Teruo Ishii

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Teruo Ishii (石井輝男 - Ishii Teruo) (January 1, 1924 - August 12, 2005) was a Japanese film director best known in the West for his early films in the Super Giant series, and for his films in the Ero guro ("erotic-grotesque") subgenre of pinku eiga such as The Joys of Torture (1968). He also directed the 1965 film, Abashiri Prison, which helped to make Ken Takakura a major star in Japan.[1] Referred to in Japan as "The King of Cult," Ishii had a much more prolific and eclectic career than was generally known in the West during his lifetime.[2]

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[edit] Early life

Born in Tokyo's Asakusa neighborhood in 1924, Ishii developed a love of cinema early. His parents would often take him to see foreign films, particularly French movies.[3] Ishii worked at Toho Studios as an assistant director beginning in 1942. His film career was interrupted when he was sent to Manchuria during World War II to take aerial photographs for bombing runs.[4]

[edit] Shintoho

In March of 1947 Ishii joined the newly-founded Shintoho studios.[5] Ishii would later recall his time with Shintoho as, "without doubt the most joyful period of my professional life."[6] While at Shintoho he worked as assistant director to Mikio Naruse, whom he considered his mentor for the rest of his career.[7] He also worked for director Hiroshi Shimizu and studied script writing with Shinichi Sekizawa. Ishii's directorial debut was in 1957 with the boxing film, King of the Ring: The World of Glory (Ring no Oja: Eiko no Sekai).[8]

He was next assigned to direct six installments in the children's science-fiction series, Super Giant.[9] This nine-episode series was later re-packaged into four films for U.S. syndicated television as Starman. From 1958 to 1961 Ishii directed four films in the film-noir Line (Chitai) series. For the last of these films, Sexy Line (Sexy Chitai) (1961), Ishii took his cameras to the streets of Asakusa and Ginza, and to film real life on location. The film has been called, "sharp, witty and contagious," and "a lively portrait of the Tokyo underworld, populated by hookers, johns, crooks and cops and shot in cinéma-verité style."[10]

[edit] Toei

Shintoho declared bankruptcy in 1961, forcing Ishii to seek employment at another studio. He moved to Toei where he directed Flower and Storm and Gang (Hana to Arashi to Gang) (1961), starring Ken Takakura.[11] His 1965 Abashiri Bangaichi with Takakura would solidify that actor's stardom and give Ishii his biggest success of the 1960s. Ishii would go on to direct 10 of the 18 films in this series.[12]

In 1968, Ishii initiated two popular, long-running series for Toei. In the first entry in the Hot Springs Geisha series (1968-1972), Ishii successfully replaced his usual "darkly sardonic cinematic style in favor of this light and frivolous "mainstream" comedy about geisha masseuses operating inside a hotsprings resort."[13] Ishii left this series to other directors. The Joys of Torture series (1968-1973), however, suited Ishii's taste, and he directed all eight entries in that series which examined the history of torture in Japan.[14] A fan of the work of horror and suspense author Edogawa Rampo since childhood, Ishii adapted many of his horror stories into his films of this period.[15] The term ero-guro ("erotic-grotesque"), used to describe Rampo's writings, was also applied to Ishii's style in these films, and the term is still used to describe the most extreme of the S&M films in Japan. Of these, the Weisser's comment, "The Ishii Torture movies are still the best-made, rivaled only by certain Koji Wakamatsu productions (especially Torture Chronicles: 100 Years (1975)), a few from Masaru Konuma {i.e., Wife to be Sacrificed and Flower and Snake (both 1974)) and Go Ijuin's Captured For Sex 2 (1986)."[16]

Ishii worked in several of Toei's popular genres during the 1970s, including a Pinky violent film with Reiko Ike, Female yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture (1973),[17] and and one of Sonny Chiba's Street Fighter films in the mid-1970s, The Street Fighter’s Last Revenge (Gyakushu! Satsujin Ken).[18] Ishii made two contributions to the biker genre with Detonation! Violent Riders (1975) and Detonation! Violent Games (1976)[19] After 1979 Ishii stopped making theatrical films and worked mainly for television during the 1980s.

