Movie Going Madness in Japan

[Takuma]

Teruo Ishii retro in Cinema Vera: Part 1/2



Killer's Black List (1970) (x2) + The Joy of Torture (1968)


Killer's Black List (1970) + Abashiri Prison 9 (1967)


Yakuza's Law (1969) + Tattooed Ambush (1964) + Jitsuroku 3 okuen jiken: Jiko seiritsu (1975)


Abashiri Prison 9 (1967) + Settlement (1967)


Prisoner's Black List (1970) + Bohachi bushido (1973)


Woman's Body and the Wharf (1958) + Orgies of Edo (1969)


Japanese Hell art


Ishii kantoku


Seeing Bohachi bushido in 35mm was pretty amazing! Fantastic action, terrific fast paced scrip, amazing visuals, impeccable imagination and hot girls. Certainly Ishii's best film and one of the masterpieces of pinky violence! This was the first time I realized the ninja played by Ryuhei Uchida belongs to the Kurokuwa clan, the same one that keeps sending assassins after Ogami Itto in the Lone Wolf and Cub films. Of course the Bohachi clan also appears in the 3rd Lone Wolf film...

Orgies of Edo was nice on the big screen also, although I think it is one of the lesser of Ishii's ero-guro films. Gotta love the scene where two foreign midgets rape a Japanese girl, who the gets pissed and starts whipping them in return! Dear Toei, why don't you make films like this anymore?

Woman's Body and the Wharf was a pretty cool and atmospheric, although slightly too talkative 50's sexy noir. Digital unfortunately, but Shin Toho films are hard to come by in 35mm.

Prisoner's Black List basically plays out like an unofficial Abashiri Prison film with added scatological humour. Even features Kanjuro Arashi as Onitora. Kinda entertaining, but the action at the end is rather by-the-book.

[Takuma]

There was a Chiho Katsura retrospective, Takuma?

What films were shown?

A brief one back in 2005.

Assault! Jack the Ripper (1976)
Rape! 25th Hour (1977)
Secret Honeymoon: Rape Train (1977)
Zoom In: Rape Apartment (1980)
Zokubutsu zukan (1982)
Rope and Breasts (1983)
Assaulted Female Teacher (1983)
Star (1986)
- http://www.laputa-jp.com/laputa/program/chiho/

[AngelGuts]

Some cool stuff there, but at the same time I can't help but to think most of those retro's present the usual "prestige director" retrospectives. What I really love about Japan is that you get retros for people like Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, Yuji Makiguchi, Chiho Katsura (screenwriter), and Akane Shiratori (script girl!!!), and not just the usual Ozu, Kurosawa etc.

I love Akira Kurosawa, but imagine a Naosuke Kurosawa retro! Now that would be something special!

There was a Chiho Katsura retrospective, Takuma?

What films were shown?

[Maito Guy]

I'd agree. Besides the ATG retro it's mostly the usual big names. I'm fine with that, but of course am also quite jealous on all the great programs you have opportunities to go and see

I'm really happy that they feature a few "rarer" names in their Shochiku New Wave program. Really don't know what to expect from these movies, but being able to see them in 35mm alone is worth it for me. It's just something completely different than watching them on home video formats and they also will provide a at that time probably already much needed break from my current focus on Roman Porno

[Takuma]

Some cool stuff there, but at the same time I can't help but to think most of those retro's present the usual "prestige director" retrospectives. What I really love about Japan is that you get retros for people like Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, Yuji Makiguchi, Chiho Katsura (screenwriter), and Akane Shiratori (script girl!!!), and not just the usual Ozu, Kurosawa etc.

I love Akira Kurosawa, but imagine a Naosuke Kurosawa retro! Now that would be something special!

