Nikkatsu Roman Porno Recommendations to Distributors - Blu-ray Forum

Takuma · 09-25-2024, 02:01 PM

With both 88 Films and Third Window Films having released / announced a number of Roman Porno titles recently, I couldn't help but to compile my own list of recommendations based on the roughly 400 Roman Porno films that I've seen. These are accomplished and interesting films that go far beyond sleaze, though obviously are not short on skin and sex either. I've divided them very roughly into two categories: films that lean more towards genre movies, and those that lean more towards quirky drama or slice of life drama. Some of the films could easily have been on both lists.

Recommended Films with a Genre Movie flavour (Available in HD as far as I know)

Retreat through the Wet Wasteland (濡れた荒野を走れ) (1973)
Arguably one of the most important Japanese crime films of the 70s, this utterly nihilist beast cop tale follows a group of corrupt detectives (who among other things rob churches) man-hunting their former colleague, who has escaped from a mental prison and could bring their crimes to publicity. Directed by early 70s Nikkatsu Outlaw cinema master Yukihiro Sawada. Takeo Chii gives perhaps his career best performance as a devil with a badge.

Sex Rider: Wet Highway (セックス・ライダー濡れたハイウェイ) (1971) and Sex Rider: Injured Lust (セックス・ライダー　傷だらけの欲情) (1973)
Two highly stylised crime / action / road movie cocktails from Koretsugu Kurahara, one of Nikkatsu’s rebel action directors who refused to let go of the studio’s past. Both films mix elements of older gangster and youth pictures, with the first movie being a more of a road film and the even better second movie an urban ballad about two desperate lovers (brother and sister) on the run from the police and the entire world!

Female Delinquent: A Docu-Drama (実録不良少女　姦) (1977)
Lady Snowblood director Toshiya Fujita’s gritty delinquent girl masterpiece is, in my opinion, the best Roman Porno picture of all time. Based on a real delinquent’s autography, the film feels like Kinji Fukasaku and Noboru Tanaka joint-directing a Pinky Violence picture with Roman Porno sensibilities. Features fantastic performances (including Yuya Uchida in a supporting role) and an epic rock soundtrack!

Girl’s Pleasure: Man Hunting (横須賀男狩り　少女・悦楽) (1977)
Toshiya Fujita’s second best Roman Porno picture is a ferocious revenge tale which turns gender roles upside down. Based on a competition winning screenplay by one of Roman Porno’s few female writers, Machiko Nasu, modern audiences would probably call the movie "Tarantino-esque" with its clever mixture of pop music, sudden shocking violence, and characters’ paths crossing ironically by pure coincidence.

Erotic Liaisons (エロチックな関係) (1977)
One of Nikkatsu’s most stylish pictures, a slick neo-noir following a private detective (Yuya Uchida) who falls in love with the femme fatale he’s supposed to spy on. Soon bodies start piling up. Stylishly directed by Yasuharu Hasesebe, with stand-out performances (especially by the perfectly cast Uchida, and his secretary Reiko Kayama), and a distinctly European feel, probably due to being based on French author Raymond Marlot’s hard boiled novel that has been relocated to Japan.

Painful Bliss! Final Twist (悶絶!! どんでん返し) (1977)
An absolutely insane mix of yakuzas, pop-art, and trans awakenings. If Takashi Miike, Pedro Almodovar and Noboru Tanaka had merged to make a movie, this is probably what it would look like. Though it turns out, all it took was Tatsumi Kumashiro to make this film. One of the maddest, most joyful films in the Roman Porno series.

Rolling on the Road (嗚呼！おんなたち　猥歌) (1981)
Master filmmaker Tatsumi Kumashiro and legendary rock star Yuya Uchida joined forces for this incredible rock n roll sleaze explosion starring Uchida as himself (though the character has a different name, it's clearly based on Uchida, and the plot follows relatively closely Uchida's notorious real life misadventures) and oh boy, he does not hold back one bit!

