The Roman Porno + Pink thread

[logboy]

the mailing list that outlines the announcements suggest this is a line in its own right. not clear if it's also part of their sub label for japan.

the reputation for these particular gaira films never seems to fade, and i'd count it as one that is now more accepted than questioned. it's as though nobody knows why they're well known, but buys into it when they reappear on a newer format or edition.

the difficulty in selling more unfamiliar films with some connections to ones like this should be highlighted by them appearing at the same / similar time from the same company. i can already sense a lot of indifference or maybe shyness about these RP, now they are about to release, but that does seem to follow this stuff around when it's sold in the west.

people will still miss out if they don't look further into these at least. i'd like trailers for each of course. there still work to do explaining pros and cons of the structures, stories and techniques employed in making them.

[Guro Taku]

the mailing list that outlines the announcements suggest this is a line in its own right. not clear if it's also part of their sub label for japan.

The email I got says they are part of their "NIKKATSU ROMAN PORNO COLLECTION", which sounds pretty specific and can't possibly include other Japanese films. Just kind of odd that their Gaira Box set seems to be its own separate thing and not part of that line like it should be. I do hope they release many more titles as part of that line, party because Synapse looks to have other priorities right now and partly because 88 Films will release them on BDs instead of DVDs. A while ago I'd have been worried about the British censors but they have been pretty lenient recently, so hopefully that'll mostly be a non-issue.

the reputation for these particular gaira films never seems to fade, and i'd count it as one that is now more accepted than questioned. it's as though nobody knows why they're well known, but buys into it when they reappear on a newer format or edition.

I figure they are well known because they were among the first of their sort to receive official releases outside Japan with English subtitles - back in the 90ies, on VHS, from Dutch label Japan Shock. They are also more violent and grotesque than the majority of RP films, and that clearly earned them a reputation with a certain crowd. The problem is that this same crowd probably would be disappointed with more standard RP fare.

[logboy]

the mailing list that outlines the announcements suggest this is a line in its own right. not clear if it's also part of their sub label for japan.

The email I got says they are part of their "NIKKATSU ROMAN PORNO COLLECTION", which sounds pretty specific and can't possibly include other Japanese films.

their 'japanarchy' sub label, which i can barely bring myself to type. it's the year 2000 all over again.

the reputation for these particular gaira films never seems to fade, and i'd count it as one that is now more accepted than questioned. it's as though nobody knows why they're well known, but buys into it when they reappear on a newer format or edition.

I figure they are well known because they were among the first of their sort to receive official releases outside Japan with English subtitles - back in the 90ies, on VHS, from Dutch label Japan Shock. They are also more violent and grotesque than the majority of RP films, and that clearly earned them a reputation with a certain crowd. The problem is that this same crowd probably would be disappointed with more standard RP fare.

they were big on japan shock when they made it to dvd. i bought into them then, never worked out why people bypassed others in the RP line that have appeared in the years since.

if you're after horror, or they're horror fans picking them up, there's others that are as violent and gory. if you like anything extreme genre-wise, plenty there in RP to be had. some films with frequent mentions of other famous directors whenever they're reviewed that never went on to pick up reputations.

it's a bit like bands, with films. if you can establish a reputation, plenty of people just pick them up all too easily. i'd actually expect far more personal curation form film fandom, because there's such a huge variety out there, even if you're only looking at stuff released with the subtitles you might require.

[Guro Taku]

88 Films have now also announced Noboru Tanaka's WATCHER IN THE ATTIC (江戸川乱歩猟奇館 屋根裏の散歩者, 1976) and Masanao Sakao's SWEDEN PORNO: BLONDE ANIMAL (スェーデン・ポルノ 金髪アニマル, 1972) for BD releases in December.

[HungFist]

I posted this at BD.com in hopes that some distributor would take notice and release something I'd actually care to buy (well, there's a couple of titles on the list that I already have on Japanese BD, but anyway).

Roman Porno Recommendations for Distributors

With both 88 Films and Third Window Films having released / announced a number of Roman Porno releases recently, I couldn't help but to compile my own list of recommendations based on a little under 400 Roman Porno films that I've seen. These are accomplished and interesting films that go far beyond sleaze, though obviously are not short on skin and sex either. I've divided them very roughly into two categories: films that lean more towards genre movies, and those that lean more towards quirky drama or slice of life drama. Some of the films could easily have been on either list.

