Sadistic and Masochistic Page #3

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Lots of directors

were making action films.

My theme was the ordinary woman.

We ended up doing

all kinds of different scenarios.

First I was painted all over with blood.

We were on the top floor

of a block of apartments.

In that scene,

I was just about to jump off.

Konuma said,

"If you fall off, I'll follow you."

I couldn't believe it. I was petrified.

Just the thought that I could really fall-

It was very scary.

So he made you even more scared?

He just made it worse.

I had to concentrate on not falling.

I joined Nikkatsu

because I wanted to make Roman porno.

Konuma was already

a top director there.

He worked all through the Roman porno era,

a total of 18 years.

He made 47 films.

Amazingly, he never made a movie

in another genre.

Masaru Konuma and Roman porno-

they sustained each other

like a pair of sweethearts.

It wasn't like that.

More of a conditioned reflex.

After doing it for 10 years,

it just became automatic for me.

He focused on visuals.

He always placed the audience first.

He never cared about box office,

but he really cared about

pleasing his audience.

I was amazed he could stick to that.

HARUHIKO ARAI - SCREENWRITER

He'd insist that I write the visuals

into the script.

His requests were always abstract.

He'd say, "Be more impressive."

Then he wouldn't mention it again.

- Make it impressive?

- That's all he'd say.

Working with Arai,

I'd watched a lot of movies

as I was growing up.

I'd take the audience's view

when I'd argue with him over a point.

Arai would say,

"The audience never knows!"

Then he'd try to make me

be more specific about my requests.

Roman porno was the swan song

for Nikkatsu Pictures.

You get people like Konuma

on other movie lots.

He's a typical film artisan,

but he's not the type of director who

shares his vision with the cast and crew.

He's a genius at digesting the crew's input

and turning it into product.

In that sense,

he really is an exceptional director.

TATTOOED CORE OF FLOWER

How do you do? I am Nakata.

Thank you for coming.

I'll accompany you in Tokyo.

- Was it a good flight?

- Yes.

NAOMI TANI - ACTRESS

In one of Junichiro Tanizaki's novels,

there's a woman called Naomi.

I liked her.

She's so adorable and lives her own life.

I wanted to be like her.

I named myself after Tanizaki's Naomi.

She had a very mature air.

Very talented actress.

She's very imaginative.

Her acting showed real depth.

She was able to project herself

into any role.

I believe an actor

has to be able to take any role.

When I joined Nikkatsu,

Shirakawa was their big star.

NIKKATSU STUDIO:

Next was Miyashita, and then me.

I had to undertake any role.

But I knew I had to find

my own special niche.

That just happened to be S and M.

- It's been over 20 years.

- You're still beautiful!

IKUO NAKAYAMA - WARDROBE

I haven't been back here for 20 years.

TAKAKO NOGI - WARDROBE

You look great.

They built apartments here.

It was the main office.

This is the cafeteria now.

There were never

this many cars parked here.

Here he is!

Long time no see.

It's so good to see you again.

Shooting a new film?

Will I get to direct it for you?

Meet any old friends?

Nakayama, from Wardrobe.

Hello! It's been ages!

You haven't changed.

Still quite the dandy.

Where shall we sit?

CinemaScope?

Was it shot in CinemaScope?

So it'll be wide.

NIKKATSU PRESENTS

WIFE TO BE SACRIFICED

What are you looking at, Uncle?

A beautiful woman passed by.

You.

What do you want?

Coming back after all these years-

- Stop it.

- I just want to see if it fits.

That hurts!

Before going down to town,

I lived here with Mika.

Why did you bring me here?

What do you want from me?

Please untie me.

I can't do it like this.

Please close the door.

I want to watch it

coming out of your ass.

No!

Then we'll go back inside.

Don't look.

I don't want you to watch me.

NAGATOSHI SAKAMOTO - ACTOR

It wasn't what I would call enjoyable.

I felt like I was always

in the line of fire.

Konuma's line of fire.

His eyes were- I can only say blue.

His eyes seemed blue.

He's slender and not at all

physically threatening.

But his eyes shine like an animal's.

You mean they're offensive?

Not like that.

Like the eyes of a wolf

which is about to attack.

Not as if they are intent on attacking.

More like they drew you in

by their sheer power.

That brings back memories.

It was a grand wedding.

Kurosawa, our assistant director.

Not Akira Kurosawa.

On reflection,

he always gave us really good advice.

I still remember

what Konuma used to say.

But it's hard to put into practice.

He always said

that making movies is not fun.

NAOSUKE KUROSAWA - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

If you had fun,

you should feel guilty about it.

I ended up

where I just couldn't take it anymore.

But those blue eyes of his

got me every time.

Strange to say,

but that was what kept me going.

Directed by

MASARU KONUMA:

THE END:

- Good work.

- You too.

- Well done.

- Yes, indeed.

How was that?

A real action star.

You were great.

We know the story inside out,

but I was still captivated by it.

I couldn't remember

what was coming next.

You had that toilet built for the movie?

No. Not at all.

It was there.

The house was abandoned.

That turd-

Nowadays, it wouldn't violate

the movie code of ethics.

Now you can show the entire thing,

from the beginning to the end.

But back then, it was so shocking.

That one second shot was cut

to four frames, one-sixth of a second.

It was quite a bright turd.

I made it like that!

I thought a beautiful woman's turd

should be thick and brightly colored.

That's the imagery I wanted to shoot.

A nice big a**hole.

I really shouldn't have ordered curry.

Please! I'm trying to forget.

As a student,

I'd watch foreign films, Italian films.

I always wondered why

they brazenly showed underarm hair.

When I'd see a woman

holding a strap on a train or a bus,

I thought underarm hair was quite sexy.

Many Japanese directors

were influenced by Europeans.

In my first movie,

I specifically asked for close-ups

when she was writhing in ecstasy.

That's probably just my personal taste.

But the cameraman

wasn't at all impressed.

I wondered why that was.

I didn't know what to do.

But in the end, he shot it my way.

The lighting director picked up

on what I was trying to capture.

He toned down the lighting

just the slightest fraction,

and that made it even more erotic.

I wanted bright flesh.

I intended to shoot it

in bright, revealing light.

The cameraman didn't want close-ups,

but he shot them.

And the light guy

found the best compromise.

But in this day and age,

you just don't get that

creative tension on the set.

No one argues their point of view.

They just carry out orders.

Even if the cameraman hates it,

he'll do what I say.

But if everyone shoots

their films like that,

you're gradually going to

lose the element of eroticism.

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