INTERVIEW By Grant Chartrand (Shinuchi Is the director of 'Stranger’) Planet of the Arts: Hello and welcome to Canada Mr. Nagasaki. | really don’t know where to start here,...um (referring to festival guide) film noir, a thriller... Shunichi Nagasaki: This is ‘catch copy’...(laughs, all laugh) POTA: O.K. ah, on the surface I’m seeing that this particular film, | realize that you've had several successes so far, this film seems to be.. with the protagonist a woman, are you trying to make some sort of a statement about the position of women in your culture? SHUNICHI: Wellthere is not much deep reason | chose the woman as a hero but, the real message underneath is ‘howto live’. That is the major message of my movie and as you can see the heroine had Shunichi Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Issue 3 RO The following interviews took place during the Vancou- ver Film Festival at the Hotel Vancouver Oct 7th 1991. In order to preserve the integrity of the interview and the inten- tions of the directors, I have tried to adhere as closely as possible to the original text. This means that all my questions however inept, are included as well as any grammatical errors executed by the translator. Even so, I have summarily para- phrased where necessary. I spoke first with Rokuro Mochizuki director of ‘Skin- less Night’. Planet of the Arts : Hello and welcome to Canada, Rokuro, I just have a few questions,...umm it seems like quite an accomplishment to have a film in the Vancouver film festival ,to me,..I1 was wondering how you felt about having your film in an international festival and if you see it as a new opening in your career? Rokuro Mochizuki: Well this is actually not the first experience to be a participant in an international film festival, because there is a Tokyo international film festival, and I was a part of it, well actually, although it is international it was held in Tokyo, so coming to Vancouver is a different story. I’m very looking forward and curious and interested in how the audi- ence who has different language and different places, receive my movie in probably different way, how they react is very interesting to me. Actually, I haven’t made much movies yet and because I made this film... which we’re talking about... POTA: Skinless Night ... RM: yeah, Skinless Night , I have (been) offered some other new movie jobs, movie projects, so in that sense making this film expanded my horizons and also being invited to international film festival possibly opened up my career again in expanding something... but I don’t know yet how this experience (will) affect my movie making. But I’m looking forward, something could happen . POTA : So you find the crossing over of film genres, from that of pornography which is stated in the program, and using that format or that genre within the expanded genre of say, a more commercial type of a film... there has got to be a lot of challenges involved in that I would think... committed crime first and then came out from the prison so this is her story forgetting her past andthen fighting the difficulty of life itself, not just fighting back the crazy men. | think women could have more predicaments with life so that’s why | chose the women...but | don’t have a much deeper reason forit. POTA: You seem to favor the ‘dark’ look of film -film noir, the thriller, so you've basically re-invented the genre in your own style? SHUNICHI : Actually, this is the person who wrote this introduction (referring to film guide), he saw one of my sides of my film making and yes, | like Hitchcock-type thriller and film noir and so on but, I'm not really keen to go into that direction too far. I’m interested in other dimensions too. What | would like to express is, when human being(s) isthrown into a situation and struggling to get freedom or to make her or his emotion getting higher..creating that situ- ation, that’s what | want to do. That’s why | borrow i4 Kuro that is to say, I don’t know how pornography is received in Japan, here it’s much more of asub-culture. Is that the case in Japan ? RM: Pomography in video, using video is a very new media, actually there’s only five years of history. POTA: In Japan ? RM: Yes, in Japan. So before that, pornography was usually in a book or in a movie. In the pom movie in Japan, of course there are many exceptions but like Nikatsu... Nikatsu is a company name, it’s called Romance Porno. So it’s a more soft focus pom I think, or pomography is called ‘pink’ movie. Although they are making pomography, actually this is sort of training field for the new young directors. The young directors has been trained as a director through the making of pornogra- phy. So it is considered like a training field. POTA : So it is held in high regard. ROKURO: Well, at that time if the young man, young people who wants (to) direct a movie there is no other chance, because the movie world itself is very slack, for a long period slump. So there is no chance but, Nikatsu or ‘pink’ movie area because no movie company in Japan take new assistant direc- tor anymore they don’t have any money to do that so if the young people wants to make a movie, the Nikatsu or ‘pink’ movieis only field they have achance to director they can write ascript or something like that. So that is only one field they can get in. So then, five years ago when the video was introduced, so called ‘adult’ video... POTA : Yes.. RM: Ah...was introduced, ah they couldn’t ... those ‘adult’ video completely defeat pomo movie. Mainly because of economical reasons porno movies couldn’t...there is no job anymore after that so I hesitated about two years to get into the video world because the purpose I was in porno was, I wanted to make a movie. POTA: Umn...it’s a... The movie is a comedy , which ah...I love, personally comedies are my favorite. Umm...lets see, how am I going to say this...what message are you the film noir-type situation | can express that strug- gle. POTA: So you would use a different film genre if the idea or the concept demanded it. SHUNICHI : Of course. POTA: What other film makers have influenced your career? SHUNICHI : Right now | can’t say particular persons who affect me most, but | have seen so many movies...so any movies | was attracted, or felt some- thing that’s affect me but not particular person right now. The movie which triggers me, or make me want to make a film is called ‘Yakusa’ movie, it is one of the category, Yakusa is the Japanese gangster-type movie,...and well Sejen Suzuki is famous for that so seeing those Yakusa movie is one of the trigger and the other is ‘Roma-porno’. INTERVIEW By Grant Chartrand pacers (Shinuchl Is the director of ‘Stranger Planet of the Arts: Hello and welcome to Canada Mr. Nagasak. | really don’t know where to start here,..um (referring to festival guide) flm noir, a thelller ‘Shunichi Nagasaki: Thisis‘catch copy’..