H-JAPAN (E): representations of blacknesS, Japanese & Korean Cinema

Jasper Sharp jasper_sharp at hotmail.com
Fri Aug 28 10:44:19 EDT 2009


Indeed, Bedroom Eyes is a perfect example. I also remember an African-American priest turning up in Seijun Suzuki's brilliant Gates of Flesh, and there's a surprisingly crude stereotype of an African marathon runner who turns up in Shohei Imamura's The Eel. I think there's also an African-American in the first Roman Porno version of Flower and Snake too, directed by Masaru Konuma, and I've seen him in a couple of Roman Porno films from the 70s, though can't remember the titles (I think he's just credited under a single Christian name too).
If we're talking about interracial love, there's quite a few pink films that might be worth investigating, although most are no longer extant - but I do cover films like Kan Mukai's Flesh 2 in the 'Eros International' chapter of Behind the Pink Curtain.

Hope this fleshes out the list of titles a little, if you'll pardon the pun.

Jasper Sharp


Midnight Eye: The Latest and Best in Japanese Cinema
www.midnighteye.com

More details about me on http://jaspersharp.com/




> Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:32:24 +0200
> From: eigagogo at free.fr
> To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> Subject: Re: H-JAPAN (E): representations of blacknesS, Japanese & Korean  Cinema
> 
> You can also add Kumashiro's Bedtimes's eyes!
> http://eigagogo.free.fr/Articles/ATG/Photo_ATG/ok/53.jpg
> 
> and sexploitation such as Ishii's Orgies of Edo, Negishi's Sex Huner, Ohara's
> LAdy Caligula
> 
> 
> 
> Selon shota ogawa <shota.ogawa at gmail.com>:
> 
> > I recently saw Agata Morio's *Boku ha Tenshi ja Naiyo *(1977) which has an
> > anonymous black dancer who appears repeatedly
> > as the characters prepare for a strike.
> >
> > Shota Ogawa
> >
> > 2009/8/27 Jim Harper <jimharper666 at yahoo.co.uk>
> >
> > > And Brother has Claude Maki in, too.
> > >
> > > Jim Harper.
> > >
> > > --- On *Thu, 27/8/09, Frances Loden <frako at well.com>* wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > From: Frances Loden <frako at well.com>
> > > Subject: Re: H-JAPAN (E): representations of blacknesS, Japanese & Korean
> > > Cinema
> > > To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> > > Date: Thursday, 27 August, 2009, 10:24 PM
> > >
> > >
> > > There's Kitano Takeshi's film *Brother*--it has black characters in it.
> > >
> > > There's also Reggie Life's documentary *Struggle and Success: The African
> > > American Experience in Japan*.
> > >
> > > Frako Loden
> > > Berkeley, CA
> > >
> > > On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 1:58 PM, Mark%20Mays
> >
> <tetsuwan at comcast.net<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=tetsuwan@comcast.net>
> > > > wrote:
> > >
> > >>  The Kobayashi didn't have much representations of blackness as I recall
> > >> aside from the child's birth. It's been awhile since I've seen it, but I
> > >> think the director was talking about his prejudices (or lack).
> > >>
> > >> I recall a movie with Claude Maki, Dean Stapleton and Yuki Uchida, BEAT
> > >> from the late 90s. It's set in Vietnam era Okinawa, complete w/ hooker w/
> > >> heart of gold (Uchida) who is raising her daughter, born of rape by a  GI
> > >> (for some reason I recall the daughter as being half Black but memory
> > fails.
> > >> It isn't such a memorable film). Again, not much on "representations"
> > except
> > >> the shadowy figure of a scary Black GI at one point.
> > >>
> > >> Isn't Maki a rapper now?
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> ----- Original Message -----
> > >> From:
> >
> eigagogo at free.fr<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=eigagogo@free.fr>
> > >> To:
> >
> KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=KineJapan@lists.acs..ohio-state.edu>
> > >> Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 7:55:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
> > >> Subject: Re: H-JAPAN (E): representations of blacknesS, Japanese & Korean
> > >> Cinema
> > >>
> > >> + Kurahara's Black Sun !
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> http://auteursnotebook.s3.amazonaws.com/multiple%20images/Kurahara/spK09.jpg<http://auteursnotebook.s3..amazonaws.com/multiple%20images/Kurahara/spK09.jpg>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Selon JORDAN ANTONY SMITH
> >
> <oyabaka at ucla.edu<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=oyabaka@ucla.edu>
> > >> >:
> > >>
> > >> >
> > >> > Robin,
> > >> > Your email has been circulating on the KineJapan listserv.. hope you
> > >> find
> > >> > some good ideas here.
> > >> >
> > >> > Don't forget EXTREME PRIVATE EROS
> > (極�エロス�歌197�)
> > >> from
> > >> > Hara and Kobayashi--great film with a live birth of a mixed-race baby
> > >> and
> > >> > much more.
> > >> >
> > >> > I have the Oshima film you mention on DVD. I can send it to you if you
> > >> like.
> > >> > If not, look out for some Oshima box sets which are floating around
> > >> (many are
> > >> > Chinese pirate versions, so be careful/ethical, etc.)--or see if you can
> > >> con
> > >> > NYU into springing for it!
> > >> >
> > >> > See the messages below from others too...
> > >> >
> > >> > Best,
> > >> > Jordan
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > On Today 6:32 PM,
> >
> thomas.lamarre at mcgill.ca<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=thomas.lamarre@mcgill.ca>wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> > > Suzuki Seijun's Nikutai no mon (1964) would be very interesting for
> > >> > > this project.
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > > On 8/26/09 9:27 PM, "Michael Kerpan"
> >
