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Tatsumi Kumashiro

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Tatsumi Kumashiro
Tatsumi Kumashiro (1927–1995), Japanese film director
OccupationFilm director
Years active1972–1995
AwardsKinema Jumpo (Cinema Biweekly) Awards: Best director and best screenplay for Ichijo's Wet Lust (1972)[1]

Tatsumi Kumashiro (神代 辰巳, Kumashiro Tatsumi, April 24, 1927–February 24, 1995) was a Japanese film director best known known for his critically acclaimed, award-winning Roman Porno films, such as Ichijo Sayuri: Wet Desire (Ichijo Sayuri: Nureta yokujo) (1972) and The Woman with Red Hair (Akai kami no onna) (1979). He has been called, "the most consistently successful director in Japan's cinematic history,"[2] and Allmovie calls him, "arguably the most important Japanese director to emerge during the 1970s."[3]

Life and career

Early life

Kumashiro was born in Saga, on Japan's southernmost island of Kyūshū, the first son of a pharmaceuticals merchant. A judo master and descendant of samurai class, Kumashiro's father was a strict disciplinarian and a believer in the warrior philosophy of Yamamoto Tsunetomo as written in Hagakure and in Japan's military exploits of the 1930s and 1940s. Early in life Kumashiro rebelled by immersing himself in liberal thought, Western literature and film. During World War II, Kumashiro entered medical school as a means of avoiding the draft, but dropped out as soon as the war ended in Japan's defeat. He studied English literature at Waseda University, but, deciding he could not make a living writing novels, entered Shochiku studio as an assistant director in 1952, and moved to Nikkatsu in 1955.[3]

Kumashiro worked as an assistant director and screenwriter until he was finally given a chance to direct in 1968. His debut film, Fan Life, told the story of a stripper and her daughter who wished to join her mother's profession. The star of the movie, Hatsue Tonooka, would become Kumashiro's wife later in the year, though the marriage would end in divorce within a few months. The film was a critical success, but because it failed at the box-office Nikkatsu put Kumashiro's directing career on hold again.[4]

Directorial success

"My films are about people not biology."
-- Tatsumi Kumashiro[5]

In 1971, facing bankruptcy due to a loss of their audience to television, Nikkatsu decided to devote its facilities almost exclusively to theatrical soft-core pornography. Several directors, not wishing to work in pornography, left the studio, opening up vacant positions.[6]

Nikkatsu gave its Roman porno directors a great deal of artistic freedom in their films, as long as they met the official minimum quota of four nude or sex scenes per hour.[2] In this environment, at the age of 44, Kumashiro was given his second chance to direct. Though his later films would take full advantage of Nikkatsu's lenient policies by experimenting with cinematic time and space in an almost surreal manner, his first Roman porno, Wet Lips (Nureta Kuchibiru) (1972), was fairly simplistic. However, this story of a prostitute and her lover on the run after killing her pimp would prove to be a major critical and box-office success, and would establish Kumashiro's directorial career.[7]

His next film, Ichijo's Wet Lust (1972) was another hit with the critics and the public. Japan's most famous sex performer of the time, Sayuri Ichijo,[8] played the title role for which she won the important Kinema Jumpo prize for best actress.[9] Accepting the best director and best script awards at the same ceremony, Kumashiro commented, "If I can shoot what I like without the pressure of how it will turn out, I am motivated."[1]

For the next 20 years, Kumashiro would direct a string of financial and critical hits unprecedented in Japanese cinematic history,[10] completing ten films in 1972 and 1973 alone.[6] His prolific and successful career during these years earned him the title, "King of Nikkatsu Roman porno"[2][6] Contrasting him with more mainstream filmmakers like Nagisa Oshima, who sometimes make use of pornographic elements in their films, Film Quarterly’s New York editor, William Johnson calls Kumashiro, "an indisputable maker of screen porn whose films also deserve 'serious' interest."[11]

