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was a Japanese
film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...
known for his stylish and popular '' Roman Porno'' films for
Nikkatsu is a Japanese film studio located in Bunkyō. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Motion Pictures". Shareholders are Nippon Television Holdings (35%) and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (28.4%). ...
, particularly the first two installments of the '' Angel Guts'' series. Despite a somewhat uneven career, many mainstream critics consider Sone the best of Nikkatsu's ''Roman Porno'' directors.Weisser, p. 129.


Life and career

Chūsei Sone majored in
Art History Art history is the study of Work of art, artistic works made throughout human history. Among other topics, it studies art’s formal qualities, its impact on societies and cultures, and how artistic styles have changed throughout history. Tradit ...
at
Tohoku University is a public research university in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. It is colloquially referred to as or . Established in 1907 as the third of the Imperial Universities, after the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, it initially focused on sc ...
, and graduated in 1962. Soon after graduation, he began work as an
Assistant director The role of an assistant director (AD) on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have ...
at
Nikkatsu is a Japanese film studio located in Bunkyō. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Motion Pictures". Shareholders are Nippon Television Holdings (35%) and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (28.4%). ...
studios, where he worked with
Seijun Suzuki , born (24 May 1923 – 13 February 2017), was a Japanese filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter. His films are known for their florid visual style, absurd humour, and a playful rejection of traditional film grammar. He made 40 predominately ...
. Suzuki's directing style was to have a lasting influence on Sone's own later work. In their ''Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films'', the Weissers compare Suzuki and Sone, writing, "Sone's films are riddled with quirky characters and surrealistic metaphors, but unlike the works of Suzuki, these movies are much more linear, plot driven, and ultimately crowd pleasing." When Nikkatsu started their '' Roman Porno'' series of mainstream theatrical softcore pornographic films in November 1971, Sone was quickly given his chance to direct. His first film was the historical sex-film, ''Eros Schedule Book: Female Artist'' (
1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
). He directed several more films set in historical time periods such as ''Erotic Story: The Peony Lantern'' (
1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
), which became a mainstream hit and won several film industry awards. Later in 1972, Sone switched to contemporary themes with '' Lusty Sisters'', but would return to the period-piece with his popular action-sex film starring Nikkatsu queen Junko Miyashita, '' Female Ninja Magic: 100 Trampled Flowers'' (
1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...
). By the late 1970s, Sone had become associated with a more violent style of eroticism in such films as ''My Sex Report: Climax Point'' (
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
) and ''Shinjuku Mixed-Up Street: Wait Till I Come'' (
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
). When Nikkatsu decided to film Takashi Ishii's '' Angel Guts''
manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
, Sone was a logical choice to helm the first two episodes of the series, ''Angel Guts: High School Coed'' (
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
) and '' Angel Guts: Red Classroom'' (
1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
). Sone was given a Best Director award at the
Yokohama Film Festival The is an annual awards ceremony held in Yokohama, Japan. Ten films are chosen as the best of the year and various awards are given to personnel. The first festival, held on February 3, 1980, was a small affair by fans and film critics. In 1994, ...
for ''Angel Guts: Red Classroom'', and the film also won Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor at the ceremony. Director Toshiharu Ikeda, who worked as Sone's screenwriter and an assistant director on ''Angel Guts: High School Coed'', said, of Sone, "He is simply a genius. He really is a true genius... We were all tremendously influenced by him." Of the ''Angel Guts'' series, Ikeda comments, "That series definitely had an impact on ''Roman Porno'' history, as well as on the audience." Throughout his career Sone directed many films of lesser quality, such as ''Overly Ripe Breasts'' (1973), ''Modern Prostitution: Lust Under A Uniform'' (1974) and ''100 High School Girls: Secret Motel Report'' (1975). Nevertheless, his ability to continue to create stylish, innovative and popular films kept his reputation high. By this point, ''Eiga Geijutsu'' magazine reported that Sone was dissatisfied with his work in the ''Roman Porno'' genre, and wanted to make other films, but that he needed the income these Nikkatsu films provided. Nikkatsu gave Sone the chance to direct the non-''Roman Porno'' series of light comedies, ''Glory Cheerleaders'' (1976–1977), which became popular hits. While continuing to direct for Nikkatsu at this time, Sone worked for independent studios where he could enjoy more creative freedom, and not be tied to the ''
pink film refers in Japan to movies produced by independent studios that includes nudity (hence 'pink') or deals with sexual content. This encompasses everything from dramas to action thrillers and exploitation film features. Many pink films would be a ...
'' format. ''Hakata Kids' Innocence'' (
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
), a simple story of one day in the lives of three junior high boys, is one such film. Following the success of ''Red Violation'' (
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
), Sone took a full break from ''pink film''s for three years to try other projects. He returned to the genre with the successful sex-mystery, ''Demon's Room'' (
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
). Together with director
Mamoru Watanabe was a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor, known for his work in the ''pink film'' genre. Along with directors Genji Nakamura and Banmei Takahashi, Watanabe was known as one of the "Three Pillars of Pink". Life and career Early lif ...
, Sone started the Film Workers Production Company in 1982 as an outlet for more mainstream projects. After ''Tattoo'' (1984), based on a Tanizaki novel, Sone left Nikkatsu until
1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal en ...
, when the studio gave him a relatively large budget to direct ''Adultery''. Today judged one of his best works, the film was ignored by audiences and critics at the time because of the inferior quality of many films in the ''Roman Porno'' series of the mid-1980s. Sone directed a mainstream hit, ''Flying'', in ( 1988) and then retired from directing. He died on 26 August 2014 in Usuki, Ōita, from pneumonia.