Girl and the Wooden Horse Torture (団鬼六　少女木馬責め) (1982)
I am not a fan of S&M films, but this movie is a different beast compared to the rest. Visually talented director Fumihiko Kato helms a gripping psychological drama based on a Takashi Ishii screenplay about a high school girl obsessed with her teacher, who has been fired on false rape accusations. The highly visual, noirish and nightmarish film is both surprising and character driven, and feels like an Angel Guts movie with an S&M theme.

Orgasm Mariko (オーガズム　真理子) (1985)
From the director of Girl and the Wooden Horse Torture and the writer of Hausu, this bloody revenge thriller full of menstruation blood, about a girl trying to kill as many sleazy truckers as she possibly can, is a cult classic waiting to be discovered. It is currently trending in Japan, with a brand new 35mm print produced earlier this year for theatrical showing, and a new digital HD master released on DVD. But who's going to release it on BD?

+ Please make these available in HD (HD master might exist, but I'm not aware of)

Assault (暴行！) (1976)
Another crime film by the director of Retreat through the Wet Wasteland. This is a remarkably dark and bleak home invasion tale obviously influenced by Straw Dogs.The eight minute climax is a melancholic ballad of violence that rivals the best scenes directed by Sam Peckinpah and John Woo.

Woman of the Afternoon: Incite (昼下りの女　挑発！！) (1979)
One of the most refreshing and disturbing films in the Roman Porno series, this picture starts out as a breezy road movie following a liberated woman on a countryside road trip… until she takes a wrong turn and ends up somewhere in the Deliverance and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre territory.

Burai no onna (ＢＵ・ＲＡ・Ｉの女) (1988)
The best Japanese yakuza film of the 80s, hidden in the Roman Porno line-up. Future DTV super star Hitoshi Ozawa stars as novice yakuza who is sent to Okinawa to commit an assassination, but does he have the guts to kill a man? While he’s sweating in hotel rooms, hanging out in bars and hooking up with old friends, the boss (Hideo Murota) sends a pair of psycho killers to ensure the job gets done. This movie is the missing link between Okinawa Yakuza War and Sonatine.