[edit] Later career

Ishii returned to Toei in 1991 with the V-cinema film The Hit Man: Blood Smells Like Roses. In 1993 he made a film of Yoshiharu Tsuge's manga, Master of the Gensenkan Inn (Gensenkan Shujin), and in 1998 he filmed of Tsuge's avant-garde manga, Wind-Up Type (Nejishiki).[20] In 1999 he remade director Nobuo Nakagawa's famous film Hell (Jigoku) (1960), using the trial of Aum sect leader Shoko Asahara as an inspiration.[21] Ishii's last film, The Blind Beast Vs The Dwarf (2001) was based on the work of Edogawa Rampo.[22]

Largely unknown outside Japan during his career, late in life, Ishii's work was discovered and admired by the West. Ishii attended festivals devoted to his films given at the Far East Film Festival in Udine and at the Étrange Festival in France.[23] In his later years, Ishii often spoke of a dream project, a gangster epic with Ken Takakura to be called Once Upon a Time in Japan.[24] Ishii died August 12, 2005 before that project ever became a reality. Directing in a wide range of genres throughout his career, including martial arts, science fiction, horror, erotic, and film noir, Ishii's 83 films are a microcosm of popular cinematic trends in Japan during the second half of the twentieth century.

[edit] Filmography

  • Super Giants (The Steelman from Outer Space, Super Giants 1 (1956)
  • Zoku Super Giants (Rescue from Outer Space, Super Giants 2 (1956)
  • Gonin no Hanzaisha (1957)
  • Ring no Oja: Eiko no Sekai (1957)
  • Super Giants Chikyu Metsubo Sunzen (The Earth in Danger, Super Giant 4 (1957)
  • Super Giants Kaiseijin no Majo (Invaders: From the Planets, Super Giants 3 (1957)
  • Amagi Shinju Tengoku ni Musubu Koi (1958)
  • Jobachi no Ikari (1958) Jotai Senbashi (1958) Shirosen Himitsu Chitai (White Line (1958)
  • Super Giants Jinko Eisen to Jinrui no Hametsu (Spaceship of Human Destruction, Super Giants S (1958)
  • Super Giants Uchutei to Jinko Eisen no Kekitotsu (Destruction of the Space Fleet, Super Giants 6 (1958)
  • Mofubuki no Shito (1959)
  • Nippon Romance Ryoko: Sapporo Han (1959)
  • Senjo no Nadeshiko (1959)
  • Jobachi to Daigaku no Ryu (1960)
  • Kurosen Chitai (Black Line (1960)
  • Nyotai Uzumaki Yima (Yellow Line (1960)
  • Hana to Arashi to Gang (Flower and Storm and Gang, Gang 1 (1961)
  • Kiiroi Fudo (1961)
  • Kiri to Kage (1961)
  • Ren'ai Zubari Koza (1961)
  • Sexy Chitai (Sexy Line (1961)
  • Gang tai Gang (Gang 3 (1962)
  • Koi to Taiyo to Gang (Gang 2 (1962)
  • Taiheiyo no G-men (The G-men of the Pacific (1962)
  • Ankokugai no Kaoyaku: Juichinin no Gang (Boss of the Underworld: Gang of 11, Gang S (1963)
  • Boss o Taose (Kill the Boss (1963)
  • Gang tai G-men: Shudan Kinko Yaburi: Gang 6 (1963)
  • Showa Kyokakuden (1963)
  • Gokinzo yaburi (1964)
  • Irezumi Totsugekitai (1964)
  • Narazu-mono (1964)
  • Tokyo Gang tai Hong Kong Gang (Gang 9, Tokyo Gang versus Hong Kong Gang (1964)
  • Abashiri Bangaichi (A Man from Abashiri Prison (1965)
  • Abashiri Bangaichi: Bokyohen (1965)
  • Kaoyaku (1965)
  • Zoku Abashiri Bangaichi (1965)
  • Abashiri Bangaichi: Dai-setsugen no Taiketsu (1966)
  • Abashiri Bangaichi: Hokkai-hen (1966)
  • Abashiri Bangaichi: Koya no Taiketsu (1966)
  • Abashiri Bangaichi: Nangoku no Taiketsu (1966)
  • Daiakuto Sakusen (Big Villain Plan (1966)
  • Nippon Zero Chitai: Yoru wo Nerae (1966)
  • Shinka 101: Koroshi no Yojimbo (1966)
  • Abashiri Bangaichi: Aku Eno Chosen (1967)
  • Abashiri Bangaichi: Fubuki no Toso (1967)
