298 Gate of Flesh

[Martha]

Gate of Flesh

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/1268/298_box_348x490_w128.jpg[/img]

In the shady black markets and bombed-out hovels of post–World War II Tokyo, a tough band of prostitutes eke out a dog-eat-dog existence, maintaining tenuous friendships and a semblance of order in a world of chaos. But when a renegade ex-soldier stumbles into their midst, lusts and loyalties clash, with tragic results. With Gate of Flesh (Nikutai no mon), visionary director Seijun Suzuki delivers a whirlwind of social critique and pulp drama, shot through with brilliant colors and raw emotions.

Special Features

- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Exclusive new video interview with director Seijun Suzuki and production designer Takeo Kimura
- Stills gallery of rare archival production photos and art
- Original theatrical trailer
- New and improved English subtitle translation
- PLUS: a new essay by noted Asian-cinema critic Chuck Stephens

Criterionforum.org user rating averages

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[oldsheperd]

Is there a diference between pinku and Roman Porno? Is Roman porno strictly Nikkatsu?

[the dancing kid]

Roman porno is Nikkatsu's line, and "pinky violence" is Toei. The other studios also had their own versions of the pink film, and sometimes they're all lumped together as pinku eiga. There are some minor differences between each group, but they all pretty much use the same formula of sex and violence.

Gate of Flesh isn't technically a pink film, and it predates the "official" move to sexploitation by a few years. It is sometimes attributed as motivating the genre though, and I believe it was the first mainstream Japanese film to feature nudity.

[lord_clyde]

the dancing kid wrote:

I believe it was the first mainstream Japanese film to feature nudity.

According to Asian Cult Cinema #21, that is correct.

[BrightEyes23]

Well, to keep this on topic, how is the film? I've got a R2 of it now is the film itself worth watching now or is it something that I'm not missing out on terribly if I choose to wait?

(and part me kinda hopes that someone's great with photoshop and is pulling an april fools joke on us, cause, as many have stated...these titles arent exactly overwhelmingly awesome releases).

[Michael Kerpan]

> these titles arent exactly overwhelmingly awesome releases

Criterion must have SOME reason to believe that these are more saleable than more Ozu or any Mizoguchi or Naruse at all.

[Tribe]

Criterion must have SOME reason to believe that these are more saleable than more Ozu or any Mizoguchi or Naruse at all.

Has anyone thought that maybe those Ozus and Mizoguchis aren't ready for release yet?

Sheesh.

Tribe

[the dancing kid]

I personally think this is a great film, but I have't seen the R2 release, so I can't help you out there.

As I said in the Story of a Prostitute thread, this is Suzuki's most political film, and it's closest he gets to being polemic. Like Story of a Prostitute (and even Carmen from Kawachi), this is all about the exploitation of women, particularly in relation to the military, and to break out the film school jargon, the patriarchy. It's set during the post-war American occupation of Japan, and Suzuki pulls a Fassbinder by using the band of independent prostitutes as a national allegory for Japan's own indentiy during the post-war era. This is as colorful as Tokyo Drifter, and despite the quasi "social realism" of the content, the visuals are characteristically unreal for a Suzuki film. He uses a lot of super-impositions throught this, and even a little montage work. There's a small hint of Soviet influence in the way he uses some of these techniques, which I found really surprising.

This film does not paint a favorable picture of America by any stretch of the imagination, which in combination with the graphic content could potentionally alienate a lot of viewers. I think it's worth the gamble for Criterion though, and hopefully the black hole around Suzuki and this period in Japanese film will grow a little smaller after people get a chance to see this. It's really unlike anything else in the collection so far, and if you've never gotten the chance to see a Japanese exploitation film, you're in for quite the ride.

It isn't as graphic as say, the Female Convict Scorpion series, but it's still way out there in comparison to what most people will be accustomed to. It is a pretty daring release for Criterion, but I have to applaud them putting this out there. I would like to see Mizoguchi finally making his way to DVD as much as the next guy, but I think privileging a less known director is usefull in expaning the general public's horizons in film history. I'm writing my undergraduate thesis on Suzuki though, so I'm a little biased in that regard.

[Jeff]

Are we 100% sure that this leaked catalogue is legit and just not someone who's REALLY good with photoshop? Is there mroe than one source that's actually seen this catalogue other than the person that posted it?

I'll vouch for its authenticity. The Virgin Megastore in Denver has the same catalogs.

[DrewReiber]

I'm writing my undergraduate thesis on Suzuki though, so I'm a little biased in that regard.

Any chance I could read it after you've submitted it? Thanks.

[the dancing kid]

Sure. This semester I'm working on the preliminary version, which I'm trying to get under twenty pages (currently around thirty) so I can use it in my graduate school applications in the fall. Next semester I'm expanding it to an honors thesis at fifty pages, as well as doing an oral defense or something like that. The first version should be finished in May sometime, I'll let you know when it's available.

