''aka'' ''Flowers and Serpents'' (1974) is a Japanese
pink film starring
Naomi Tani
is a Japanese pink film actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's '' Roman Porno'' films with an S&M theme during the 1970s.
Life and career Early
Born October 20, 1948, in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka, Naomi Tani moved to Tokyo ...
, directed by
Masaru Konuma
is a Japanese film director known for his '' Roman Porno'' films for Nikkatsu during the 1970s.
Life and career
Early life
Masaru Konuma was born in Otaru, Hokkaidō, on December 30, 1937. Konuma retains no memories of his father who was a te ...
and produced by
Nikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio, founded in 1912 during the silent film era. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally ...
. Based on a novel by
Oniroku Dan
was a Japanese author who has been called, "the most celebrated writer of popular SM novels in Japan." Many of his stories have been filmed, most notably by Nikkatsu studio in their '' Roman Porno'' series. Dan had a close professional associa ...
(born 1931), Japan's best-known author of
sadomasochistic
Sadomasochism ( ) is the giving and receiving of pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation. Practitioners of sadomasochism may seek sexual pleasure from their acts. While the terms sadist and masochist refer ...
(S&M) fiction, ''Flower and Snake'' was the first of Nikkatsu's ''
Roman Porno
in its broadest sense includes almost any Japanese theatrical film that includes nudity (hence 'pink') or deals with sexual content. This encompasses everything from dramas to action thrillers and exploitation film features. The Western equi ...
'' films to deal with an S&M theme. Together with the later ''
Wife to Be Sacrificed'' (also directed by Konuma in 1974, and starring the same female and male leads) this film is credited with starting the S&M ''Roman Porno'' series which helped save Nikkatsu from financial collapse during the 1970s.
[Macias, Patrick. (2001). ''TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion''. (Review of ''Flower and Snake'' by Izumi Evers). Cadence Books, San Francisco. , p.183.]
Synopsis
Makoto Katagiri (Yasunori Ishizu) is a 30-year-old man living with his mother Miyo (Hiroko Fuji), who operates a pornographic photography business specializing in
sadomasochistic
Sadomasochism ( ) is the giving and receiving of pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation. Practitioners of sadomasochism may seek sexual pleasure from their acts. While the terms sadist and masochist refer ...
content out of her combined home and adult toy store. As a child, Makoto shot and killed a black American soldier whom he found having sex with his mother. The incident left Makoto psychologically stunted as well as
impotent
Erectile dysfunction (ED), also called impotence, is the type of sexual dysfunction in which the penis fails to become or stay erect during sexual activity. It is the most common sexual problem in men.Cunningham GR, Rosen RC. Overview of mal ...
, and as such his mother and her staff treat Makoto much as a child. Despite this, Makoto has developed a strong interest in S&M, though he has no outlet for his interests.
Senzô Tôyama (Nagatoshi Sakamoto) is the elderly owner of the company Makoto works for, and also has an interest in S&M. However, his new wife Shizuko (
Naomi Tani
is a Japanese pink film actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's '' Roman Porno'' films with an S&M theme during the 1970s.
Life and career Early
Born October 20, 1948, in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka, Naomi Tani moved to Tokyo ...
) refuses to let Senzô tie her up or even watch her bathe; instead he vents his frustrations and needs on their housemaid Haru (Hijiri Abe), forcing her to indulge in his kinks. After finding some bondage pornography in Makoto's desk, Senzô summons him to his home, where he first asks, then orders Makoto to kidnap and "train" his wife in order to break her pride so that she will submit to his desires. After some hesitation, Makoto agrees.
While in town, Senzô drugs Shizuko's tea with sleeping pills, allowing Makoto to leave with her in his vehicle. On the way home Makoto stops in a field and attempts to
rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...
the semi-conscious Shizuko, but his arousal brings on a hallucination of the soldier he killed, forcing him to stop. At home, Shizuko awakes to find herself tied up and calls for help, attracting the attention of Miyo. Rather than helping the woman, Miyo seems pleased at her son's actions, and encourages him to rape Shizuko. When he says he can't because she is too beautiful, Miyo suggests Makoto give Shizuko an
enema
An enema, also known as a clyster, is an injection of fluid into the lower bowel by way of the rectum.Cullingworth, ''A Manual of Nursing, Medical and Surgical'':155 The word enema can also refer to the liquid injected, as well as to a device ...
to overcome that impression. He does, and after watching her expel it finds he is able to become aroused without issue. Makoto rapes Shizuko while his mother listens outside his room.
