My copy of the new Japanese version of Lulu in Hollywood just arrived!

Just before the tariffs were set to go into effect, I ordered a copy of the newest version of Louise Brooks' Lulu in Hollywood, which was published in Japan in 2023. I don't read Japanese, but as a completest, I had to have a copy! Despite the fact that shipping to the United States was as much as the cost of the book (which was ¥3,520), I am glad I ordered a copy, as being able to flip through the book was an informative pleasure. For those of you who may be curious, I purchased the book through Amazon Japan. See the link HERE.

On the left is the book itself, while the image to the right
is the book with its wrap around paper band.

This newest edition of Lulu in Hollywood was published by Kokusho Kankokai on April 10, 2023. It is a handsomely designed 340 page hardback book. Here is the publisher's description: 

完全なる幻影、夢の女……ハリウッドの反逆者……悪女の誘惑……ミューズの蠱惑……アンチスターの肖像……魔的な美、堕ちた天使……エロスの化身……

サイレント期アメリカ映画界で活躍し、グレタ・ガルボ、マレーネ・ディートリッヒと並び称され、今もハリウッド黄金時代のミューズとして多くの人々に愛されている伝説の女優、ルイズ・ブルックス（1906-1985）。〈自由な精神の権化〉たる自らの人生を軽やかに語り、40年の長きにわたって読み継がれている自伝的エッセイの傑作がついに登場（1982年刊）。
すべての男女を破滅に導く“宿命の女”ルルを演じて神話的存在となった代表作『パンドラの箱』ほか、『人生の乞食』『淪落の女の日記』などの主演映画の舞台裏、W・C・フィールズ、ハンフリー・ボガートなどのハリウッド・スターやウィリアム・ウェルマン、G・W・パプストなどの監督との交友、そして魑魅魍魎が跋扈するハリウッド・バビロンの〈天国と地獄〉を歯に衣着せぬ闊達な文章で綴る。
序文＝ウィリアム・ショーン　解説＝ロッテ・H・アイスナー、ケネス・タイナン

＊原書刊行時に寄せられた絶賛評

〈辛辣で、威勢がよく、饒舌。機知や悪口が小気味よく飛び交う。『ハリウッドのルル』でブルックスは、ともに生きた僚友たちの、彼女の鋭い目が射貫いたありのままの姿を共感こめて描いている。その前では多くの映画解説者の神秘めかした物言いはカビ臭く聞こえてしまう。ここでのルイズ・ブルックスは、香に包まれ、花の冠を戴いた清浄の女神ではなく、皮肉な警句を飛ばす生きのいい話相手であり、通俗やもったいぶった感傷癖とは正反対のところに身を置いている〉　ジェイムズ・ウォルコット「エスクワイア」

〈無駄のない奔放な文体で書かれた、時代の証言たり得るこれらのエッセイは、アメリカ映画に関する文章で私がこれまでに読んだ最高のもののひとつだ……22歳のルイズ・ブルックスは“ルル”を映画史に刻み込んだ。75歳の彼女は『ハリウッドのルル』でもうひとつの至芸を見せた〉ジョン・ラー「ニューヨーク・タイムズ・ブックレビュー」

〈深い洞察とめくるめく自在な語り口――ダイヤモンドの切れ味を持った文章は爽快で、その美しさは表現の正確さに裏打ちされている〉　「フィルム・コメント」

【目次】
序文　ウィリアム・ショーン
第１章　カンザスからニューヨークへ
第２章　『人生の乞食』のロケ撮影
第３章　マリオン・デイヴィスの姪
第４章　ハンフリーとボギー
第５章　W・C・フィールズのもうひとつの顔
第６章　リリアン・ギッシュとグレタ・ガルボ
第７章　パプストとルル
エピローグ　なぜ私は回想録を書かないか
私の見たルイズ・ブルックスーー目撃証人は語る　ロッテ・Ｈ・アイスナー
黒ヘルメットの女　ケネス・タイナン
ルイズ・ブルックス　フィルモグラフィー
訳者あとがき
索引（人名・映画題名）

The text (including captions) is entirely in Japanese except for the copyright page, which tells me this version is based on the original 1982 version published by Knopf - except that it isn't. Not quite. 

Here is what I found:

As with the original 1982 edition, the foreword is by William Shawn. The Kenneth Tynan essay, "The Girl in the Black Helmet," which served as a foreword to the expanded University of Minnesota Press edition published in the year 2000, has been moved to the back of the book alongside the Lottie Eisner piece, "A Witness Speaks," which serves as an afterword and appears in both editions. Also included in this recent Japanese edition is an eighth essay, "Why I Will Never Write My Memoirs," which had also been added to the University of Minnesota Press edition.

In effect, this Japanese edition is a sort of hybrid of the two prior American editions. Besides the addition of illustrated end papers, the selection and arrangement of images seems to be the same as the two prior American editions. The image quality is very good. The translation was done by Takaharu Miyamoto, who has translated a handful of other works of film history into Japanese including Kevin Brownlow's The Parade's Gone By.

As I don't read Japanese, I can't comment on the quality of the translation. (The book has received a rating of 4.8 out of 5, with one individual commenting, "I wonder if Louise Brooks was what they call a 'beautiful writer,' because the translation was not particularly pleasant to read. But I was very happy just to have a book with so many precious photos of Louise Brooks . As a woman myself, I almost sighed at the thought that such a beautiful person once existed.")

Nevertheless, this recent Japanese edition is a vast improvement on the prior "edition" of Lulu in Hollywood which was published in Japan by Chuokoron-Sha Inc. in 1984. It is pictured below with its wrap around paper band.

 

This earlier Japanese edition of Lulu in Hollywood is radically different in its design, its selection of text, and its selection of images. Edited by Shohei Ooka and titled Ruizu Burukkusu to “Ruru” (or Louise Brooks to “Lulu”), this edition is a 116-page, heavily illustrated, Japanese language book "about" and by the actress; it contains Brooks’ “Gish and Garbo” and “Pabst and Lulu” along with a filmography and the images contained in the original Lulu in Hollywood.

If you want to learn more about Lulu in Hollywood, be sure and check out the small grouping of pages dedicated to the book on the Louise Brooks Society website. There is a page on the book itself, an illustrated page devoted to the various international editions, and an annotated bibliography surveying the books many reviews. Each page has been updated in the last few months. Complimentary to the three LBS website pages is the books' Wikipedia page, which I authored last year following the outcry of a fan who "insisted" I create one since one did not exist. 

I wonder, how many fans would like to see an expanded edition of Lulu in Hollywood, which brings together some of Brooks' uncollected writings? Or how about an annotated edition?  Or how about an edition that does both?

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original contents copyright © 2025. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.