Taking a Look BEHIND THE PINK CURTAIN
Pinku eiga (pink films) have existed for decades but the films are still discussed outside of Japan as if they were transmissions from a real-life videodrome. This is due, at least in part, to a paucity of serious English-language resources to help audiences sort through the myths. Jasper Sharp's book Behind the Pink Curtain provides some much needed perspective on a world of cinema that uses eroticism to bridge multiple genres in unique but explainable ways.
Behind The Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema runs 416 pages, and is composed of 18 chapters that follow the progression of pink films over time. The chapters are largely organized around studios, and specific directors or groups of directors. 32 full-color pages of posters and stills appear in the middle of the book. Three detailed appendices and an index follow the main text. The first appendix categorizes every film referenced in the book by director, and notes whether the film is available on DVD. The second appendix provides a thorough reading list. The third appendix cross-references every Japanese name (actors, directors, production companies, etc.) used in the book with all page numbers on which the name appears.
The book comfortably sits somewhere between a mass-appeal film book and an academic text. The prose is dense without being stiff. The clean, heavily illustrated layout is visually attractive and increases the book's readability. If the reader is never able to see any of these films, which is a real possibility, the photographs, posters, and detailed descriptions of offensive titles, lurid characters, and unbelievable plots offer the best substitute for direct viewing. Behind the Pink Curtain also thankfully avoids sensationalism. If the author believes a film isn't exactly the height of artistic expression, he states as such. Additionally, discussing some of the more extreme pink films (e.g., a series of blasphemous, naughty nun films in Buddhist Japan, a series focusing on women getting mauled in subway trains) might lead others down the paths of either apologia or scolding. Sharp acknowledges pinku's controversial approach to a variety of sensitive issues without wading too deep into speculation. He thankfully assumes readers are intelligent enough to make their own judgments.
Behind the Pink Curtain's key strength is the way in which it untangles the mass of seemingly indistinguishable types of films, studio brands, and distribution channels to show where pinku eiga specifically sits within Japan's cultural landscape. The author identifies pink antecedents such as the girl diver (ama) films of the 1960s and guides the reader through a winding path of genre experiments that culminates in what he identifies as the first pink film: Satoru Kobyashi's Flesh Market (1962). This style was initially dubbed eroduction to reflect the film's low budgets. The term eroduction eventually gave way to the term pinku eiga. Pinku evolved into a form of independent cinema with its own set of rules, distribution channels and theater chains that is distinguishable from similar output by bigger studios such as Toei, Nikkatsu, and Shichoku.The book's emphasis context around disparate elements also shines through in its discussion of artistic, legal, and political issues regarding pinku eiga. These topics are addressed throughout the book, but also get dedicated attention; Chapter 6 specifically addresses the intersection of pinku and radical politics, and uses Testuji Takechi’s censorship battles over Black Snow (1965) as an entry point. The theme of leftist politics is discussed further in individual chapters on pink’s most radical creative forces: Koji Wakamatsu and Masao Adachi.
The book solves the informational side of pink puzzle but actually seeing these films is still a task. Sharp, along with Marc Walkow of Outcast Cinema, has assembled a retrospective to spread awareness of what pink films are all about. The program will launch at Fantastic Fest on Monday, September 22nd with four titles heavily documented in Sharp's book: Kan Mukai's Blue Film Woman, Masao Adachi's Gushing Prayer, Daisuke Goto’s A Lonely Cow Weeps at Dawn, and Shuji Kataoka's S&M Hunter. New 35mm prints of Blue Film Woman and Gushing Prayer have been made specifically for this retrospective. Pink Eiga, a recently formed U.S. pinku distributor, is providing subtitled digital sources of A Lonely Cow Weeps at Dawn, and S&M Hunter. If Sharp's descriptions hold up, these four titles fall squarely on the bizarre side of the pink spectrum.
In conclusion, Behind The Pink Curtain should have a strong appeal for a wide range of film enthusiasts, including curious readers looking for a well designed film book and serious students of Japanese cinema. Sharp and company's decision to create a related film series is wise. The book will undoubtedly light the pinku fire in many readers, thus fueling potential demand for theatrical presentations and DVD releases.
