toco toco Summer Special
Two new episodes from TocoTocotv are short documentaries on Japanese Grindhouse horror directors Noboru Iguchi and Yoshihiro Nishimura.
It is interesting to note how both directors have similar concerns about the film industry and how they are similar to the West: budgets are getting smaller and bigger films are Manga adaptations. Both directors employ Japanese Idol stars, and the second video talks with an upcoming director creating films with his iPhone.
Note: remember to turn on the CC captions button to get subtitles:
Our first Summer Special episode features film director Noboru Iguchi, famous in the horror, gore & splatter genres with titles such as The Machine Girl, Robo Geisha or Dead Sushi. Together we will first head to the Toshimaen amusement park, where Iguchi often used to go as a child; its haunted house takes a particular place in his heart, as he states the darkness and hand-crafted aspect of the house’s characters and decor were a trigger that led to where he is today. Our next stop will be in Ikebukuro, one of Tokyo’s city centers, to the Shin-Bungeiza, an old movie theater that has been recently renewed. Iguchi used to often go there when he was young, as he already started to experiment with film-making in high school, making indie films with an 8mm camera. We will learn more about Iguchi’s career, that took a turn in the adult industry, before shifting back to indie films, then grew to feature films, specialized in horror. He is now also producing an idol group, whom he also cast in two of his films. Our last stop will be at Iguchi’s office, where we’ll ask about his vision and his perspectives towards the current state of the film industry in Japan.
The second episode of our summer special series features Yoshihiro Nishimura, film director and effects artist on many horror films, including Tokyo Gore Police. We will hear his thoughts about his work and on the Japanese film industry. At night, Nishimura will invite a group of young directors, where they will discuss their latest projects and perspectives.
