Japanese Exploitation Films of the 70s

[Lino]

Just found out about this book and it looks very interesting. Does anyone know any more info?

[Lemdog]

Just a little update Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable has a R1 release date of Feb-14-2006 and Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701's Grudge Song has a R1 release date of Apr-25-2006.

[Lino]

Yes, both are being handled by Media Blasters as was the first title of the series. Now that the second one is OOP, it would be nice to see them all in a boxset if MB is able to score the rights for it. Here's hoping.

[Anonymous]

Media Blasters is also putting out the Sukeban Deka movies...(SD was an 80s TV series featuring a schoolgirl who fought with a metal yo-yo)

Hasebe's Black Tight Killers, apparently OOP from Image, and the Masamura titles from Fantoma, especially Blind Beast, deserve mention too

[Lino]

Just a little update Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable has a R1 release date of Feb-14-2006 and Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701's Grudge Song has a R1 release date of Apr-25-2006.

And here they are.

[Scharphedin2]

I suppose I will never cease to be amazed at the richness of the world of cinema... From reading this thread it appears that once you venture into the underground of filmmaking, it is like a chinese box... I thought Suzuki and Masumura represented the hidden underbelly of Japanese film... then I stumbled across Koji Wakamatsu (picked up ECSTASY OF THE ANGELS and GO, GO, SECOND TIME VIRGIN a couple of years back), and I had to admit to myself that here surely was an outlaw sensibility of a different breed... but, now, these films you are talking about here make even Koji sound like a Sunday school choir boy...

So, can someone help explain the fascination and merit of these films... I think I am fairly open-minded, especially when it comes to things Japanese. Certainly, I am the only kid on my block with a complete set of NAKED CITY and PAINKILLER CDs, and have even had the perversity to play music by AUBE and CONTAGIOUS ORGASM as bedtime listening.

Also, have any of you had a chance to view YUKOKU yet? I just ordered it from YesAsia and am practically bursting at the seams in anticipation of finally being able to see this short film (again, until half an hour ago, I would have thought that this counted as Japanese Exploitation... now, I am not sure, but I promise to leave the thread in peace, should I have trespassed).

[Lino]

So, can someone help explain the fascination and merit of these films...

If you buy the Pinky Violence set and go through the films and wonderful booklet that comes with it, at the end you'll pretty much understand what it's all about. Basically, it's about learning to enjoy low budget action cinema made with a profound sense of cinematic joy and inventiveness like only the japanese can provide.

For evidence, just compare one of the WIP (Women in Prison) films made at the time in America and one of the Sasori installments. Needless to say, the difference in both approach and artistry (yes, you can use this word here) is staggering.

For starters, just pick up Sex and Fury and you're on your way!

[Napier]

Annie Mall wrote

For starters, just pick up Sex and Fury and you're on your way!

Sex and Fury,and Pinky Violence are amazingly fun films, and great additions to any dvd collection.But I like Female Yakuza a little better than Sex and Fury.

[Scharphedin2]

Thank you Napier and Annie for your serious and kind replies to my post. I think I stumbled into this thread a little rashly, and should have read the thread more carefully (you know the new kid in the school ground, anxious to make friends ).

Actually, I think the answer to my question was in the thread -- the point about the undercurrent informing the flow of the main stream made early in the thread, which I completely agree with.

I have always been drawn towards Asian culture, and thought I had been fairly adventurous, so I was genuinely impressed with finding this whole subculture of Japanese films that I had never even heard of before. In fact, that goes for this whole forum... I am having a lot of fun reading through all of these threads, and hope that I can contribute positively in the future.

[Scharphedin2]

Went and ordered the PINKY VIOLENCE set, then realised I had seen the cover of the box before, so I went through the magazines that I bought in the past year, and found a 5-page article called "Pinky Violence" by someone called Tom Mea. It was the November 2005 issue of a magazine called "Rue Morgue," which is dedicated to "Horror in Culture and Entertainment". I originally picked it up based on a review of the new films by the Brothers Quay and Jan Svankmajer. I did not read the rest of the magazine at the time, but will read the pinky piece tomorrow, and report back if it says anything interesting.

[Scharphedin2]

OK, read the piece (by Tom Mes not Mea)...

It is a nice little introduction to the Pinky Violence genre, which pretty much covers the titles and territory that you have been through in this thread.

It talks briefly about the decline of the Japanese film industry in the late '60s/early '70s, draws the distinction between "pink film", and Toei studio's "Pinky Violence," which evolved out of a studio tradition for violent yakuza pictures up through the '60s, "...many revolving around wicked women gamblers." In the '70s Toei drifted towards the biker film genre, and soon the yakuza films and biker films spawned the hybrid "Pinky Violence."

