Monday, April 11, 2011

Prosperities of Vice

Japan, 1988
Director: Akio Jissoji
Starring: Yasumi Hara, Renji Ishibashi, Seiran Li, Koji Shimizu

Tokyo Decadence

aka Topaz
Japan, 1992
Director: Ryu Murakami
Starring: Miho Nikaido, Yayoi Kusama, Sayoko Amano



Variant Amino Love

Japan, 2002
Director: Horii Aya
Starring: Ken Ishikawa, Hoka Kinoshita, Hiromi Miyagawa

Ver.B

The Brutal Hopelessness of Love

Japan, 2007
Director: Takashi Ishii
Starring: Mai Kitajima, Toshiyuki Nagashima, Kanji Tsuda

Flower & Snake 3

Japan, 2010
Director: Yusuke Narita
Starring: Minako Komukai, Shohei Hino, Mari Komatsuzaki, Kotono

Flower & Snake 2

Japan, 2005
Director: Takashi Ishii
Starring: Aya Sugimoto, Ken'ichi Endo, Fujiko

Mrs. Scarlet Rose

aka Beni Bara Fujin
Japan, 2006
Director: Ken'ichi Fujiwara

Bakushi: The Incredible Lives of Rope-Masters

Japan, 2007
Director: Ryuichi Hiroki

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Blade Runner

USA, 1982
Director: Ridley Scott


Alien

USA, 1979
Director: Ridley Scott

2010: The Year We Make Contact

USA, 1984
Director: Peter Hyams

12 Monkeys

USA, 1995
Director: Terry Gilliam

Jigoku

aka Japanese Hell
Japan, 1999
Director: Teruo Ishii

Blind Beast vs Dwarf

Japan, 2001
Director: Teruo Ishii

This hand-illustrated chirashi looks amazing, with very high print quality.

Strange Circus

Japan, 2005
Director: Sion Sono

I first came into contact with Sion Sono's work with Suicide Club (2001), and enjoyed the movie a lot. But Strange Circus, his next film, just blew me away. A surreal and twisted horror masterpiece, and still my favorite of his films.

Since then he has followed up with such awesome films as Love Exposure, Cold Fish, and Guilty of Romance.




Suicide Circle

Japan, 2001
Director: Sion Sono

Nightmare Detective 2

Japan, 2008
Director: Shinya Tsukamoto

Nightmare Detective - ver.B

Japan, 2006
Director: Shinya Tsukamoto

A Snake of June

Japan, 2002
Director: Shinya Tsukamoto

The Dark

USA, 1979
Director: John 'Bud' Cardos
Starring: William Devane, Cathy Lee Crosby, Richard Jaeckel


Cat People

USA, 1982
Director: Paul Schrader
Starring:  Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell, John Heard, Annette O'Toole

Nastassja Kinski's performance in this film is riveting, as is the sense of atmosphere generated by Paul Schrader's direction. There's just something about the dark and sexual feel of this film that appeals to me.

The african scenes featuring Bowie's "Cat People" are especially effective, but then I love that song. Giorgio Moroder's synth-laden score fills the rest of the film, giving an obvious '80s vibe that evokes either cheesiness or unique atmosphere, depending on your point of view.



Altered States

USA, 1980
Director: Ken Russell
Starring: William Hurt, Blair Brown, Charles Haid, Drew Barrymore


Hellraiser

United Kingdom, 1987
Director: Clive Barker
Starring: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence

Scanners

Canada, 1981
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Jennifer O'Neill, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan