Adachi & 9.11

[Roland Domenig]

to add to jaspers posting:

before entering wakamatsu production in 1966 adachi already enjoyed a
reputation as experimental filmmaker. he was co-founder of the shineiken
(new film research group) at nihon university, where he made WAN (1961) and
SAIN (1963), two central films of the japanese experimental/avantgarde
cinema. at wakamatsu production he and yamatoya atsushi became the two
pillars of wakamatsu's fame in the late 60's. beside writing scripts for
wakamatsu and directing pink eiga himself, he continued on the avantgarde
track with the film GINGAKEI (1967) that was the opening film of the
legendary sasori-za located at the basement of the shinjuku bunka cinema.
 
as for adachi's collaboration with oshima, he was co-author (with sasaki
mamoru, tamura tsutomu and oshima) of his films KAETTE KITA YOPPARAI (Three
Resurrected Drunkards) and SHINJUKU DOROBO NIKKI (Diary of a Thief in
Shinjuku). in addition he made the remarkable trailer for oshima's KOSHIKEI
(Death by Hanging) - in this film he also appeared in the role of the chief
of the guards. In 1969 he shoot the documentary film RYAKUSHO RENZOKU
SHASATSUMA (a.k.a. serial killer), in which he employed his landscape-theory
(fukeiron). this film was made in collaboration with matsuda masao, sasaki
mamoru and others. in 1969 adachi, matsuda, sasaki, aikura hisato and
hiraoka masaaki founded the group HIHYO SENSEN (Critical Front) that from
autumn 1970 on published the magazine EIGA HIHYO (film criticism) in which
adachi published many of his theoretical and revolutionary texts.

after his involvement in the suzuki seijun struggle alliance that was formed
after suzuki was kicked out by nikkatsu, adachi became increasingly radical
and politically active. he sympathised with revolutionary thoughts and
became involved with the japanese red army (nihon sekigun). in spring 1970
he and wakamatsu went to lebanon where they made the agitprop documentary
SEKIGUN PFLP SEKAI SENSO SENGEN (red army/pflp: declaration of world war),
his most political and also his last film.

in october 1972 adachi went underground after a warrant was issued in
connection to an incident in hokkaido. in summer 1974 adachi finally left
japan for lebanon where he joined the nihon sekigun and where he spend the
next 25 years. in 1997 he and four other members of the nihon sekigun were
arrested in beirut and put to jail. in 2000 the so-called 'beirut 5' (with
the exception of okamoto kozo) were extradited to japan where they faced a
trial. after a short prison term adachi was released last year and is now
back with plans for a come-back to the film business.


roland domenig
institute of east asian studies
vienna university