Naked Seven
Encyclopedia
aka Sengoku Rock: Female Warriors and Warring States Rock: Gale-Force Women is a 1972
Japan
ese film in Nikkatsu
's Roman porno series, directed by Yasuharu Hasebe
and starring Mari Tanaka.
, a group of beautiful women warriors are on a mission to deliver a sacred scroll to a distant lord. On the way, they help a small village in its fight against bandits.
's cult classic Branded to Kill
(1967). Yamatoya is best known for his own noir crime-thriller-cum pink film Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wastelands
(1967). The plot of Naked Seven is an obvious take-off on Akira Kurosawa
's Seven Samurai (1954), which it satirizes. American arthouse audiences could appreciate the parody of Kurosawa, but to Japanese audiences the film also served as a reference to director Yasuharu Hasebe
's own popular Alleycat Rock series (1970-71) from the pre-Roman Porno era. This series featured actress Meiko Kaji in stories about a female motorcycle gang.
Having been a director at Nikkatsu since before the Roman Porno days, Hasebe was uncomfortable with the pink film genre, and mixed his first two Roman Pornos with other genres to create interest. Besides the historical-adventure style of Naked Seven, he departed from standard pink style with his next film, Sukeban Deka: Dirty Mary (1974), a tribute to the Dirty Harry
films. Naked Seven was successful at the time of its release, and, in their Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films (1998), the Weissers give the film three points out of four. Because Naked Seven and Dirty Mary, Hasebe's first two films in the Roman Porno series, had both departed from standard pink themes, Hasebe did not consider them to be Pink Films. After departing Nikkatsu for television, he returned to the studio to direct controversial rape-themed films in the "Violent Pink" genre. Hasebe considered the first of these films, Rape! (1976), to be his first true sex film. Through the "violent pink" genre, Hasebe had the creative freedom from the strict sex formula, and created such controversial films as Assault! Jack the Ripper
(1976) and Rape! 13th Hour (1977). Though Hasebe's films in this genre are generally considered his best work, they remain controversial.
Naked Seven was a showcase for Nikkatsu's top starlets of the time. Mari Tanaka, as leader of the gang, had made news headlines through her association with the controversial and persecuted Love Hunter
(1972) and its sequel, and was an idol of the anti-establishment. Genshū Hanayagi was a classical ballerina who came to Nikkatsu's attention through appearance in a television commercial. Her major role in director Noboru Tanaka
's later Nikkatsu Roman Porno Secret Chronicles: She-Beast Market (1974) created news in Japan.
1972 in film
The year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese film in Nikkatsu
Nikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company well known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio. The name Nikkatsu is an abbreviation of Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Cinematograph Company".-History:...
's Roman porno series, directed by Yasuharu Hasebe
Yasuharu Hasebe
was a Japanese film director best known known for his movies in the "Violent pink" subgenre of the Pink film, such as Assault! Jack the Ripper , Rape! , Rape! 13th Hour and Raping!...
and starring Mari Tanaka.
Synopsis
In Japan's Sengoku periodSengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
, a group of beautiful women warriors are on a mission to deliver a sacred scroll to a distant lord. On the way, they help a small village in its fight against bandits.
Cast
- Mari Tanaka: Wan
- Keiko Tsuzuki: Shino
- Yuri Yamashina: Nene
- Shō Munakata: Yayoi
- Setsuko Ōyama: Sakura
- Sayori Shima: Suzume: Suzume
- Keiko Aikawa: Ume
- kenji kaji: Tarō Tenma
- Hyōe Enoki: Jizō Rokkaku
- Genjirō Arato: Nojirō Nitta
- Hiroshi Gojō: Saburō of Santo
- Machiyo Mako: 於寧
- Genshū Hanayagi: Mother of Yayoi
Background
The screenplay to Naked Seven was written by the cult film director Atsushi Yamatoya, who had helped write the screenplay to Seijun SuzukiSeijun Suzuki
, born Seitaro Suzuki on May 24, 1923, is a Japanese filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter. His films are renowned by film enthusiasts worldwide for their jarring visual style, irreverent humour, nihilistic cool and entertainment-over-logic sensibility...
