater we watched Japanese movies was the KINMON GAKUEN (Golden Gate School) which I also learned basic Japanese writing (hiragana,katagana,and basic shuji), Movies were whown inside that school auditorium, a very old auditorium with unpainted scraped-off-floors and fold-up-chairs which we sat on. I had known that l20,000 Japanese Americans were forced from their homes to Internment Camps in the l940s,and that many were forced out of their homes to build the Japan Center Cultural Center by the kintestsu Enterprises of Japan. (it was a strange feeling seeing that entire block from laguan to Fillmore being re-built into the Center!) but,recently also learned that Kinmom Gakuen was also a place where both "citizens and foreign-born were ordered to register and eventually report for processing" according to one of my sources. SOKOJI HALL ,situated on Sutter street was originally a Jewish Temple, but by the l960s was used for Zen meditators,and a place where old movies were shwon in the weekend evenings. I remember the benches stuffed with the strawy-ish stuffings and the dark-maroon-color cloth, and the ping pong table in the back-room behind the movie screen. Yet another hug looking modern theater on Post Street across from the Past bowling Center near the Toraya Restaurant,in the past, showed elaborate extravagant Japanese traditional Takarazuka, and Buyo dances. These are tidbits of information and memories which occasionally pass my mind while watching movies with my husband and daughters. My mother and I often went to Chinatown, where we enjoyed watching Mt. Zhu(forgive my spelling please)and lots of other action movies. We are old bats,so were familiarized with Adam Cheng the actor/singer of The Famous Sword, and other tv. series like King of Kings, and my other favorite, Ten Tsiu Peng (Iam still trying to find out the singer's name of that song about the Chinese sword-fighter who lives in the mountains....)and we still love listening to the Chinese Era-movies song lyrics. We look forward to updateing on many of the younger generation of actors and actresses and their movies.! ______________________________________________________________ History of Hong Kong movies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_Hong_Kong History of Hong Kong movies and cinematography. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_China History of Chinese cinematography http://www.gildasattic.com/sunyu.html History of Sun Yu (l900-l990) http://www.gildasattic.com/sunyu.html Hong kong motion picture rating system. http://www.simonyam.com/hkmw/producers/ Hong Kong movie productions,producers, and entertainment listing. http://www.simonyam.com/hkmw/producers/ Hong kong Action Cinema list will be updated ______________________________________________________________ History of Japanese movie cinematography http://www.frommers.com/destinations/kyo/A23819.html Eiga Mura (Toei movieland.) The Big 5 productions of Japan; Daiei, Toho,Nikkatsu,Toei,and Shochiku http://www.historyvortex.org/HistoryDaiei.html The history of Daiei movie productions. Producers of Zato Ichi (blind Swordsman Series.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zatoichi Zato Ichi series, starring katsu Shintaro,He's the younger brother of Tomisaburo Wakayam,who starred in the movie series, called, The Lone Wolf and child." Both these actors were proficient with the sword and Judo. Katsu Shintaro often did on-stage shows of his Zato Ichi character. http://www.newsfinder.org/site/more/tomisaburo_wakayama/ Biography of actor Tomisaburo,Wakayama http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toho Toho movie production history. http://www.tohokingdom.com/movies/actress.htm Toho Kingdom list of Toho company actors and actresses with brief biographies. http://www.shochikufilms.com/festival/110th.htm History of Shochiku animation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikkatsu Nikkatsu movie production history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abarenbo_Shogun Abarenbo Shogun, Japanese Era movie series. list to be updated. ______________________________________________________________