[Ashirg]

Amazon have it for pre-order for July 26th

[Hrossa]

- New video interview with art director Takeo Kimura

This has the possibility of being really interesting. Kimura was production designer for much of Suzuki's color work in the mid-60's, including Tokyo Drifter.

[Cinephrenic]

Criterion must have SOME reason to believe that these are more saleable than more Ozu or any Mizoguchi or Naruse at all.

Oh lord, just look at Salo.

[Michael Kerpan]

Oh lord, just look at Salo.

Does this indicate agreement -- or dissent?

[lord_clyde]

Tomorrow these two are finally released. I've been waiting so long I actually forgot all about them.

[djali999]

Picked this up yesterday and watched it, and was utterly bowled over by how powerful and pissed off this film is. It's not really at all like Suzuki's other work that I've been able to get ahold of so far, yet still clearly shows his mark - colors, cutting styles, theatrical lighting, and some other stuff that I'm simply not going to ruin.

Beautiful sets, too, and the interview is very worthwhile. Combined with the impeccable transfer (the only problem with which appears to be a notable quality pop when going in and coming out of transitions - shoddy lab work or having to revert to an inferior source? Anybody know?) this is a very worthwhile $30 disc. I only wish the liner notes were a little less, you know, show offy (alliterations abound!).

[Narshty]

Chuck Stephens is an ass. And the transition issues you mention are without doubt half-assed work from the original optical effects lab.

[lord_clyde]

Wow, what a great movie! And you mention it's a 30$ disc?! I picked it up for 19.99 at the video store. Chuck Stephens' essay was lame, fortunately the movie speaks for itself. And how about that Jo Shishido! What an awesome guy! Okay, time to watch Story of a Prostitute!!

[jorencain]

I just watched this and "Story of a Prostitute". Both were great, but I think I enjoyed the tragic mood of "Story of a Prostitute" a little bit more than the angry vibe of this one. I love the intensity of "Gate of Flesh" and I had flashbacks of "The Yakuza Papers" as I watched it.

And now I own 4 or 5 DVD's that contain graphic slaughtering of cow(s). WTF??? That's something I don't need to keep seeing; it's a little scary that I wasn't too bothered by it this time around.

[Cinephrenic]

Have you seen Blood of the Beast?

[jorencain]

Yeah, half of it while fast-forwarding.

[zedz]

A mad film, and a very nice disc. I'm rather taken with the multiple menus: every time I went back to the main menu it was different. The one with the falling flowers was particularly fetching. A very nice, completely superfluous, touch.

FYI, from the Easter Eggs thread:

Another one on Gate of Flesh: During the credits from the interviews section, an arrow will appear on the right side of the screen, push 'enter' and there's about four silent minutes of books and Japanese texts and sketches that must relate to the film somehow.

This must be the weirdest easter egg so far. It's more like eight minutes of panning across and zooming in on details from Suzuki's personal, annotated copy of the Gate of Flesh script (which he brandished during the interview). Long lingering shots on his handwritten annotations (and a few rough sketches), but all unsubtitled. This is probably a treasure trove of insight for a fluent reader of Japanese, but for the majority of us, simply mystifying. Adding to the oddness is the fact that the footage is not actually silent: you can hear the crew walking around the room and occasionally muttering to one another.

If anyone literate in Japanese can give us some idea of what we're looking at, this would be most appreciated!

[HistoryProf]

This was a bit of a sucker punch to the gut...a gritty flick that was hard to look away from. I guess I should have expected it to be so, I don't know....bold?...but the raw simmering anger in every Japanese character was pretty amazing to watch. I loved the interview w/ Suzuki and the set designer, which answered the questions I had about the set...I liked the effect they had of making it all the more surreal, which the immediate aftermath of the war must absolutely have seemed like. Toss in the rather ominous ending shot of Old Glory flying high and you've got one nasty little flick seething with resentment, confusion, and a touch of rage - all of which Suzuki freely admitted in the interview. A great addition all in all.

Chuck Stephens is an ass.

Funny - introduced to him this morning watching Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence and so looking forward to a good essay on a great film, but got Chuck Stephens instead. Then tonight I get him again! Why do they continue to use him for these powerful works of War Torn Japan? Is there no one better qualified to offer actual insight into the realities the films are exploring? I hate it when I like a film this much and the essays are just throw away self-satisfied nonsense.

[Steven H]

For fans of this film, Mark Schilling's No Borders, No Limits: Nikkatsu Action Cinema is worth picking up if for nothing but the Joe Shishido interview where he brings up this film, and, uhh, some of the ideas behind how to present sexuality in Gate of Flesh that Suzuki had concocted. Really interesting stuff.