Eros + Massacre (1969)

We’re kicking off 2020 with one in a whole series of films that were released in 1969.

Up first is a film that captures the essence of the Japanese New Wave, Yoshishige "Kiju" Yoshida's Eros + Massacre. The film sets up two parallel stories, one set in the late teens/early twenties of the 1900s and the other in the contemporary 1969. The early story concerns the anarchist Osugi Kasae (Toshiyuki Hosokawa) and the three women in his life, most pointedly Ito Noe (Mariko Okada). These true figures from history are contrasted with the fictional characters of 1969 which include Eiko, Megumi, and Wada.

Samm Deighan (opens in a new tab) and an irate Chris Stachiw (opens in a new tab) join Mike to smugly discuss the film. We're joined by special guest Professor Dick Stegewerns (opens in a new tab), author of Kiju Yoshida: 50 Years of Avant-Garde Filmmaking in Post-War Japan.