's cult classic Branded to Kill
Branded to Kill
is a 1967 Japanese yakuza film directed by Seijun Suzuki and starring Joe Shishido, Koji Nanbara, Annu Mari and Mariko Ogawa. It was a low budget, production line number for the Nikkatsu Company, originally released in a double bill with Shōgorō Nishimura's Burning Nature. The story follows Goro...
(1967). Yamatoya is best known for his own noir crime-thriller-cum pink film Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wastelands
Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wastelands
aka Dutch Wife of the Wasteland and The Dutch Wives of the Wild, originally released as , is a 1967 Japanese pink film written and directed by cult filmmaker Atsushi Yamatoya, starring the first "Queen" of pink film, Noriko Tatsumi, and with music by the noted jazz pianist, Yōsuke...
(1967). The plot of Naked Seven is an obvious take-off on Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
's Seven Samurai (1954), which it satirizes. American arthouse audiences could appreciate the parody of Kurosawa, but to Japanese audiences the film also served as a reference to director Yasuharu Hasebe
Yasuharu Hasebe
was a Japanese film director best known known for his movies in the "Violent pink" subgenre of the Pink film, such as Assault! Jack the Ripper , Rape! , Rape! 13th Hour and Raping!...
's own popular Alleycat Rock series (1970-71) from the pre-Roman Porno era. This series featured actress Meiko Kaji in stories about a female motorcycle gang.
Having been a director at Nikkatsu since before the Roman Porno days, Hasebe was uncomfortable with the pink film genre, and mixed his first two Roman Pornos with other genres to create interest. Besides the historical-adventure style of Naked Seven, he departed from standard pink style with his next film, Sukeban Deka: Dirty Mary (1974), a tribute to the Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry (film series)
Dirty Harry is the name of a series of films and novels starring fictional San Francisco Police Department Homicide Division Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan, portrayed by Clint Eastwood...
films. Naked Seven was successful at the time of its release, and, in their Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films (1998), the Weissers give the film three points out of four. Because Naked Seven and Dirty Mary, Hasebe's first two films in the Roman Porno series, had both departed from standard pink themes, Hasebe did not consider them to be Pink Films. After departing Nikkatsu for television, he returned to the studio to direct controversial rape-themed films in the "Violent Pink" genre. Hasebe considered the first of these films, Rape! (1976), to be his first true sex film. Through the "violent pink" genre, Hasebe had the creative freedom from the strict sex formula, and created such controversial films as Assault! Jack the Ripper
Assault! Jack the Ripper
is a 1976 Japanese film in the "Violent Pink" genre of Nikkatsu's Roman porno series. It was directed by Yasuharu Hasebe and stars Tamaki Katsura and Yutaka Hayashi.-Synopsis:...
(1976) and Rape! 13th Hour (1977). Though Hasebe's films in this genre are generally considered his best work, they remain controversial.
Naked Seven was a showcase for Nikkatsu's top starlets of the time. Mari Tanaka, as leader of the gang, had made news headlines through her association with the controversial and persecuted Love Hunter
Love Hunter
is a 1972 Japanese film in Nikkatsu's Roman porno series, directed by Seiichirō Yamaguchi and starring Hidemi Hara, Mari Tanaka, and Sumiko Minami. The film was banned for obscenity, and director Yamaguchi arrested...
(1972) and its sequel, and was an idol of the anti-establishment. Genshū Hanayagi was a classical ballerina who came to Nikkatsu's attention through appearance in a television commercial. Her major role in director Noboru Tanaka
Noboru Tanaka
was a Japanese film director best known known for his Roman Porno films, including three critically respected films known as the Showa trilogy: A Woman Called Sada Abe , Watcher in the Attic , and Beauty's Exotic Dance: Torture! , all three starring Nikkatsu Roman porno queen Junko Miyashita...
's later Nikkatsu Roman Porno Secret Chronicles: She-Beast Market (1974) created news in Japan.