François Truffaut called Kumashiro's The World of Geisha (1973) a "great movie," adding, "The acting is perfect, and the film is humorous. In its praise for female beauty and derision for male stupidity lies the generous spirit of Jean Renoir."[12]

Kumashiro's 1974 film, Man and Woman Behind the Fusuma Screen: Enduring Skin (Yojo-han Fusuma No Urabari: Shinobi Hada) starred Nikkatsu's reigning Roman porno Queen, Junko Miyashita. Movie critic Tadao Sato called the film "a masterful porno film rich in emotion, anarchy, and nihilism."[13] Junko Miyashita would win Hochi News award for best actress of 1979 after starring in Kumashiro's Woman with Red Hair (Akai Kami No Onna) (1979), which has been called "one of the very best Nikkatsu pink films."[14]

Death

In the 1980s, as the rising AV (Adult Video) industry took away most of the audience for the theatrical Roman pornos, Kumashiro's health began failing. Though he suffered from a collapsed lung in 1983, he continued making films until his death. He directed his last two films, Like a Rolling Stone (Bo no Kanashimi) (1994)[3] and Immoral: Indecent Relations (1995)[15] while hooked up to an oxygen tank. He died of heart and lung failure on February 24, 1995.

Filmography

  • Front Row Life aka A Thirsty Life aka Fan Life (かぶりつき人生, Kaburitsuki Jinsei) (1968-04-13)
  • Wet Lips aka Twisted Path of Love (濡れた唇, Nureta Kuchibiru) (1972-01-29)
  • Ichijo Sayuri: Wet Desire aka Ichijo's Wet Lust (一条さゆり　濡れた欲情, Ichijo Sayuri: Nureta Yokujo) (1972-10-07)
  • Lovers are Wet (恋人たちは濡れた, Koibito-tachi Wa Nureta) (1973-03-24)
  • Female Hell: The Moist Forest aka Woods are Wet: Woman Hell (女地獄　森は濡れた, Onna Jigoku: Mori Wa Nureta) (1973-05-23)
  • Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor aka Yakuza Goddess: Lust and Honor (やくざ観音　情女仁義, Yakuza Kannon: Iro Jingi) (1973-07-14)
  • World of Geisha aka A Man & a Woman Behind the Fusuma Screen (四畳半襖の裏張り, Yojo-han Fusuma No Urabari) (1973-11-03)
  • Moist Desires: 21 Strippers (濡れた欲情　特出し２１人, Nureta Yokujo: Tokudashi 21-nin) (1974-01-03)
  • Behind the Sliding Door: Chaste Skin aka Man and Woman Behind the Fusuma Screen: Enduring Skin (四畳半襖の裏張り　しのび肌, Yojo-han Fusuma No Urabari: Shinobi Hada) (1974-02-16)
  • The Key (鍵, Kagi) (1974-05-04)
  • Failed Youth (青春の蹉跌, Seishun no satetsu) (1974-06-29)
  • Street of Joy aka Red Light District: Gonna Get Out (赤線玉の井　ぬけられます, Akasen Tamanoi: Nukeraremasu) (1974-09-21)
  • 宵待草 (Yoimachigusa, 1974-12-28)
  • 櫛の火 (Kushi no hi, 1975-04-05)
  • Africa no hikari (アフリカの光, Africa no hikari) (1975-06-21)
  • Black Rose Ascension (黒薔薇昇天, Kurobara Shoten) (1975-08-09)
  • Moist Desires: The Open Tulip aka Wet Lust: Opening the Tulip (濡れた欲情　ひらけ！チューリップ, Nureta Yokujo: Hirake! Tulip) (1975-12-24)
  • Painful Bliss! Final Twist (悶絶！！どんでん返し, Monzetsu Donden Gaeshi) (1977-02-01)
  • Dannoura Pillow War (壇の浦夜枕合戦記, Dannoura Yomakura Kassenki) (1977-04-23)
  • The Woman with Red Hair (赫い髪の女, Akai Kami No Onna) (1979-02-17)
  • Hell (地獄, Jigoku) (1979-06-03)
  • Faraway Tomorrow (遠い明日, Tooi ashita) (1979-11-03)