The article discusses most of the films that you reference in the thread with short individual reviews of the films in the PINKY VIOLENCE COLLECTION, which I now admit I really look forward to seeing. However, the film that receives most attention is ZERO WOMAN: RED HANDCUFFS... I do not remember this title from the thread, but it is available in R1 from a new label called Discotek.

A lot of the article is based on interviews/comments by Chris D., an ex-California punk musician turned programmer for the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles. He has written a book entitled "Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film" -- apparently it took Chris D. five years to compile the research and write the book, and it is referenced as the encyclopedia of extreme Japanese film.

[Lino]

The article discusses most of the films that you reference in the thread with short individual reviews of the films in the PINKY VIOLENCE COLLECTION, which I now admit I really look forward to seeing. However, the film that receives most attention is ZERO WOMAN: RED HANDCUFFS... I do not remember this title from the thread, but it is available in R1 from a new label called Discotek.

I have it and the reason it receives the most attention is simply because the film is so hard and violent to watch that it surpasses everything that was being done at the time for sheer nastiness. Needless to say, it contains no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Worth a look if you are interested in the genre. And the Discotek DVD is of good quality.

[Scharphedin2]

So, I got my PINKY VIOLENCE box finally, and I watched the first two films this evening. They were actually quite different from what I had expected. The production qualities, and especially the acting of some of the young ladies, was much higher than I would expect from a "-ploitation" flick.

WORTHLESS TO CONFESS had a lot of social interest going on... quite a cute movie in fact, and an astoundingly - uhm - cute leading lady (Reiko Oshida). And of course, how could anyone not adore the blood and thunder conclusion with all the "delinquent" girls in red suits and brandishing swords.

CRIMINAL WOMAN again had much more class, than I would have expected, and also more "pinky" and "violence" than the first film. Yet, aside from the awesome line-up of ex-con female revengers, the plot of the film steers quite close to more familiar yakuza/revenge films.

Now, the rowdiest part of the set so far, was actually the CD with songs by Reiko Ike... let's just say that I had to turn it off after four or five tracks, or, I would have been down on the floor howling at the moon...

[putney]

...is not so good. there are a lot of good production stills, and unusual variants of posters, but the text is weak if you already know a bit about the films and the times, and on the other hand it doesn;t serve as a good introduction for those who don't, so it's more of a "ok to have" kind of book. that said, it's of course difficult to cover that territory clearly in one book, as each writer has his or her leanings and agenda. When "Pink Ribbon" came out, it raised all kind of ruckus in the film community here in tokyo; who wasn't represented, who was too much, why is he there, why isn't she there, etc., so you can't make everyone happy.
The book does have some good production stills though, i must say again.

putney

[Lino]

Thanks for the info about the book. Much appreciated and now I can erase it from my to-buy list.

Oh, and Scharphedin2: you still have the best movies of the set waiting for you, believe it or not! And that audio CD really is a riot!

[J Wilson]

Anyone interested in the musical stylings of Reiko Ike would do well to check out this release from Tiliqua Records, which is excellent. Quality liner notes in English, excellent sound, beautiful packaging.

[Scharphedin2]

OK, finished watching the PINKY set, and to put it in appropriate terms -- these films "kicked ass!" It would be easy to object to a lot of the stuff going on in these films, but viewing the films in the spirit of having fun, and seeing something completely different and new, they have a lot to offer.

The last two films (GUERILLA BOSS and TERRIFYING HIGH SCHOOL) did seem to step up the violence and sex. There were a couple of scenes including torture (particularly in GUERILLA, when Ike is tied up and beaten with bamboo sticks) that balanced on the edge of taking pleasure in the sadism, and I am not sure I could really enjoy that.

One aspect that I really like was the uninhibited and unabashed approach to nudity and sexuality. Naturally, these films were designed to pull in audiences by transgressing taboos. Yet, there is just something very natural, and even innocent, about these girls, when they drop or strip their clothes, and in some scenes, when they engage in sex (I am not talking about the many instances of sexual abuse and rape as being natural and innocent -- I think these scenes are played with necessary artificiality). It is the general attitude that underlies the films, and in some cases also enter into some of the scenes -- like the love affair between the boxer and Miki Sugimoto in GIRL BOSS GUERILLA, or, the shower and love scenes with the lesbian girl in TERRIFYING HIGH SCHOOL, or the numerous girls' bathing scenes that seem to be a staple in all of the films.

For films made on a tight budget and for exploitation purposes, I am also impressed with the style -- albeit, not always consistent throughout the films -- with which some scenes are composed and shot. The ending of DELINQUENT GIRL BOSS still stands out -- the girls in their red battle suits going to town on the mob inside a night club with katana swords. The stand-off between Sugimoto and Ike in the grounds of the jail in CRIMINAL WOMAN, many brief scenes in the films that pitch the girls against city scenes, etc., etc.