  • Abashiri Bangaichi: Ketto Reika 30-do (1967)
  • Otoshimae (1967)
  • Onsen Anma Geisha (1968)
  • Tokugawa Onna Keibatsushi (The Joys of Torture, Punishment of the Tokugawa Women (1968)
  • Tokugawa Onna Keizu (1968)
  • Zoku Otoshimae (1968)
  • Edogawa Ranpo Taizen Kyofu Kikei Ningen (1969)
  • Ijo Seai Kiroku Harenchi (1969)
  • Menji Taisho Showa Ryoki Onna Hanzaishi (1969)
  • Tokugawa... Irezumishi Seme Jigoku (Hell's Tattooers (1969)
  • Yakuza Keibatsushi: Lynch! (A History of Yakuza Punishment: Lynch! (1969)
  • Zankoku Ijo Gyakutai Monogatari Genroku Jokeizu (1969)
  • Genroku Onna Keizu (1970)
  • Kaidan Nobori Ryu (The Blind Woman's Curse, The Haunted Life of a Dragon: Tattooed Lass, Tattooed Swordswoman (1970)
  • Kangoku ninbetsucho (1970)
  • Koroshiya ninbetsucho (1970)
  • Noboriryu Tekkahada (The Friendly Killer (1970)
  • Hidirimen Bakuto (1972)
  • Kyofu Kikei Ningen (1972)
  • Gendai Ninkyo-shi (1973)
  • Porno Jidaigeki: Bohachi Bushido (1973)
  • Yasagure Anago Den: Sokatsu Lynch (Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture (1973)
  • Chokugeki! Jigokuhen (Direct Hit! Hell Fist, Executioner (1974)
  • Chokugeki! Jigokuhen: Dai Gyakuten (1974)
  • Gyakushu! Satsujin Ken (Revenge! The Killing Fist, Street Fighter Counterattacks, The Street
  • Fighter's Last Revenge (1974)
  • Bakuhatsu! Bosozoku (1975)
  • Daidatsugoku (1975)
  • Jitsuroku 3 Okuen Jiken: Jiko Seiritsu (1975)
  • Bakuhatsu! Boso Yugi (1976)
  • Boso no Kisetsu (1976)
  • Kinkin no Lumen Taisho (1976)
  • Wakusei Robot Dangard A tai Konchu Robot Gundan (1977)
  • Boryoku Senshi (1979)
  • The Hitman: Chi wa Bara no Nioi (The Hitman: Blood Smells Like Roses (1991) (V)
  • Tsuge Yoshiharu World: Gensenkan Shujin (Gensenkan Inn (1993)
  • Burai Heiya (Vagabond Plain (1995)
  • Nejishiki (Wind-Up Type (1998)
  • Jigoku (Hell) (1999)
  • Moju versus Isshun Boshi (Blind Beast versus Issue Boshi, 2001)[25]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Tavantzis, Nicolas; Sevin Michel (translator) (September 8, 2004). Nicolas Tavantzis interviews Ishii. www.hkmania.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
  2. ^ Curti, Roberto (May 31, 2003). Roman Porno Revisited: Teruo Ishii, the Outcast. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
  3. ^ Mes, Tom (January 28, 2005). Tom Mes interviews Ishii at Midnight Eye. www.midnighteye.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
  4. ^ Schilling, Mark [2003]. The Yakuza Movie Book: A Guide to Japanese Gangster Films. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press, 56. ISBN 1-880656-76-0. 
  5. ^ Schilling, p.56.
  6. ^ Mes.
  7. ^ Tavantzis.
  8. ^ Schilling, p.56.
  9. ^ Schilling, p.56.
  10. ^ Curti.
  11. ^ Schilling, p.56.
  12. ^ Schilling, p.68}}
  13. ^ Weisser, Thomas; Yuko Mihara Weisser (1998). Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films. Miami: Vital Books : Asian Cult Cinema Publications, 198-199. ISBN 1-889288-52-7. 
  14. ^ Weisser, p.198.
  15. ^ Mes.
  16. ^ Weisser, p.215
  17. ^ Weisser, p.152
  18. ^ Schilling, p.69
  19. ^ Weisser, p.377
  20. ^ Curti.
  21. ^ Tavantzis.
  22. ^ Tavantzis.
  23. ^ Mes.
  24. ^ Mes.
  25. ^ Filmography from Schilling, Mark [2003]. The Yakuza Movie Book: A Guide to Japanese Gangster Films. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press, 55-70. ISBN 1-880656-76-0. 

[edit] Sources

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