(laughs, all laugh) POTA: O.K. ah, on the surface I'm seeing that, this particular film, I realize that you've had several successes so far, this film seems to be.. with the protagonist a woman, are you trying to make some sort of a statement about the position of women in your culture? SHUNICHI: Wellthere isnot much deep reason | chose the woman as a hero but, the real message underneath Is howto live’. That isthe major message ‘of my movie and as you can see the heroine had Planet ofthe Arts Volume 7 Issue 3 Ro ‘Thefollowing interviews took lace during the Vancou: ver Film Festival at the Hotel Vancouver Oct 71h 1981. In ‘order to preserve the integrity ofthe interview and the inten tions of the directors, I have tried to adhere as closely as ‘possible tothe original text. This means that all my questions ‘however inept, are included aswellas any grammaticalerrors ‘executed by the translator. Even so, | have sumarily para phrased where necessary. I spoke first with Rokuro Mochizuki director of ‘Skin. Jess Night’ Planet of the Arts : Hello and welcome to Canada, Rokuro, I just have a few questions,..umm it seems lke auite an accomplishment to have afm in the Vancouver film festival to me,.1 was wondering how you felt about ‘having your film in an international festival and if you see tas a new opening In your career? Rokuro Mochizuki: Well this is actually not the frst ‘experience tobe a participant in an international film festival ‘because there isa Tokyo international film festival, and I was apartofit, well actually, although itis intemationalitwasheld in Tokyo, socomingo Vancouver is adifferent story I'm very looking forward and curious and intrested in how the aud ‘ence who has different language and different places, receive my movie in probably different way, how they react is very interesting to me. Actually, haven't made much movies yet and because I made this film... which we're taking about.. POTA: Skinless Night [RM yeah, Skinless Night, have (been offered some other new movie jobs, movie projects, so in that sense making this film expanded my horizons and also being invited to international film festival possibly pened up my career again jn expanding something... but I don't know yet how this experience (will affect my movie making. But I'm looking forward, something could happen POTA::Soyou find the crossing over of flim genres, from that of pornography which Is stated in the program, ‘and using that format or that genre within the expanded {genre of say, a more commercial type ofa film. there has {gottobe a lotof challenges involved in that would think... committed crime first and then came out from the prison sothlsisher story forgetting her past andthen fighting the difficulty of life itself, not Just fighting ‘back the crazy men. I think women could have more predicaments with life so that’s why | chose the ‘women...but |don'thaveamuch deeperreasonforlt. POTA: You seem to favor the ‘dark’ look of film -fllm noir, the thriller, so you've basically re-invented ‘the genre in your own style? SHUNICHI : Actually, this Is the person who wrote this Introduction (referring to film guide), he saw one of my sides of my film making and yes, like Hitchcocktype thriller and film noir and so on but, I'm not really keen to go into that direction too far. I'm interested in other dimensions too. What | would like to expressis, when human being(s)Isthrown into a situation and struggling to get freedom or to make her or his emotion getting higher..creating that situ ation, that’s what | want to do. That's why | borrow kuro ‘that s tosay, I don’t know how pornography isreceived in ‘Japan, herelt’smuch moreofasub-cultur. Isthatthecase in Japan? RM: Pornography in video, using video is a very new media, actually there's only five years of history POTA::In Japan? RM: Yes, in Japan. So before that, pornography was ‘usually in a book or in a movi. Inthe pom movie in Japan, of course there ae many exceptions but like Nikatsu..Nikatsuis ‘company name, it'sealled Romance Porno. Soit's amore soft focus por think, or pomography is called pink’ movi. ‘Although they are making pornography, actually his is sortof ‘waning field for the new young dreciors. The young directors thas been trained asa director through the making of pomogra phy. So it is considered like a training field POTA : So itis held in high regard. ROKURO: Well, t that time ifthe young man, young, people who wants (to) diret a movie there sno other chance, because the movie world itself is very slack, for long period slump. So there iso chance but, Nikatsuor pink” movie rea because movie company in Japan tke new assistant dec tor anymore they don't have any money to do that s0 if the young people wants to make « movie, the Nikatsu or ‘pink’ ‘movieisonly field they have achanceto director hey ean write ‘acriptor something lke that So thats only one field they can {getin. So then, five yeas ago when the video was introduced, socalled ‘adult’ video, POTA: Yes RM: Ah...was introduced, ah they couldn't those ‘adult’ video completly defeat poro movie. Mainly because ‘of economical reasons porno movies couldn't.there is no job snymore after that so [hesitated about wo yeas to get into the video world because the purpose I was in pmo was, wanted to make amovie, POTA: Umm..it'sa..Themovie isa comedy which ‘an.Llove, personaly comediesaremy favorite. Umm..lets see, how am I going to say thls..what message are you the film noirtype situation I can express that strug- gle. POTA: So you would use a different film genre If the Idea or the concept demanded it. SHUNICH! : OF course. POTA: What other film makers have influenced your career? SHUNICHI : Right now I can't say particular persons who affect me most, but | have seen so many ‘movies..s0 any movies| was attracted, or felt some- thing that’s affect me but not particular person right now. The movie whieh triggers me, or make me want. to make a films called Yakusa’ movie, itis one of the category, Yakusa is the Japanese gangster-type ‘movie,...and well Sejen Suzuki Is famous for that so, seeing those Yakusa movie is one of the trigger and the other Is Roma-porno’. Shunichi 14