Great stuff... Thanks for the introduction... this is what this forum is so great for!

Now, for my continued exposure to the genre... The SEX AND FURY and FEMALE YAKUZA TALE (also from Panik House) sound really good... There is a scene described of Ike in the nude taking on a small army of bad guys in the snow. Having become friends with Ike in the films above, how could one resist a film with such a scene (although Sugimoto or Reiko Oshida would be even more exquisite ).

[Scharphedin2]

I should add that I think this was the perfect introduction to the genre. Panik House did an awesome job with the packaging -- all neon pink with a great booklet that is designed in the spirit of the films with a lot of illustrations and wacky typography (a great counterpoint to all those stylish criterion spines on the shelf ). The text itself is really good in mapping out the territory of the genre, and pin pointing the highs and lows.

For films of this type made in the early '70s, the condition and quality of the films is -- to my eyes at least -- really high. And, the inlcusion of the CD with Reiko Ike crooning to accompaniment of so many lover's sighs and groans...

For anyone with any interest in the genre, or desire to step out of the box and see something outrageously different, this set would be a great introduction.

[Lino]

Glad you liked it. SEX AND FURY and FEMALE YAKUZA TALE are the next logical step for you. But if you really want to get adventurous, do yourself a favour and check out SCHOOL OF THE HOLY BEAST, the closest thing to an exploitation masterpiece (or a masterpiece, plain and simple) you will ever get the chance to see! Do not miss out on this one and this goes for all of you out there reading this thread.

[vogler]

Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion is being released by Eureka Classics in November 2006.

[Lino]

That is surprising! I wonder if they secured the rights to the rest of the series too? To have them all 4 on a money-saving set would be great.

Meanwhile, read this review about the recently released collection of all 4 Sister Streetfighter movies.

[vogler]

I have not seen any of the Female Prisoner series. In fact I had not heard of any of these types of films until I came across this thread. I got Lady Snowblood 1 & 2 after seeing them mentioned here. I just watched the first one recently and loved it and I'm going to watch the 2nd one soon. I hope it's as good as the first.

Since I like Lady Snowblood do you reckon I'll like Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion?

Or is it the Scorpion series and not the female prisoner series - I just don't know.

[Lino]

Since I like Lady Snowblood do you reckon I'll like Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion?

Or is it the Scorpion series and not the female prisoner series - I just don't know.

Assuming you've become a fan of Meiko Kaji, I'd say you'll pretty much love the Scorpion series (aka Female Prisoner or Convict; Scorpion or Sasori is the name they give Kaji's character).

[soma]

Lady Snowblood is insane! The sequel is nowhere near as good unfortunately but the first installment is classic, classic stuff. Same goes for the Lone Wolf And Cub series (1-6), probably my favourite samurai saga of all time. Completely different for sure, but I rank these right up there with the best samurai films of Kurosawa, Kobayashi and Okamoto. Forget the "exploitation label", these are flat-out cult masterpieces.

Btw I have the R4 box sets, anamorphic enhanced and tastefully embossed cardboard box packaging with individual keep cases.

Lady Snowblood Box

Lone Wolf & Cub Box

Example of individual Lady Snowblood keep case

Example of individual Lone Wolf keep case

[Cold Bishop]

I second the recomendations for Lone Wolf & Cub as all being underappreciated classics, and I also think it's innapropriate to label it an Exploitation film. Yes, there's geysers of blood, but I don't think any piece of violence or nudity in the films are unjustified. However, stylistically, it does have a lot in common with some of the Exploitation/Pop Samurai films going on at the time, especially Snowblood which came from the same source author. Even Shogun Assassin in it's bastardized form "kicks all sorts of ass". Really just great cinema in general; I'd place it on my dvd shelf right next to Yojimbo or Hara-kiri any day of the week. I've even started the effort of trying to read all the mangas.

And run, don't walk, to the Scorpion films. The first two alone, while maybe not always taking themselves as seriously as Lady Snowblood in story and subject matter, are at least brilliant and completely masterful stylistically and visually; One can't help but feel the spirit of Seijun Suzuki in the films. The flashback scene and the fight in the shower, both in the first one, are worth the price of admission to all four films alone. And the music.... Meiko Kaji makes me want to track down every Japanese film soundtrack and Japanese pop record released in the 70s in the hopes of finding anything as great. It would be wonderful if Eureka released all four films since I can't help but feel they all deserve better treatment than that they've gotten in the U.S, with the differing titles and the fact that Jailhouse 41 has gone OOP... But does it appear that Eureka is just porting the Image release?