[Maito Guy]

Shōchiku New Wave Japanese Cinema 1960 (Film Museum Vienna)

The Vienna film museum will hold a small retrospective program about films released at Shochiku in the year 1960 ranging from titles directed by Ozu Yasujiro to Oshima Nagisa and even more unknown directors like Tustomu Tamura: Program

The program runs from June 8th until the 19th and features 10 different titles. All of the titles will be screened from 35mm prints and I am planning on going to see most of them (if possible). The program consists of the following titles:

• Late Autumn (Akibiyori; Ozu Yasujiro): I love this movie and I've seen it countless times, but never on the big screen so I really want to catch it. The film museum actually had a complete Ozu retrospective a few years ago. I sadly wasn't able to attend any screenings back then. Sometimes I wonder what kind of movie Ozu would have made in the 70ies and wether he would have altered his rigid but playful style to fit the harsher themes more prominent in this timeframe, but most probably he would've filmed violent and crazy sex scenes just the same way, and I'm sure it would've been great ^_^
• Volunteering for Villainy (Akunin shigan; Tsutomu Tamura): I honestly have never heard of the director, but this makes it even more interesting for me to get to see this.
• Dried Blood (Chi wa kawaiteiru; Yoshishige Yoshida): I've only seen the titles released in the Arrow LOVE + ANARCHISM box set from Yoshishige Yoshida. I have to say that I didn't like them as much as the other late 60ies ATG titles I've seen so far. That said, I am really looking forward on checking out some of his earlier stuff, so I am most certainly going to see this and the title below.
• Good-For-Nothing (Rokudenashi; Yoshishige Yoshida)
• The River Fuefuki (Fuefuki gawa; Kinoshita Keisuke): This is the only one I'm most certainly going to skip on. Have watched it some time back but remember it being quite tedious and boring. Still have to see much of the other stuff Kinoshita directed, but really am not too fond of the ones I've seen so far from him.
• Dried Out Lake (Kawaita mizuumi; Shinoda Masahiro): Another director I've not seen much of as of now. In fact I've only seen his PALE FLOWER which got a Criterion Bluray release, and I absolutely love that movie, so I am looking forward to catch this and the one below this.
• One Way Ticket To Love (Koi no katamichi kippu; Shinoda Masahiro)
• Naked Youth (Seishun zankoku monogatari; Oshima Nagisa): The first of two great early Oshima pictures featured in this program. I have this on Bluray but am definitely planning on seeing it on the silver screen.
• Grave of the Sun (Taiyou no hakaba; Oshima Nagisa): This is another must watch for me. GRAVE OF THE SUN is Oshima's brilliant take on the SUN TRIBE movies (he famously was a big fan of Nakahira Ko's CRAZED FRUIT).
• Wedding With a Dead Person (Shisha to no kekkon; Takahashi Osamu): And last but not least another film by a director I've never heard of before. Excited in getting to explore some new names ^_^

The film museum here in Vienna actually features big retrospectives on Japanese directors and or themes / eras within Japanese cinema history quite frequently:

• Kinuyo Tanaka Retrospective (2014)
• Mizoguchi Kenji Retrospective (2014)
• Suzuki Seijun Retrospective (2012)
• Ozu Yasujiro Retrospective (2011)
• Oshima Nagisa Retrospective (2009)
• Masumura Yasuzo Retrospective (2008)
• Naruse Mikio Retrospective (2007)
• Kurosawa Akira Retrospective (2005)
• Shimizu Hiroshi Retrospective (2005)
• Art Theatre Guild. Japanese Independent Film, 1962-1984 (2003)
• Shohei Imamura Retrospective (2003)
• Kinji Fukasaku Retrospective (2002)

Unfortunately I only did move to Vienna two years ago, so I wasn't really able to go watch many screenings of these past retrospectives. I'd kill for a chance to see the ATG retrospective!! This would be one of the rare kind of programs I'd even take holidays from work

[Maito Guy]

Last time when I was in Tokyo I needed to kill some time in Shibuya. I went to the famous Shibuya Crossing Tsutaya rental store, which I believe is the biggest in Japan. They have separate floors for Japanese and Foreign cinema, and those are no small floors either. The cool thing is that they still have many VHS-cassettes, especially for films that have not been released on DVD in Japan (or anywhere).