Recommended Films with a Genre Movie flavour (Available in HD as far as I know)

Retreat through the Wet Wasteland (濡れた荒野を走れ) (1973)
Arguably one of the most important Japanese crime films of the 70s, this utterly nihilist beast cop tale follows a group of corrupt detectives (who among other things rob churches) man-hunting their former colleague, who has escaped from a mental prison and could bring their crimes to publicity. Directed by early 70s Nikkatsu Outlaw cinema master Yukihiro Sawada. Takeo Chii gives perhaps his career best performance as a devil with a badge.



Sex Rider: Wet Highway (セックス・ライダー 濡れたハイウェイ) (1971) and Sex Rider: Injured Lust (セックス・ライダー　傷だらけの欲情) (1973)
Two highly stylised crime / action / road movie cocktails from Koretsugu Kurahara, one of Nikkatsu’s rebel action directors who refused to let go of the studio’s past. Both films mix elements of older gangster and youth pictures, with the first movie being a more of a road film and the even better second movie an urban ballad about two desperate lovers (brother and sister) on the run from the police and the entire world!



Female Delinquent: A Docu-Drama (実録不良少女　姦) (1977)
Lady Snowblood director Toshiya Fujita’s gritty delinquent girl masterpiece is, in my opinion, the best Roman Porno picture of all time. Based on a real delinquent’s autography, the film feels like Kinji Fukasaku and Noboru Tanaka joint-directing a Pinky Violence picture with Roman Porno sensibilities. Features fantastic performances (including Yuya Uchida in a supporting role) and an epic rock soundtrack!



Girl’s Pleasure: Man Hunting (横須賀男狩り　少女・悦楽) (1977)
Toshiya Fujita’s second best Roman Porno picture is a ferocious revenge tale which turns gender roles upside down. Based on a competition winning screenplay by one of Roman Porno’s few female writers, Machiko Nasu, modern audiences would probably call the movie "Tarantino-esque" with its clever mixture of pop music, sudden shocking violence, and characters’ paths crossing ironically by pure coincidence.



Erotic Liaisons (エロチックな関係) (1977)
One of Nikkatsu’s most stylish pictures, a slick neo-noir following a private detective (Yuya Uchida) who falls in love with the femme fatale he’s supposed to spy on. Soon bodies start piling up. Stylishly directed by Yasuharu Hasesebe, with stand-out performances (especially by the perfectly cast Uchida, and his secretary Reiko Kayama), and a distinctly European feel, probably due to being based on French author Raymond Marlot’s hard boiled novel that has been relocated to Japan.



Painful Bliss! Final Twist (悶絶!! どんでん返し) (1977)
An absolutely insane mix of yakuzas, pop-art, and trans awakenings. If Takashi Miike, Pedro Almodovar and Noboru Tanaka had merged to make a movie, this is probably what it would look like. Though it turns out, all it took was Tatsumi Kumashiro to make this film. One of the maddest, most joyful films in the Roman Porno series.



Rolling on the Road (嗚呼！おんなたち　猥歌) (1981)
Master filmmaker Tatsumi Kumashiro and legendary rock star Yuya Uchida joined forces for this incredible rock n roll sleaze explosion starring Uchida as himself (though the character has a different name, it's clearly based on Uchida, and the plot follows relatively closely Uchida's notorious real life misadventures) and oh boy, he does not hold back one bit!



Girl and the Wooden Horse Torture (団鬼六　少女木馬責め) (1982)
I am not a fan of S&M films, but this movie is a different beast compared to the rest. Visually talented director Fumihiko Kato helms a gripping psychological drama based on a Takashi Ishii screenplay about a high school girl obsessed with her teacher, who has been fired on false rape accusations. The highly visual, noirish and nightmarish film is both surprising and character driven, and feels like an Angel Guts movie with an S&M theme.



Orgasm Mariko (オーガズム　真理子) (1985)
From the director of Girl and the Wooden Horse Torture and the writer of Hausu, this bloody revenge thriller full of menstruation blood, about a girl trying to kill as many sleazy truckers as she possibly can, is a cult classic waiting to be discovered. It is currently trending in Japan, with a brand new 35mm print produced earlier this year for theatrical showing, and a new digital HD master released on DVD. But who's going to release it on BD?



