Tsumugi (2004)

Tsumugi, aka Sora Aoi is Tsumugi, aka Seifuku bisyojo sensei atashi wo daite has a story somewhere inside it. I swear it’s there…somewhere. What I do know is that for the duration of the film the audience is treated to almost non-stop sexual encounters between a student, a teacher, another student, and another teacher in a twisted love…quadrangle. The audience is also treated to fantastic cinematography and a pretty twisted ending, if you ask me.

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A Lonely Cow Weeps At Dawn (2003) – DVD Review

So, I got this disc in the mail as a screener for Pinky Eiga. I was a bit hesitant to watch it at first after reading the synopsis (read on for that), but after watching it I can say my fears were crushed and I had a blast. It plays out somewhere between a softcore comedy and a family drama that goes horribly off the deep end. What I was left with was an entertaining flick that kept my eyes glued to the screen for its entire (short) running time.

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Sexy Battle Girls (1986) – DVD Review

Where do I begin with a flick like Sexy Battle Girls, aka Nerawareta gakuen: seifuku o osou? It’s safe to say you can guess what you’re going to get when you pop this DVD in, but what you can’t be sure of is just how ridiculous things can get. Nudity, sex scenes, oddly entertaining fight sequences, weapons that would make Batman jealous, ridiculous dialogue, and an ending you have to see to believe make this parody a quick, but entertaining, trip into the world of Pink cinema.

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Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972)

There’s something to be said for the Female Prisoner series of films. The first film, Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion, set a high bar for the films that followed. It seemed that director, Shunya Ito was up to the challenge as he crafted Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41, aka Joshuu sasori: Dai-41 zakkyo-bô. Once again the audience follows Matsu (the incredibly talented, and beautiful, Meiko Kaji) as she seeks revenge for false imprisonment.

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Go, Go Second Time Virgin (1969)

I’m going to kick off this review with a little story I’m sure two of you may give a crap about. About eight or so years ago, I was insanely excited to see a film called Kichiku: Banquet of the Beasts. Multiple reviews stated it was nasty, depraved and disturbing. In other words, something I’d probably like. I finally saw the film a couple years later by importing a disc that cost me upwards of $50. I hated the film. These same reviews cited the films of Koji Wakamatsu as a clear influence on the film. Now I never listen to anyone else’s opinions on film, but I honestly was so annoyed with Kichiku (partly due to the $50 I wasted, I’m sure) that I steered clear of any Koji Wakamatsu films I had the opportunity to see. That was until yesterday, when I watched Go, Go Second Time Virgin. I now realize I should have been my usual self and not been influenced by others, as what I saw was something unique and compelling, from a visionary director that I now find the need to get much more familiar with.

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Bohachi: Clan of the Forgotten Eight (1973)

Over the weeks and months to come, any readers here that don’t already know me will surely soon realize I have a real enthusiasm for Japanese cinema. This was probably instilled in me before I even realized it was happening, with everything from Nintendo and Sega, animation like Robotech, Voltron, and The Adventures of Unico, and my fascination with badly dubbed giant monster films like Godzilla and Rodan that played on the weekend afternoon Creature Feature’s when I was growing up. There’s just something I get from watching Japanese cinema that I don’t find anywhere else.

Two genres you won’t find anywhere outside of Japan is the samurai film, and a breed of exploitation dubbed Pinky Violence. Yes, there are other films from all over the world that stem from the same idea behind the Pinky Violence genre (girls kicking ass or getting revenge), but no one else can do it with the same style and panache as the Japanese can. These two genres are arguably my favorites from the Land of the Rising Sun, so the idea of putting them together makes a grown man like myself giddy with joy. Thanks to Bohachi: Clan of the Forgotten Eight, directed by exploitation legend Teruo Ishii, that idea has become reality.

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