Makoto reports his progress to Senzô regularly, providing tapes and even physical evidence of his wife's continued "training". However, he also finds himself becoming attached to Shizuko. Makoto returns home one day to find Miyo and her staff have been torturing Shizuko while he was at work. He orders them off of her angrily, telling them not to touch her unless he is present. Shizuko finds herself becoming more at ease with her situation and with Makoto, and later asks him if he will protect her; he says yes, going on to say he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. Makoto tells Miyo this, and when she objects he responds angrily, calling her an old hag.
One day Makoto returns home to find Shizuko tied up and being used by the black soldier from his dreams. He recoils in horror when the man rises to attack him. Miyo then steps in and pays the man, revealing that she staged the scene with a look-alike to render Makoto impotent once more. Makoto tries to have sex with Shizuko again, despairing when he finds that his impotence has returned. Despite this, he keeps training her, even taking her outside for a walk. Taking a chance, he unties her so that she might use the restroom; after a long, worrying delay, Shizuko returns, to the delight of Makoto. Later the two go to watch a
pornographic
Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults, film, which features a black man who resembles the soldier from Makoto's dreams. Uncomfortable at first, Makoto starts to remember his childhood incident in detail, eventually remembering that it was Miyo who shot the man, not him. Overjoyed, Makoto calls his mother from a public phone booth to tell her he has remembered the truth, letting her listen as he has sex with Shizuko during the call.
Finally, Senzô arrives to reclaim his wife. Makoto is surprised when Shizuko moves to her husband's side eagerly. He asks her to divorce him so that they might marry, but she refuses, saying that she is now happy since Makoto made her a "total slut" just as her husband wanted. However, she offers to let him come with the two of them, and though hesitant, Makoto agrees. Miyo begs her son not to go, but the three pile into Senzô's vehicle and leave, a distraught Miyo running after the vehicle in vain. The film ends with Shizuko bound, being ravaged simultaneously by Senzô and Makoto while Haru watches in shock.
Cast
*
Naomi Tani
is a Japanese pink film actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's '' Roman Porno'' films with an S&M theme during the 1970s.
Life and career Early
Born October 20, 1948, in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka, Naomi Tani moved to Tokyo ...
- Shizuko Tôyama
* Nagatoshi Sakamoto - Senzô Tôyama
* Yasunori Ishizu - Makoto Katagiri
* Hiroko Fuji - Miyo Katagiri
* Akira Takahashi
* Hijiri Abe - Haru
Production
In a very successful effort to avoid bankruptcy,
Nikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio, founded in 1912 during the silent film era. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally ...
, Japan's oldest major film studio, had entered the
pink film, or
soft-core pornography
Softcore pornography or softcore porn, is commercial still photography or film that has a pornographic or erotic component but is less sexually graphic and intrusive than hardcore pornography, defined by a lack of visual sexual penetration. Sof ...
, genre three years earlier, in 1971, with its popular and critically praised ''
Roman Porno
in its broadest sense includes almost any Japanese theatrical film that includes nudity (hence 'pink') or deals with sexual content. This encompasses everything from dramas to action thrillers and exploitation film features. The Western equi ...
'' series. However 1974 was proving to be another difficult year for the studio, with no real box-office hits.
Since the late 1960s,
Naomi Tani
is a Japanese pink film actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's '' Roman Porno'' films with an S&M theme during the 1970s.
Life and career Early
Born October 20, 1948, in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka, Naomi Tani moved to Tokyo ...
had been known as the "Queen of Pink," the most popular actress in the low-budget, independent "pink films" which dominated Japan's domestic cinematic market. Nikkatsu had been trying to recruit Tani into their ''Roman Porno'' series for years, but she had always refused since the studio had been reluctant to enter the S&M genre, which was Tani's specialty. Tani finally agreed to join the studio on the condition that her first film be based on the Oniroku Dan S&M novel ''Flower and Snake''. Tani had already starred in a ''pink film'' version of Dan's novel entitled , released by Yamabe Pro.