Went there also, lol ... That place is like heaven for film buffs!

I once saw Seven Samurai in Finland and there were 5 people in the audience... 2 of whom left during the half-time.

... Ok, it doesn't come as far here usually.

I think the main problem here is that there is basically zero promotion for such events. I remember that I was quite stunned on a trip to Paris a few years ago by all the ads in subway stations about retrospectives at small program cinemas. I think Vienna is a bit more music oriented in comparison to Paris in that regards. Even people like me who are quite interested in movies in general and Japanese movies in particular tend to miss a lot due to that which is really sad.

Oh, and was supposed to say that anything that relates to movies and Japan is good enough for this topic. I believe I posted something about love hotels a few dozen pages back because "they're in Japan and you can watch movies in them"

Actually, anything to do with Japanese movies in Vienna should be good enough for this thread as well!

That's great! Definitely going to use this thread for a small program about the Shochiku New Wave coming up at the local film museum here in June.

Oh and btw, when you visited Jimbocho Theater, did you notice the small book shop right across the front door?

Sadly I did completely miss that store. I need to get in there next time for sure! Jimbocho is a really nice area actually with all these "open air" book stores on the streets. Planning to spend more time there exploring on my next trip ^_^

[Takuma]

Last time when I was in Tokyo I needed to kill some time in Shibuya. I went to the famous Shibuya Crossing Tsutaya rental store, which I believe is the biggest in Japan. They have separate floors for Japanese and Foreign cinema, and those are no small floors either. The cool thing is that they still have many VHS-cassettes, especially for films that have not been released on DVD in Japan (or anywhere).

Teruo Ishii corner


Orgies of Edo (1969), not available on DVD in Japan (HK Video released a DVD in France, though)


Roman Porno and Oniroku Dan films... Devil In the Flesh (1977), Lady Caligula In Tokyo (1981), Slave Contract (1982), Girl and the Wooden Horse Torture (1982)...

Screenings of Anime and festival screenings aside, not even Kurosawa or Ozu films draw as many people here. If it's anything a bit more outside of the usual big names 5 people is already much ...

I once saw Seven Samurai in Finland and there were 5 people in the audience... 2 of whom left during the half-time.

A bit offtopic, but

Oh, and was supposed to say that anything that relates to movies and Japan is good enough for this topic. I believe I posted something about love hotels a few dozen pages back because "they're in Japan and you can watch movies in them"

Actually, anything to do with Japanese movies in Vienna should be good enough for this thread as well!

Oh and btw, when you visited Jimbocho Theater, did you notice the small book shop right across the front door?

[Maito Guy]

Yeah, I was thinking about that. I was there on 21st. I guess you went there on 23rd?

Yeah, you're absolutely right.

What a shame we didn't meet. Still thinking about a trip to Tokyo again this summer. Probability of me going definitely increases if there will be any screenings worth catching, so maybe then ^_^

Most of the other theaters don't draw quite that many viewers, but Jimbocho seems quite crowded every time I go there...

Screenings of Anime and festival screenings aside, not even Kurosawa or Ozu films draw as many people here. If it's anything a bit more outside of the usual big names 5 people is already much ...

[Takuma]

I went to see Imamura's INSECT WOMAN there, in a packed full screening which started at, if I recall it correctly, 11:00 AM. Quite shocked that the interest was so high. In Vienna no screening starting that early would draw anywhere near as many people into a cinema. Actually was in Tokyo a few days before and after christmas and after the new year and wanted to go watch a few of the Kumashiro screenings, but wasn't able because of a quite busy schedule meeting up with old friends and drinking, lol

Would've been fun if we had met by accident at a screening somewhere in Tokyo!

Yeah, I was thinking about that. I was there on 21st. I guess you went there on 23rd?

Most of the other theaters don't draw quite that many viewers, but Jimbocho seems quite crowded every time I go there...

