Sex and Sexism in the Eroduction

Both economically and psychologically, the eroduction (a Japanese portmanteau-term coined from "erotic production") is an interesting cinematic phenomenon. In these days of fallen box-office receipts it makes back its costs within the first several weeks of release; in these times of halfempty movie theaters, it plays to full houses; now that the ordinary Japanese motion-picture no longer captures belief nor stirs imagination, the eroduction continues to command the attention of a loyal audience.

One of the reasons for this is that Japan, unlike other civilized countries, has no porno houses. The eroductions are the limpest of soft-core, and though there is much breast and buttock display, though there are simulations of intercourse, none of the working parts are ever shown. Indeed, one pubic hair breaks an unwritten but closely-observed code. Though this last problem is solved by shaving the actresses, the larger question remains: how to stimulate when the means are missing.

The rigidity of Japanese law in this regard is to be observed in film showing as a whole. Japanese production must remain within certain limits, and when it does not- as was the case with certain Nikkatsu pictures this year- the company is sued by the Metropolitan Police and a full scale court case follows. Imported films also are no exception to the general rule. Pasolini's the Decameron is chaotic because so many scenes are missing; a clockwork orange is hard to follow because the film goes out of focus (an alternative to snipping) during all nude scenes; ? am curious (yellow) has forty-one scenes blacked out with the title "Censored."

A further curiosity was the Japanese presentation of woodstock. In several of the scenes nude couples wander in the distance. Though perhaps unnoticed in many countries, the sharp eyes of the Japanese censor instantly detected this irregularity. A number of employees were equipped with small scraping needles and painstakingly scraped the emulsion from the offending parts. When the film was consequently projected, the distant strolling couples seemed girded with fireworks. Though this called instant attention to what the censors were presumably attempting to hide, the letter of the law had been observed- a result that satisfies all censors everywhere.

In Japan, consequently, the eroduction is needed, no outlet for prurient interest or...