+ Please make these available in HD (HD master might exist, but I'm not aware of)

Assault (暴行！) (1976)
Another crime film by the director of Retreat through the Wet Wasteland. This is a remarkably dark and bleak home invasion tale obviously influenced by Straw Dogs.The eight minute climax is a melancholic ballad of violence that rivals the best scenes directed by Sam Peckinpah and John Woo.



Woman of the Afternoon: Incite (昼下りの女　挑発！！) (1979)
One of the most refreshing and disturbing films in the Roman Porno series, this picture starts out as a breezy road movie following a liberated woman on a countryside road trip… until she takes a wrong turn and ends up somewhere in the Deliverance and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre territory.



Burai no onna (ＢＵ・ＲＡ・Ｉの女) (1988)
The best Japanese yakuza film of the 80s, hidden in the Roman Porno line-up. Future DTV super star Hitoshi Ozawa stars as novice yakuza who is sent to Okinawa to commit an assassination, but does he have the guts to kill a man? While he’s sweating in hotel rooms, hanging out in bars and hooking up with old friends, the boss (Hideo Murota) sends a pair of psycho killers to ensure the job gets done. This movie is the missing link between Okinawa Yakuza War and Sonatine.



Recommended Films with a Quirky Drama / Slice of Life flavour(Available in HD)

Delicate Skillful Fingers (白い指の戯れ) (1972)
Often considered the first truly great Roman Porno picture, this exceedingly stylish metropolitan tale is the perfect starting point to newcomers. Hiroko Isayama stars as an innocent girl who falls in love with a professional pickpocket and learns the trade. Directed by future action maestro Toru Murakawa at the height of his creativity, based on a terrific Tatsumi Kumashiro script, it could be described to modern viewers as the Tony Scott / Quentin Tarantino pairing of the 70s, plus the film features the greatest musical score ever committed to a Roman Porno picture. Roman Porno films don't get cooler than this!



Circuit of Sorrow (Love and Death at Fuji Speedway) (哀愁のサーキット) (1972)
Another highly rewarding Toru Murakawa film, this true account is one of the most unique projects ever conceived in the Roman Porno line. Based on a real life romance between a race driver and a pop star, this is another incredibly stylish film, and features one of the greatest soundtracks of the 70s (not many Roman Porno films were accompanied by a soundtrack LP at the time of their release, but this was). Also, it’s the only Roman Porno car racing film! This and Delicate Skillful Fingers are better and more stylish than almost any of the later films Murakawa did.



Love Hunter: Lust (恋の狩人　欲望) (1973)
Director Seiichiro Yamaguchi was arrested and trialled for obscenity when he released Love Hunter in 1972. He responded by making this angry, poetic and ultra-political follow-up film about a stripper (anti-establishment icon Mari Tanaka) arrested on similar charges. A hugely interesting critique on the Japanese legal system, the hypocrisy of the authorities, and prejudice against anyone, particularly women, who challenge established conservative values.



Woman's Trail: Wet Path (おんなの細道　濡れた海峡) (1980)
A beautifully melancholic film about middle aged people wandering aimlessly in snowy coastal towns after losing their loved ones. A mature, atypical Roman Porno film depicting the passing of time. Wong Kar Wai fans should feel at home.



Rape Ceremony (暴行儀式) (1980)
An intelligent, gritty youth drama with broken chronology, hidden under a horrendous misleading title (it should actually be Assault Ceremony). It’s about two generations of misguided young men: a former biker gang who disbanded under police pressure, and a group of fresh high school graduates, who intended to join the gang, now stalking and attacking their former idols who betrayed their hopes. Written by one of Japanese cinema’s all time best writers, Haruhiko Arai, and directed by Kichitaro Negishi, this masterpiece feels very much like an Art Theater Guild film. The 2nd best Roman Porno of all time IMO. Just change the title!



Crazed Fruit (狂った果実) (1981)
Another excellent Kichitaro Negishi / Haruhiko Arai picture, this time a loose updating of the 50s Sun Tribe classic of the same name. It’s less political, more intimate and more psychological with Negishi’s trademark complex characters, superb lensing with plenty of handheld street cinematography, terrific performances, and a great use of pop music. Again, feels like an Art Theater Guild film. You can find the fantastic theme song by "Alice" on YouTube (search for 狂った果実(Live ver.)



