BLIND WOMAN'S CURSE (1970) 怪談昇り竜 directed by Teruo Ishii Production: Nikkatsu Distribution = Dainichi Utsuhai June 20, 1970 85 minutes Fujicolor Cinemascope Meiko Kaji as Akemi Tachibana Hoki Tokuda as Aiko Gouda Makoto Sato as Tani Shouichi Toru Abe as Dobashi Shiro Otsuji as Senba-tatsu Before Lady Snowblood and before Female Prisoner Scorpion movies - in fact, around the time she was first getting noticed in the Stray Cat Rock series, SOMEONE had already figured out that the soft spoken, demure Meiko Kaji had an onscreen intensity about her that was suited for the oncoming stylistic shift in Japanese cinema. (Meiko Kaji) Blind Woman's Curse is the story of Akemi (Meiko Kaji) who has assumed the role of her father's crime organization in pre-modern Japan. While fighting a rival clan, she accidently blind's the leader's sister. She notices a stray black cat lapping up the blood from it - cursing her... (Meiko Kaji ) After getting out of prison, she tries to tak...
The HOT LITTLE GIRL (1970)
しびれくらげ
directed by Yasuzo Masumura
Production: Daiei Studio
Oct 3, 1970
92 minutes Color Fujicolor
Mari Atsumi as Midori
Ryo Tamura as Kenji
Yusuke Kawazu as Yamazaki
Akemi Negishi as Keiko
I guess Daiei Studios tried jumping on the sleaze train as they were headed toward their demise, introducing Mari Atsumi to the world (this was her 14th movie). I hadn't seen one of her movies yet, this was my first, since Daiei is probably a ways from making any of these available on the English speaking market. Which means the Japanese DVD I watched had no dubs or subs.
From what I can gather, Atsumi is a magazine model that everyone would like a 'piece' of, including her slick young manager, played by Yusuke Kawazu (Cruel Story aka Naked Youth), looking more tan than his female co-star. Yakuza involvement of course follows, along with an O.D., some beatings, etc.
Akemi Negishi even has a small role.
Atsumi isn't naked much here, but she does wrestle around in her underwear a lot, highlighting her slim body and tan skin. It's fun, or whatever, I just don't think she has the screen presence of a Reiko Ike or Miki Sugimoto. She was, apparently a sex idol in Japan though, and like those two, pretty much disappeared by the latter part of the 70's.
I don't know if it was the tans or the Fujicolor, or maybe just the transfer of the film, but the color stood out to me as realistic but strong. You could very easily pick out the dark blue from the black; and yes, this train of thought probably speaks volumes about how I thought the story was boring. They stood around and talked A LOT.
And I somehow doubt it would've made a difference if I knew what they were saying. It picks up towards the very end, as it gets a bit more violent, but not much here I'd need to see again. Atsumi's highlight is a quick shower scene early on, but even that is fairly coy compared to some of what we've seen from Nikkatsu.
Oct 3, 1970
92 minutes Color Fujicolor
From what I can gather, Atsumi is a magazine model that everyone would like a 'piece' of, including her slick young manager, played by Yusuke Kawazu (Cruel Story aka Naked Youth), looking more tan than his female co-star. Yakuza involvement of course follows, along with an O.D., some beatings, etc.
Akemi Negishi even has a small role.
Atsumi isn't naked much here, but she does wrestle around in her underwear a lot, highlighting her slim body and tan skin. It's fun, or whatever, I just don't think she has the screen presence of a Reiko Ike or Miki Sugimoto. She was, apparently a sex idol in Japan though, and like those two, pretty much disappeared by the latter part of the 70's.
I don't know if it was the tans or the Fujicolor, or maybe just the transfer of the film, but the color stood out to me as realistic but strong. You could very easily pick out the dark blue from the black; and yes, this train of thought probably speaks volumes about how I thought the story was boring. They stood around and talked A LOT.
And I somehow doubt it would've made a difference if I knew what they were saying. It picks up towards the very end, as it gets a bit more violent, but not much here I'd need to see again. Atsumi's highlight is a quick shower scene early on, but even that is fairly coy compared to some of what we've seen from Nikkatsu.
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