Burglars of "Baghdad" Castle
About Burglars of "Baghdad" Castle
In Baguda, capital of Azuma, the lazy pickpocket Dangobei finds a charm the castle princess has dropped and sets off for Dragon Castle, whose treasure will make him her husband. In the snow country he drives off a centaur who is bullying the snow spirit, using the tip of his umbrella, and the spirit tells him not to waste the snow caught on it. At Demon Abyss a rival is eaten by a dragon; Dangobei throws the snowy umbrella into the dragon's mouth and it vanishes. The spirit leads him under the water to Dragon Castle, where he takes a wish-granting orb and rides Pegasus home. An enemy is attacking Baguda. The orb raises him an army, he saves the castle, marries the princess, and the town keeps festival with a portable shrine by day and fireworks at night.
Cast & crew
More about Burglars of "Baghdad" Castle
Noburō Ōfuji's official debut, and the first film animated on chiyogami paper. Dangobei, sometimes read Dango no Hyōe, appears here for the first time. Japanese Animated Film Classics lists the original as three 35mm reels, 666 meters, 30 minutes at 18 frames per second, and credits distributor Chūō Eigasha with a release on July 15, 1926. The title plays on the American film The Thief of Bagdad (1924).
Themes
Technique
Figures are cut from patterned chiyogami paper and moved under the camera. The archive times the original 35mm version at 18 frames per second.
Preservation
What survives is a 16mm Marvel Graph digest issued by the Jūjiya small-gauge division, not the three-reel 35mm original. Japanese Animated Film Classics says the digital copy comes from a 16mm positive given by private donors and marks that digest complete, without credit titles.
Notes
- The Japanese title is 馬具田城の盗賊 (Bagudajō no tōzoku).
- A title card calls Dangobei the laziest man in the capital and another says all happiness must be won by one's own effort.
- The surviving copy opens with a Marvel Graph title card from the Jūjiya small-gauge division.
- The next chiyogami short, The Story of the Monkey King (1926), followed this one.
Scenes
- Dangobei throws his snow-covered umbrella into the dragon's mouth at Demon Abyss.
- He rides Pegasus back to Baguda and the orb raises an army.
- After the wedding the town parades a portable shrine by day and sets off fireworks at night.
Influenced by
- The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
Also available
- Japanese Animated Film Classics (work 15479)
- Wikimedia Commons (Burglars of Baghdad Castle (1926).webm)
Quotes
Do not treat the snow accumulated on your umbrella carelessly." — the snow spirit
All happiness is to be gained by your own effort.
