The SM Detective

Here comes another Nikkatsu classic with the word snake in the title. Hebi no Ana (Snake Pit) is another film based on a story by Oniroku Dan. This one stars the lovely Shima Izumi who appeared in several other Nikkatsu SM Roman Porno flicks in the glory days.

The interesting thing about this movie, for me at least, is that I first saw scenes from it in another movie entirely. I had thought that other movie was Shocking Asia but then I realized that Shocking Asia came out years before Hebi no Ana.

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The following is a post I made at the Kinbaku group at FetLife. I'm reprinting it here on the assumption that not everyone who follows this blog is also a member of the Kinbaku group and vice versa.

Thirty years after the original Flower and Snake film starring Tani Naomi was released, director Ishii Takashi cast the beautiful Sugimoto Aya in a new version of the classic, employing the same name while exercising some artistic license with the plot. The original movie was based on a novel by Oniroku Dan. The original director was Konuma Masaru.

I quite liked the 2004 version. Wasn't as impressed with the follow-up 2005 version which saw Ms. Sugimoto travel to Paris.

I have read that the 2004 movie was a hit and seems destined to achieve a certain cult status all its own. After the movie came out, the producers released a glossy collection of color photographs depicting the juiciest SM scenes from the film.

I finally broke down and bought this collection. This is not a photo book. The pictures are loose, printed on photographic paper and come well-protected in a thick cardboard container.

I'm not sure how many pictures there are in all (haven't counted them), but there are a lot. Brand new, this collection costs 4700 yen and I would say it's money well spent for the serious aficionado/collector.

One thing: the photo quality is, I would say, a bit less than if they had been shot with a high quality stills camera. It appears these photos have been taken directly from the print of the movie. The film was shot in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio on 35mm movie film. The film passes in front of the lens at (probably) 24 frames a second.

Watching the pictures fly by on the movie screen yields a satisfactory experience. Printing photos from the film negative is somewhat less satisfactory. Was there no dedicated photographer on set? I'm not sure how these things work.

But that's a minor quibble. I still love the photos.

Undoubtedly, many of you have come across some of these photos on the internet. But this collection is the whole enchilada and a worthy companion to the DVD of the film itself.

Now I'm just wondering if they're ever going to put it out on Blu-ray.

KabukiJoe

I'm still out pounding the pavement, visiting Japan's most recognized names in bondage porn.

Someone asked me what the hell I hoped to accomplish with these surprise visits, as it were. I guess I haven't been too clear about that. Actually, I have a few goals in mind.

First, I'm looking to pick up some freelance editing work. I'd eventually like to parlay that into work as a director. This was initially inspired by the fact that it hasn't been easy getting good distribution. If I hook up with a bigger company, I don't have to worry about that part of the equation.

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A reader wrote to me inquiring about a video he had seen online. He believed the title was Kunoichi and he supplied the URL. He was interested in getting more information on this video.

I checked it out. Although this was definitely a Japanese video, the site in question was completely in English. Furthermore, it appeared that someone had uploaded virtually the entire video. It's a free streaming site and the video was broken up into four segments. I link to, or embed, short videos and trailers. I don't link to these kinds of sites for obvious reasons.

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Awhile ago I mentioned that I was in the process of writing a script for a kick ass piece of video schlock that I was intending to shop around. Well, the script has been finished and I finally visited the first place on my list which just happens to be the biggest purveyor of porn in Japan.

I had been to this place once before several years ago. At that time, I just breezed through the front door and into the elevator. There was an elderly gentleman serving as a security guard of sorts on the first floor but he just smiled and waved me along.

I wasn't as lucky this time.

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Here's another pretty decent flick from the long list of stories by Oniroku Dan adapted to the big screen by Nikkatsu. Shoujo Shibari Ezu (Image of a Bound Girl) was released in 1980 and directed by Masaru Konuma. Konuma is well known for having directed some very famous SM movies, including the two Woman in a Box movies and the original Hana to Hebi (Flower and Snake).

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Here's the official press release for the London Festival of the Art of Japanese Bondage. The event is just around the corner so if you're in the vicinity, it looks like something well worth attending. -- KJ

London Festival of the Art of Japanese Bondage, 25-28 June, 2009

The London Festival of the Art of Japanese Bondage will be totally unique. We are keen to promote kinbaku (aka shibari/Japanese rope bondage) as an artistic inspiration, a performance art in its own right and as a means of erotic communication, whilst sharing knowledge about it and its cultural context.

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It seems an age ago that we were in Japan. Life has been hectic since I came back as I have found myself involved in co-organising the London Festival of the Art of Japanese Bondage.

This is going to be totally unique and we are getting international support and contributors. It will promote kinbaku as an artistic inspiration, a performance art in its own right and as a means of erotic communication, whilst sharing knowledge about it and its cultural context.

What with that, plus shows, forthcoming trips to Geneva and Barcelona and all the other aspects of trying to make a living in the world of rope, I haven't had a lot of time to write.

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はじめまして、のえと申します。関西在住、日本人、性別♀でございます。アメリカには個人でネットラジオをしている方が結構いらっしゃるようで、緊縛 をテーマにしてはるのがGraydancerさんのRopecast.

先日そのRopecastで、Graydancerと有末剛氏のインタビューの通訳をつとめる栄誉にあずかりました。何も知らないわたくしですが、こぐれさんのご助力を得て、妙な聞き間違いをしつつも、皆様とお話できて楽しかったです。

だいたい日本人は真剣で勤勉、アメリカ人はもう少し楽しくリラックスしているイメージがあるのですが、Graydancerのインタビューの質問からは真剣さというか、まじめに研究している感じが感じ取れます。思いこみはいかんね。

有末さんとこぐれさんは今頃もうヨーロッパツアーに出発なさったことと思います。頑張ってね～！

Hello and nice to meet you. I'm Noe, a Japanese girl who lives in the Kansai area. I'm "Noe" on FetLife too, so look me up if you like.

I had the honor the other day of acting as an interpreter on Graydancer's interview with Arisue Go, a Japanese kinbaku artist. Arisue-san was very nice to talk with, and it was fun to chat with everyone involved. I would not have been able to do the interpretation without a lot of help from Kogure-san. I'm a newbie, and I know little about kinbaku, or BDSM in general.

Graydancer's questions were interesting to me in a way that I can see how serious the American enthusiasts are about kinbaku. The general preconception is that the Japanese are a serious and diligent people, the Americans more fun-loving and relaxed. Yet, I can clearly see how Graydancer thinks seriously about kinbaku.

As far as Arisue-san's answers are concerned, I'll leave it to you to listen to the interview.

Now I think Arisue-san and Kogure-san have already departed for their European tour. I wish them a lot of success and fun!