A bit offtopic, but I was really excited finding this place in Kabukicho waiting for the bars in Shinjuku Golden Gai to open up ↓

The love hotel featured in Ryuichi Hiroki's fabulous KABUKICHO LOVE HOTEL. Didn't have the guts to go inside the last time though. Maybe next time ...

Awesome :up:

[Maito Guy]

A few pics from Jimbocho Theater.

I dropped by before Christmas when they had a series for cinematographer Shinsaku Himeda (left).

I saw Imamura's Pigs and Battleships (1961) and Kumashiro's Africa's Light (1975). Here's what I wrote about the latter

Man, I was in the same cinema right before christmas also!! It looks like this from the outside, doesn't it? ↓



I went to see Imamura's INSECT WOMAN there, in a packed full screening which started at, if I recall it correctly, 11:00 AM. Quite shocked that the interest was so high. In Vienna no screening starting that early would draw anywhere near as many people into a cinema. Actually was in Tokyo a few days before and after christmas and after the new year and wanted to go watch a few of the Kumashiro screenings, but wasn't able because of a quite busy schedule meeting up with old friends and drinking, lol

Would've been fun if we had met by accident at a screening somewhere in Tokyo!

Godzilla was there too:

Christmas Godzilla .. one of the most beautiful things I saw during my stay in Japan

Finally, this has nothing to do with Jimbocho, but I found a Gremlins miniature vending machine at a train station. Pretty awesome!

Japan, the most developed country regarding vending machines ... seriously, there probably isn't anything they don't sell in a vending machine somewhere in the country ^_^

A bit offtopic, but I was really excited finding this place in Kabukicho waiting for the bars in Shinjuku Golden Gai to open up ↓



The love hotel featured in Ryuichi Hiroki's fabulous KABUKICHO LOVE HOTEL. Didn't have the guts to go inside the last time though. Maybe next time ...

[Takuma]

A few pics from Jimbocho Theater.

I dropped by before Christmas when they had a series for cinematographer Shinsaku Himeda (left).




I saw Imamura's Pigs and Battleships (1961) and Kumashiro's Africa's Light (1975). Here's what I wrote about the latter

Africa's Light (Japan, 1975) [35mm] - 3.5/5
This a bit of a slow burner for nothing much happens in the film. However, you'll be surprised by how it grows on you. The film is about two semi-slackers (Kenichi Hasegawa and Kunie Tanaka) with an ultra-intimate friendship (wait for the scene where sick Tanaka pees in his pants, and Hasegawa then dries him with a towel) working, slacking and drinking in a freezing Hokkaido town. For a modern comparison point, imagine an early 2000s Nobuhiro Yamashita film with less humour and more 70s grit. Cinematography by Shinsaku Himeda is solid, and the film's minimal score is quite lovely. The film was a Toho production, one of the many mainstream films by Roman Porno master Tatsumi Kumashiro. His other mainstream film, Failed Youth (1974), is often considered one of the best Japanese films of all time.

Africa's Light (left) and Failed Youth. I really wanted to see Failed Youth , but had no chance that time. There's no dvd release either...


Godzilla was there too:


I also visited there last month when they had a series for dance themed films.





The only one I saw was Seijun Suzuki's Carmen from Kawachi, which wasn't too bad although I prefer his crime films.





Somai's Tokyo Heaven, which I've never managed to see. DVD is OPP and ridiculously expensive.


Finally, this has nothing to do with Jimbocho, but I found a Gremlins miniature vending machine at a train station. Pretty awesome!

[AngelGuts]

Amazing, Takuma.

Those programs are to die-for.

Fantastic posters, too: that STAR OF DAVID poster -- wow!

[Takuma]

Theater Introduction: Cinema Vera

This one of my favourite theaters in Tokyo. I've often posted about it, but I think I never gave it a proper introduction, so here goes. Cinema Vera shows only retrospective program. About 65% of the program is devoted for Japanese film retrospectives, which cover anything from Sonny Chiba to Toei Jitsuroku Yakuza films and Nagisa Oshima. The rest is for foreign films ranging from Italian Neo-Realism to Russian Cinema and silent movies.