Nikkatsu agreed to Tani's conditions, but there remained the problem of convincing Oniroku Dan to allow the studio to film his novel. After lengthy, inconclusive negotiations, Dan invited director Masaru Konuma and scriptwriter Yozo Tanaka to his home for "further discussions." In the middle of the meeting, the electrical power suddenly went out, and Dan called for someone to light a candle. At this point, Naomi Tani, in traditional Japanese kimono, appeared in the room with a lantern. Konuma later said, "This was Dan's theatrical sense - his way of saying yes."
[Konuma, p.22-23]
Director Konuma and script-writer Tanaka both agreed that Dan's novel was unfilmable, and made significant changes to the story. Dan and Naomi Tani both objected to this, and there was considerable friction between the two sides over the story during the writing of the script. Konuma later commented about Naomi Tani's role in this matter, "while we worked on the final script, she was very argumentative. However, I was impressed with her change in attitude after the company's final decision. During the shoot, she never gave us a problem. Instead- she was committed. I admire her professionalism."
After the film became a huge hit for Nikkatsu, the studio wanted to follow it with a sequel. Dan remained bitter and did not agree to participate in the next film, ''
Wife to Be Sacrificed'' (1974),
which became even a greater success. Dan did reconcile with the studio however, and continued to have a strong professional relationship with both Nikkatsu and Naomi Tani.
Critical appraisal
''Flower and Snake'' is considered important more from a historical standpoint than for its artistic merits. The later ''Wife to Be Sacrificed'' is more highly regarded by the critics. Oniroku Dan was not happy with the film, but was able to reconcile with Nikkatsu to continue making many more films from his novels, including ''Wife to Be Sacrificed.'' Izumi Evers notes that "Nikkatsu's somewhat innocent approach inadvertently adds comedy," but sums up her review of ''Flower and Snake'' with, "The heroine, who was masochistically trained by men, was actually controlling them the whole time. To me, despite all the humiliations suffered by heroines like Naomi, this is the fundamental truth behind seventies-era Japanese sex films."
The Weissers call it "Well-made garbage," but add that it is one of the best of Nikkatsu's films in this genre.
[Weisser, p.155.]
Availability
Media Blasters
Media Blasters, sometimes abbreviated as MB, is an American entertainment corporation that was founded by John Sirabella in 1997 and is based in New York City. It is in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American ...
has announced an all-region
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
release of ''Flower and Snake'' on its ''Tokyo Shock'' label, scheduled for August 28, 2007.
Sequels
''Flower and Snake: Sketch of Hell'' (1985)
''Flower and Snake 3: Punishment'' (1986)
''Flower and Snake: White Uniform Rope Slave'' (1986)
''Flower and Snake: Ultimate Rope Discipline'' (1987)
Remake
The film was remade with a different plot as ''Flower and Snake'' in 2004, followed by three sequels: ''Flower and Snake 2'' in 2005, directed like the previous film by
Takashi Ishii and starred
Aya Sugimoto
is a Japanese TV personality, actress, dancer, author, gravure idol and singer born in Kyoto. She also had a J-pop career in the late 1980s to the early 1990s.
Career Early life
Aya Sugimoto grew up in Kyoto under a "strict" upbringing, making ...
, ''Flower and Snake 3'' in 2010, directed by Yusuke Narita and starring
Minako Komukai
is a Japanese gravure model, actress, erotic dancer and AV idol.
Life and career
Early career
After dropping out of school, at age 15 Komukai began her career as a "gravure model" and a swimsuit model. In 2001 she had a guest-star role as a sch ...
and ''
Flower and Snake: Zero'' in 2014.
Notes
Sources
*
* Macias, Patrick. (2001). ''TokyoScope: The Japanese Cult Film Companion''. (Review of ''Flower and Snake'' by Izumi Evers). Cadence Books, San Francisco. , p. 183.
* Weisser, Thomas and Yuko Mihara Weisser. (1998). ''Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films''. Vital Books : Asian Cult Cinema Publications. Miami. (), p. 155.
External links
Flower and Snake3 Japanese Official Site*
*, 2004 remake
*
*
{{Masaru Konuma
1974 films
BDSM in films
Pink films
Films directed by Masaru Konuma
Lesbian-related films
Nikkatsu films
Nikkatsu Roman Porno
1970s Japanese films