Filmography

* - writer (dir.
Seijun Suzuki , born (24 May 1923 – 13 February 2017), was a Japanese filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter. His films are known for their florid visual style, absurd humour, and a playful rejection of traditional film grammar. He made 40 predominately ...
) (1967-06-15) * - writer (dir:
Teruo Ishii was a Japanese film director best known in the West for his early films in the ''Super Giant'' series, and for his films in the ''ero guro'' ("erotic-grotesque") subgenre of sexploitation such as '' Shogun's Joy of Torture'' (1968). He also dire ...
) (1970-06-20) * (1971-12-18) * (1972-01-29) * (1972-03-18) * (1972-04-29) * (1972-06-28) * (1972-09-16) * (1972-11-29) * (1973-02-03) * (1973-02-21) * (1973-05-31) * (1973-07-04) * (1973-08-25) * (1973-11-20) * (1974-01-26) * (1974-02-16) * (1974-08-03) * (1974-08-28) * (1975-04-12) * (1975-06-04) * (1975-08-23) * (1975-10-18) * (1976-02-21) * (1976-05-15) * 嗚呼!!花の応援団 ''Ah!! Hana no Oh-endan'' (1976-08-21) * 嗚呼!!花の応援団 役者やのォー ''Ahh!! Hana no Oh-endan: Yakusha ya Noh'' (1976-12-25 * 不連続殺人事件 ''Furenzoku Satsujin Jiken'' (Arts Theatre Guild) - also writer (1977-03-15) * 嗚呼!!花の応援団 男涙の親衛隊 ''Ah!! Hana no Oh-endan: Otoko Namida no Shineitai'' (1977-03-19) * 新宿乱れ街 いくまで待って ''Shinjuku Midaregai: Ikumade Matte'' (1977-09-17) * (1978-02-04) * (1978-03-18) * (1978-07-22) * 博多っ子純情 ''Hakatakko Junjo'' (LAL company) (1978-12-02) * (also writer) (1979-01-06) * Supergun Lady Wani Bunsho (スーパーGUNレディ ワニ分署) 1979-08-18 * (1980-01-05) * 元祖大四畳半大物語 (co-directed with 松本零士) 1980-08-16 * 太陽のきずあと  東映セントラルフィルム (Toei Central Film) (1981-02-14) * (1982-04-23) * (1984-04-20) * (1984-12-22) * - producer (K Enterprise) (dir. Masayuki Asao) (1985-08-24) * (1986-10-31) * ''Flying'' (1988) * (2000)Filmography from ; ; ''and'' "Chusei Sone". 2005. in ''Angel Guts - The Nikkatsu Series - 5 Disc Collector's Edition''. www.artsmagicdvd.com ATU 017. Disc one: ''High School Co-ed''. Biographies.


References


Sources

* "Chusei Sone". 2005. in ''Angel Guts - The Nikkatsu Series - 5 Disc Collector's Edition''

) ATU 017. Disc one: ''High School Co-ed''. Biographies. * * * Toshiharu Ikeda, Ikeda, Toshiharu. Jasper Sharp, interviewer. Sharon Hayashi, translator. 2005. ''An Insight into Chusei Sone'' in ''Angel Guts - The Nikkatsu Series - 5 Disc Collector's Edition''. www.artsmagicdvd.com ATU 017. Disc one: ''High School Co-ed''. Interviews. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sone, Chusei 1937 births 2014 deaths Japanese film directors Pink film directors Tohoku University alumni People from Gunma Prefecture Deaths from pneumonia in Japan