  • Path of the Beast (少女娼婦　けものみち, Shoujo shofu: kemonomichi) (1980-03-29)
  • Forbidden Games aka Pleasure Campus: Secret Games (快楽学園　禁じられた遊び, Kairaku Gakuen: Kinjirareta Asobi) (1980-11-21)
  • Mr- Mrs- Ms- Lonely (ミスター・ミセス・ミス・ロンリー) (1980-12-20)
  • Viva the Women! The Dirty Songs aka Oh! Women: A Dirty Song (嗚呼！おんなたち　猥歌, A! Onnatachi: Waika) (1981-10-23)
  • The Woman in a Red Hat (赤い帽子の女, Akai boshi no onna) (1982-10-16)
  • River of No Return aka Modori River (もどり川, Modori-gawa) (1983-06-18)
  • Mika Madoka: A Woman Who Moistens Her Finger aka Woman With Wet Fingers (美加マドカ　指を濡らす女, Mika Madoka: Yubi wo Nurasu Onna) (1984-04-20)
  • Love Letter (恋文, Koibumi) (1985-10-05)
  • A Woman Who Doesn't Divorce (離婚しない女, Rikon shinai onna) (1986-10-25)
  • Bedtime Eyes (ベッドタイムアイズ) (1987-04-25)
  • A Woman Who Bites (噛む女, Kamu onna) (1988-07-01)
  • Like a Rolling Stone (棒の哀しみ, Bo no Kanashimi) (1994-10-01)
  • Immoral: Indecent Relations (インモラル･淫らな関係, Immoral: Midarana Kankei) (1995-04-25)[16]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Weisser, Thomas (1998). Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films. Miami: Vital Books : Asian Cult Cinema Publications. pp. p.204-205. ISBN 1-88928-852-7. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c Weisser, p.204.
  3. ^ a b c Crow, Jonathan. "Tatsumi Kumashiro (Biography)". at Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-03-09.
  4. ^ Weisser, p.137-138.
  5. ^ Weisser, p.257.
  6. ^ a b c Johnson, William (2003). "A New View of Porn: The Films of Tatsumi Kumashiro" (PDF). Film Quarterly, vol. 57, no.1, Fall 2003. University of California Press. pp. p.12. Retrieved 2007-03-06. {{cite web}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  7. ^ Weisser, p.494.
  8. ^ Johnson, p.14.
  9. ^ Hoberman, J. (2001-01-17). "Waking the Dread... A Tatsumi Kumashiro Retrospective". The Village Voice (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-10-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ Weisser, p.495.
  11. ^ Johnson, pp.11-12.
  12. ^ "The World of Geisha (Yojohan Fusuma no urabari)". Kino International. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  13. ^ Sato, Tadao (1987) [1982]. Gregory Barrett (translator) (ed.). Currents in Japanese Cinema (paperback ed.). Tokyo: Kodansha. pp. p.262. ISBN 0-87011-815-3. {{cite book}}: |editor= has generic name (help); |pages= has extra text (help)
  14. ^ Weisser, p.514-515
  15. ^ Weisser, p.206.
  16. ^ Filmography from "FILMOGRAPHY: Director Tatsumi Kumashiro (1927-1995)" in A Woman with Red Hair: A film by Tatsumi Kumashiro. (2003) Kimstim Collection DVD; Nikkatsu, Kino Video, Kimstim, Inc. KS2012; Tatsumi Kumashiro at IMDb; "神代辰巳 (Kumashiro Tatsumi)". JMDB (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-03-06. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help); and Weisser, Thomas (1998). Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films. Miami: Vital Books : Asian Cult Cinema Publications. ISBN 1-88928-852-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

Sources

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