> <mekerpan at verizon.net<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mekerpan@verizon.net>>
> > >> wrote:
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Two films I can think of offhand....
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Imai's Kiku and Isamu -- focus is on two children of a Japanese mother
> > >> > > (now deceased) and a black GI (long ago returned to the US) being
> > >> brought
> > >> > > up by their grandmother.
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Shinozaki's Not Forgotten -- has a side story about a young half-black
> > >> > > boy who is befriended by none of the central characters.
> > >> > >
> > >> > > --- On Wed, 8/26/09, Melek Ortabasi
> > <mso1 at sfu.ca<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mso1@sfu.ca>>
> > >> wrote:
> > >> > >
> > >> > > > From: Melek Ortabasi
> > <mso1 at sfu.ca<http://uk.mc259..mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mso1@sfu.ca>
> > >> >
> > >> > > > Subject: Fwd: H-JAPAN (E): representations of blacknesS, Japanese
> > >> > > & Korean Cinema
> > >> > > > To: "KineJapan"
> >
> <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=KineJapan@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
> > >> >
> > >> > > > Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 8:34 PM
> > >> > > > Forwarding this from H-Japan, apropos
> > >> > > > the recent discussion on "whitewashing!" Perhaps someone can
> > >> > > > write back to Robyn, who may not know of this list.
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > Best,
> > >> > > > Melek
> > >> > > > ----- Forwarded Message -----
> > >> > > > From: "H-Japan Editor"
> >
> <j-edit at MAIL.H-NET.MSU.EDU<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=j-edit@MAIL.H-NET.MSU.EDU>
> > >> >
> > >> > > > To:
> >
> H-JAPAN at H-NET.MSU.EDU<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=H-JAPAN@H-NET.MSU.EDU>
> > >> > > > Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 5:00:23 PM GMT -08:00
> > >> > > > US/Canada Pacific
> > >> > > > Subject: H-JAPAN (E): representations of blacknesS,
> > >> > > > Japanese & Korean Cinema
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > On-line editor: Janet R. Goodwin
> >
> <jan at cs.csustan.edu<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jan@cs.csustan.edu>
> > >> >
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >     H-JAPAN
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >    August 23, 2009
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > From: Robyn Citizen
> > <rc1434 at nyu.edu<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=rc1434@nyu.edu>
> > >> >
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > Hi all,
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > My dissertation project concerns the representation of
> > >> > > > blackness in
> > >> > > > Japanese and Korean cinema - this includes black bodies
> > >> > > > (African-Americans
> > >> > > > or people of African descent as characters), black
> > >> > > > culture/hip-hop
> > >> > > > culture, and blackness as a visual or linguistic signifier
> > >> > > > of absolute
> > >> > > > difference, racial or otherwise (it is my understanding
> > >> > > > that in earlier
> > >> > > > Japanese cinema people from the South Seas were referred to
> > >> > > > as "blacks",
> > >> > > > for example).
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > While I have a modest list of films which I can use, I'd be
> > >> > > > very grateful
> > >> > > > for more suggestions of post-WWII movies that touch upon
> > >> > > > these topics.
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > If anyone knows where I can find a copy of Oshima's "The
> > >> > > > Catch" (Japanese
> > >> > > > title "Shiiku", 1961) it would also be extremely helpful.
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > Thank you for help!
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > Best,
> > >> > > > Robyn
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > Robyn Citizen
> > >> > > > PhD Candidate
> > >> > > > Cinema Studies
> > >> > > > New York University
> > >> > > > alternate e-mail:
> >
> ladykaede1221 at gmail.com<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=ladykaede1221@gmail.com>
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >    ********************************************************
> > >> > > >             TO POST A MESSAGE
> > >> > > > TO THE H-JAPAN LIST
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >       SEND MAIL TO
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >
> >
> h-japan at h-net.msu.edu<http://uk.mc259.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=h-japan@h-net.msu.edu>
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > >    ********************************************************
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > --
> > >> > > > Melek Ortabasi, Ph.D.
> > >> > > > Assistant Professor
> > >> > > > World Literature Program
> > >> > > > Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
> > >> > > > Simon Fraser University
> > >> > > > Unit 250-13450
> > >> > > > 102 Ave., Surrey, BC
> > >> > > > V3T0A3 CANADA
> > >> > > > Phone: 778-782-8660
> > >> > > >
> > >> > > > "Education is what survives when what has been learned is
> > >> > > > forgotten." -- B. F. Skinner, "Education in 1984," _New
> > >> > > > Scientist_ (1969)
> > >> > > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > ----------------------------------------
> > Shota Ogawa
> > Ph.D. Student
> > Graduate Program in Visual and Cultural Studies
> > 424 Morey Hall
> > University of Rochester
> > Rochester, NY 14627
> > ----------------------------------------
> >
> 
> 

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