The following films and others screen as part of Japan Society’s film series Meiko Kaji: A Retrospective, a focus on the cult actress featuring her first public New York appearance in over 40 years — running March 27–April 4. Following are official series descriptions of the films from the official press announcement, with my thoughts in italics immediately after.
Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable
『女囚さそり けもの部屋』(Joshū Sasori – Kemonobeya)
Friday, April 4 at 8:30 PM
Dir. Shunya Ito, 1973, 87 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Meiko Kaji, Mikio Narita, Koji Nanbara.
Perhaps Meiko Kaji’s most iconic role, Nami “Scorpion” Matsushima was created by Toru Shinohara for an adult manga, and has been the subject of many remakes, but Kaji will always remain the original and the best. The third film in the series, and last by original director Shunya Ito, Beast Stable is the most horror-tinged entry, and arguably the most violent. Nami, having escaped from prison in Jailhouse 41, befriends a lonely sex worker and incurs the wrath of a yakuza gang led by a former nemesis, the sadistic and power-mad Katsu—a grand guignol creation clad in black feathers who has sworn vengeance on Scorpion.
If you thought Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion and Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (both reviewed here) were wild, outlandish, and outrageous, Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable announces that it is here to kick things up yet another notch. This time around, Nami “Scorpion” Matsushima (Meiko Kaji) is on the lam rather than being imprisoned, which means she has an entire city and its sewers to do her vengeance work. Horror elements are on plentiful display, kicking off with Matsushima sawing the arm off of a policeman and going on to commit murders at a rate that would make many slasher villains envious. Director Shunya Ito combines supernatural fear fare and his unique blend of arthouse meets grindhouse in this excellent sequel.
Blind Woman’s Curse
『怪談昇り竜』(Kaidan Nobori Ryu)
Friday, April 3 at 9:15 PM
Dir. Teruo Ishii, 1970, 84 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Meiko Kaji, Hoki Tokuda, Makoto Sako.
Although she began her acting career at Nikkatsu under her real name, Masako Ota became Meiko Kaji on the advice of her mentor Masahiro Makino, and this phantasmagoric female swordplay saga—the best period film Kaji made at Nikkatsu—was her first starring role under her new, tougher name. The third and final entry in the Rising Dragon series of female gambler films that starred Hiroko Ogi, Blind Woman’s Curse dispenses not only with the original character but also Ogi herself, instead casting Kaji as the benevolent, tattooed leader of a band of yakuza. Kaji and her gang become targets of supernatural vengeance after she blinds another swordswoman in a duel, and genre master Teruo Ishii adds his signature erotic-grotesque elements to the story, which may be the best female swordplay-cum-ghost cat horror film Japan ever produced.
Kaji is terrific here as the female leader of a dragon-tattooed yakuza band. She is haunted by a ghost cat in a wonderful mash-up of period-piece yakuza elements and supernatural fear fare. Her character Akemi Tachibana is a strong leader but the feline specter and the revenge of a woman she blinded weighs heavily on her as her clan is targeted for destruction by rivals. Director Teruo Ishii crafts a fantastic slice of genre cinema that will appeal to horror aficionados and swordplay action devotees alike.
Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable and Blind Woman’s Curse screen as part of Japan Society’s film series Meiko Kaji: A Retrospective, a focus on the cult actress featuring her first public New York appearance in over 40 years — running March 27–April 4. For complete information, visit japansociety.org. Tickets are available now.