09-25-2024, 02:01 PM	#1
Takuma Senior Member Member since:Dec 2011 Location:Japan	Nikkatsu Roman Porno Recommendations to Distributors With both 88 Films and Third Window Films having released / announced a number of Roman Porno titles recently, I couldn't help but to compile my own list of recommendations based on the roughly 400 Roman Porno films that I've seen. These are accomplished and interesting films that go far beyond sleaze, though obviously are not short on skin and sex either. I've divided them very roughly into two categories: films that lean more towards genre movies, and those that lean more towards quirky drama or slice of life drama. Some of the films could easily have been on both lists. Recommended Films with a Genre Movie flavour (Available in HD as far as I know) Retreat through the Wet Wasteland (濡れた荒野を走れ) (1973) Arguably one of the most important Japanese crime films of the 70s, this utterly nihilist beast cop tale follows a group of corrupt detectives (who among other things rob churches) man-hunting their former colleague, who has escaped from a mental prison and could bring their crimes to publicity. Directed by early 70s Nikkatsu Outlaw cinema master Yukihiro Sawada. Takeo Chii gives perhaps his career best performance as a devil with a badge. Sex Rider: Wet Highway (セックス・ライダー濡れたハイウェイ) (1971) and Sex Rider: Injured Lust (セックス・ライダー　傷だらけの欲情) (1973) Two highly stylised crime / action / road movie cocktails from Koretsugu Kurahara, one of Nikkatsu’s rebel action directors who refused to let go of the studio’s past. Both films mix elements of older gangster and youth pictures, with the first movie being a more of a road film and the even better second movie an urban ballad about two desperate lovers (brother and sister) on the run from the police and the entire world! Female Delinquent: A Docu-Drama (実録不良少女　姦) (1977) Lady Snowblood director Toshiya Fujita’s gritty delinquent girl masterpiece is, in my opinion, the best Roman Porno picture of all time. Based on a real delinquent’s autography, the film feels like Kinji Fukasaku and Noboru Tanaka joint-directing a Pinky Violence picture with Roman Porno sensibilities. Features fantastic performances (including Yuya Uchida in a supporting role) and an epic rock soundtrack! Girl’s Pleasure: Man Hunting (横須賀男狩り　少女・悦楽) (1977) Toshiya Fujita’s second best Roman Porno picture is a ferocious revenge tale which turns gender roles upside down. Based on a competition winning screenplay by one of Roman Porno’s few female writers, Machiko Nasu, modern audiences would probably call the movie "Tarantino-esque" with its clever mixture of pop music, sudden shocking violence, and characters’ paths crossing ironically by pure coincidence. Erotic Liaisons (エロチックな関係) (1977) One of Nikkatsu’s most stylish pictures, a slick neo-noir following a private detective (Yuya Uchida) who falls in love with the femme fatale he’s supposed to spy on. Soon bodies start piling up. Stylishly directed by Yasuharu Hasesebe, with stand-out performances (especially by the perfectly cast Uchida, and his secretary Reiko Kayama), and a distinctly European feel, probably due to being based on French author Raymond Marlot’s hard boiled novel that has been relocated to Japan. Painful Bliss! Final Twist (悶絶!! どんでん返し) (1977) An absolutely insane mix of yakuzas, pop-art, and trans awakenings. If Takashi Miike, Pedro Almodovar and Noboru Tanaka had merged to make a movie, this is probably what it would look like. Though it turns out, all it took was Tatsumi Kumashiro to make this film. One of the maddest, most joyful films in the Roman Porno series. Rolling on the Road (嗚呼！おんなたち　猥歌) (1981) Master filmmaker Tatsumi Kumashiro and legendary rock star Yuya Uchida joined forces for this incredible rock n roll sleaze explosion starring Uchida as himself (though the character has a different name, it's clearly based on Uchida, and the plot follows relatively closely Uchida's notorious real life misadventures) and oh boy, he does not hold back one bit! Girl and the Wooden Horse Torture (団鬼六　少女木馬責め) (1982) I am not a fan of S&M films, but this movie is a different beast compared to the rest. Visually talented director Fumihiko Kato helms a gripping psychological drama based on a Takashi Ishii screenplay about a high school girl obsessed with her teacher, who has been fired on false rape accusations. The highly visual, noirish and nightmarish film is both surprising and character driven, and feels like an Angel Guts movie with an S&M theme. Orgasm Mariko (オーガズム　真理子) (1985) From the director of Girl and the Wooden Horse Torture and the writer of Hausu, this bloody revenge thriller full of menstruation blood, about a girl trying to kill as many sleazy truckers as she possibly can, is a cult classic waiting to be discovered. It is currently trending in Japan, with a brand new 35mm print produced earlier this year for theatrical showing, and a new digital HD master released on DVD. But who's going to release it on BD? + Please make these available in HD (HD master might exist, but I'm not aware of) Assault (暴行！) (1976) Another crime film by the director of Retreat through the Wet Wasteland. This is a remarkably dark and bleak home invasion tale obviously influenced by Straw Dogs.The eight minute climax is a melancholic ballad of violence that rivals the best scenes directed by Sam Peckinpah and John Woo. Woman of the Afternoon: Incite (昼下りの女　挑発！！) (1979) One of the most refreshing and disturbing films in the Roman Porno series, this picture starts out as a breezy road movie following a liberated woman on a countryside road trip… until she takes a wrong turn and ends up somewhere in the Deliverance and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre territory. Burai no onna (ＢＵ・ＲＡ・Ｉの女) (1988) The best Japanese yakuza film of the 80s, hidden in the Roman Porno line-up. Future DTV super star Hitoshi Ozawa stars as novice yakuza who is sent to Okinawa to commit an assassination, but does he have the guts to kill a man? While he’s sweating in hotel rooms, hanging out in bars and hooking up with old friends, the boss (Hideo Murota) sends a pair of psycho killers to ensure the job gets done. This movie is the missing link between Okinawa Yakuza War and Sonatine.

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