Issue:

. . . on Wed., Aug. 24 at 6:00 pm (an hour earlier than usual) to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the softcore porn genre that launched the careers of many of Japan’s now-prominent directors, featuring a special preview of the upcoming releases in the Nikkatsu Roman Porno Reboot Project, a Q&A panel with the five filmmakers and a screening of a Nikkatsu masterpiece of yesteryear, The World of Geisha, one of François Truffaut’s favorite films. Famed directors Hideo Nakata, Akihiko Shiota, Kazuya Shiraishi, Sion Sono and Isao Yukisada will be on hand to discuss their first- time efforts directing Roman Porno, following the same format in which the films were made in their 1970s-80s heyday: on a limited budget, with only one week to shoot and a sex scene every 15 minutes or so. After the panel, stay for the many delights of The World of Geisha, a sumptuously beautiful, emotionally engrossing, sexy, often hilarious tale from erotic box-office king Tatsuro Kumashiro. (Japan, 1973; 69 minutes; Japanese with English subtitles.)


– Karen Severns