All program is played in double features with the same two films playing back to back from 11 am to around 10 pm. As common for theaters that play double features, there are no screening specific tickets but rather entrance tickets that allow you to enter anytime between the films. You can watch both films, or just one if you don't care for the other.

Cinema Vera has a pretty good medium size screen (6.8 x 2.9m). As for 2017, about 75% of the Japanese program plays in 35mm. This depends on the studio, though. I have never seen a digital screening of a Toei film; they've all been film screenings. However, with Nikkatsu you get about 70% film and 30% digital, and with Shintoho you get about 15% film and 85% digital screenings. The digital screenings can be anything from DVD to HD DCP. The film prints are like those of most other theaters; some are amazing, most are fine, some are poor (Shin bungeiza is the same, while National Film Center and Laputa Asagaya tend to have only great prints).

The lobby isn't especially beautiful but they always decorate it with original posters (including some very rare ones) for the current program. The screening room which has 142 seats is pretty good with relatively comfortable seats and usually movie soundtrack played during the breaks. Like in all Japanese theaters of this kind, the audience generally behaves very well, but there's been an increase of irritating hipsters (the worst of whom come to see old movies mainly to laugh at them... I pretty much wanted to kill the young woman who was laughing at Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri) in the audience. However, you don't run into them often and if you're able to attend screenings on weekdays during daytime, you can avoid them almost certainly. They only show up occasionally for evening screenings, usually during weekends.

Examples of past program
Sonny Chiba Festival (24 films incl. Wolfguy, Army Intelligence 33, Jail Breakers, The Street Fighter, Tokyo daijishin magnitude 8.1...)
Teruo Ishii retro (24 films, incl. Horrors of Malformed Men, Joy of Torture, Yakuza's Law, Orgies of Edo, Prisoner's Black List, Japanese Hell...)
Toei Jitsuroku Yakuza retro (19 films, incl. Okinawa Yakuza War, Cops vs Thugs, Graveyard of Honor, Japan Organized Crime Boss...)
Meiko Kaji retro (19 films, incl. Lady Snowblood, Yakuza Graveyard, Women's Police, Jailhouse 41, Sex Hunter...)
Tatsumi Kumashiro retro (24 films, incl. Rolling on the Road, Front Row Life, Failed Youth, Yakuza Goddess: Lust and Honor...)
Noboru Tanaka retro (20 films, incl. Monster Woman '88, Noboru Ando's Filthy Escape into Sex, Village of Doom, She Beast Market....)
Chusei Sone retro (24 films, incl. Taiyo no kizuato, Hakuchu no onna gari, Red Violation, Red Classroom, Lust Under Uniform, Hellish Love...)
Norifumi Suzuki retro (19 films, incl. Ninja's Mark, Sex & Fury, Killing Machine, Roaring Fire, Star of David, School of the Holy Beast...)
Producer Kei Ijichi retro (18 films, incl. Lost Chapter of Snow: Passion, The Man Who Stole the Sun, Retreat Through the Wet Wasteland...)
Producer Kanji Amao retro (17 films, incl. Tokugawa Sex Ban, Terrifying Girls' High School, Insane Sex Tribe, The Boxer ...)
The Violent 90s retro (17 films, incl. Dead or Alive, Rainy Dog, Score, A Night in Nude, Gonin, Boiling Point, Pornostar ...)
Sadao Nakajima retro (24 films, incl. Aesthetics of a Bullet, Kunoichi ninpo, Cold Wind Monjiro, Tokyo-Seoul-Bangkok, Sukeban 5...)
Ichiro Araki retro (15 films, incl. Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs, Delicate Skillful Fingers, Journey to Japan, Neon kurage...)
Noboru Ando retro (20 films, incl. Account of the Ando Gang: Killer Younger Brother, True Account of Ginza Tortures, The Wolves...)

Lobby and ticket counter










The screening room is there...




Sonny Chiba

[sukebanboy]

I really am going to have to move to Japan soon......:up: