Shuji Terayama

[Andrew Grant]

One of the things that I'm struggling with is the sex scene in Emperor Tomato Ketchup (between the young boy and the grown women). How would one in Japan circa 1971 react to that scene? Did it carry the same taboo as it does today? Was the context of the scene more important and/or 'shocking' than the act itself? 

I don't find the scene to be pornographic, but I'm sure there are many who would.

I am certainly not an expert in Japanese attitudes towards children and sexuality, but I was reminded of the scene in Realm of the Senses (removed from the US version) that has Sada grabbing the penis of a young boy. 

Is there some significance that the scene is about a young boy with older women? Would a young girl - older men pairing somehow be more taboo, or would that be too "obvious" (for lack of a better word)?

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't child pornography legal at this time in parts of Europe? Were attitudes different then?

Sorry if these questions seem foolish. I want to be careful not to judge the film incorrectly.

I apologize if this is an inappropriate topic to discuss on the list.


> 
> From: "Boum Productions" <pete at boumproductions.com>
> Date: 2004/01/07 Wed PM 01:28:44 EST
> To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
> Subject: Re: Shuji Terayama
> 
> They showed in in cinemas in the UK too. I remember seeing them at the Electric in portobello road many many many (god! I'm getting old...) years ago.
> 
> There was also a knuckle rapping (but very informative) long letter from Tony Rayns in a past issue of Video Watchdog about Terayama. Maybe someone else can come up with the issue number.
> 
> I don't imagine the flag burning was ever intended to do anything BUT arouse controversy. I think the "kiddie sex" stuff in Emperor Tomato Ketchup would be more likely to offend thtese days, however
> 
> Pete
> 
> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: J.sharp 
>   To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu 
>   Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 2:24 PM
>   Subject: RE: Shuji Terayama
> 
> 
>   Talking of English-speaking territories, UK viewers who can remember the "red-triangle" experiment of Channel Four in the early 80s, where films with more salacious content than that usually allowed by British broadcasting standards were screened at midnight on Friday night (before Mary Whitehouse protested that it attracted "sensation seekers") may remember seeing both To Die In The Country and Throw Away Your Books... screened on British TV around 1982. I  remember sneaking down once the parents were asleep myself, and thus had my first Terayama experience at the tender age of 12. Great stuff, but I'm not sure how the US flag-burning scenes of the latter would go down in the current Bush-led political climate of America at the moment.
> 
>   Jasper Sharp
>   www.midnighteye.com
> 
> 
>     You're right. Terayams's films are much too little seen in the US, and much
>     too little has been written in English about them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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