Red Violation (赤い暴行) (1981)
This low-key rock band docudrama following the real life 80s rock band Devils is not only one of the most unique Roman Porno productions of all time, it’s also one of the best rock band films ever made. And, it features one hell of a soundtrack! It's a film that could easily have been produced by ATG.



Jealousy Game (ジェラシー・ゲーム) (1982)
Yoichi Higashi’s psychological road movie about a middle aged couple (Yosuke Natsuki & Toei star Reiko Oshida) travelling in Hokkaido by Harley Davidson when they get caught up in a jealous younger couple’s relationship games. Breezy, intelligent and well acted by a strictly mainstream cast, this was one of the Eros daisaku projects within Roman Porno, intended to bridge the gap between Roman Porno and mainstream cinema. Written by Akiko Tanaka, one of the few female Roman Porno writers.



+ Please make this available in HD (HD master might exist, but I'm not aware of)

Midnight Fairy (真夜中の妖精) (1973)
A desperate young man ditched by his girlfriend hooks up with a mentally challenged prostitute. This is a superb arthouse Roman Porno: poignant, visually stylish, and features lots of great 1970s footage filmed on location on streets and in small bars. The film also never feels pretentious: it's fun, playful, fast paced and full of colourful characters from hookers to trans people and everything in between.



Beauty’s Exotic Dance: Torture (発禁本「美人乱舞」より　責める！) (1977)
The final and best film in Noboru Tanaka's Mad Love trilogy, a haunting psychological examination of love and obsession. It's namely an S&M film, but Tanaka is more interested in the mental aspect of an S&M relationship, and its consequences on both body and mind, than exploitation. Unlike the typical genre fair, this is set mainly outdoors in freezing cold snowy landscapes. Probably Tanaka’s best film and the most accomplished S&M themed movie by Nikkatsu (unlike the Naomi Tani junk they’re better known for).



Pink Hip Girl (桃尻娘　ピンク・ヒップ・ガール) (1978)
A major turning point in the Roman Porno series, this incredibly breezy and likeable youth film / road movie started a new era where Nikkatsu was trying to turn Roman Porno into a mainstream trend. One of the best Roman Porno pictures, easily, and earned director Koyu Ohara a reputation as Japan’s top “pop-art director”.



Fujunna kankei (不純な関係) (1984)
Roman Porno vending machine Shogoro Nishimura surprises with late work that I'd consider his best Roman Porno picture (he directed nearly 100). It's an incredibly well written, superbly directed and acted marriage drama about a wife (Ako) who discovers his husband is cheating on her with a younger beauty (Natsuko Yamamoto). Her attempts to make sense of it, and perhaps get even, result in a narrative that going against every pink film cliche in the most refreshing way. A breath of fresh air in the genre. The real stand out is though is Ako, the underrated, eccentric Shuji Terayama protege whose career was a mixture of Roman Porno, Arthouse Guild, Toei, Shochiku, and Toho films.

[Guro Taku]

A very solid list! Like I used to do whenever Synapse announced their Nikkatsu RP batches, I now wonder how the likes of 88 Films pick their licenses. Somehow it always feels like a completely random selection. As if these companies tell Nikkatsu to sell them the rights to 10 or 25 or whatever randomly picked titles. Or maybe Nikkatsu sells them in pre-arranged batches where they combine desired titles with less popular picks? I was told something along those lines years ago. Basically you can cherry-pick films you want and pay a ton of money for each one separately ($25.000 is what I heard and that was 15 years ago) or you can pick up licenses to a batch and pay much less per title. No idea if that's still true.

Anyway, very happy to see you come around on the towering masterpiece ORGASM MARIKO. From initially giving it a 2/5 review to including it in this list! I knew you were not a completely lost cause. This is a film tailor-made for Mondo Macabro in my opinion. Their regular customers would lose their minds over it.

[HungFist]

Anyway, very happy to see you come around on the towering masterpiece ORGASM MARIKO. From initially giving it a 2/5 review to including it in this list! I knew you were not a completely lost cause. This is a film tailor-made for Mondo Macabro in my opinion. Their regular customers would lose their minds over it.

Haha, this was just me trying to be fair and unselfish. I haven't seen the film since then, but I figured others would enjoy it and it could be a good seller, hence the promotion. Though who knows, perhaps I'd love it too if I saw it again. I'd give it a go if they released it on BD!