The Pornographers

The Pornographers is a 1966 Japanese film directed by Shohei Imamura and based on a novel (Erogotoshitachi) by Akiyuki Nosaka. Its original Japanese title is "Erogotoshitachi" yori Jinruigaku nyūmon (), which means 'An introduction to anthropology through the pornographers'. It tells the story of porn film-maker Mr. Subuyan Ogata, whose business is under threat from thieves, the government, and his own family.

The film is a dark comic satire, depicting the underbelly of the Japanese post-war economic miracle, in this case pornographers and small-time gangsters in Osaka. It has been called Imamura's best-known film outside Japan.

Cast
 Shōichi Ozawa as Subuyan Ogata
 Sumiko Sakamoto as Haru Matsuda
 Keiko Sagawa as Keiko Matsuda, Haru's Daughter
 Haruo Tanaka as Banteki
 Ganjirō Nakamura as Elderly Executive From Hakucho Company
 Masaomi Kondō as Kōichi Matsuda, Haru's Son
 Akira Nishimura as Detective Sanada
 Ichirō Sugai as Shinun Ogata, Subuyan's Father
 Shinichi Nakano as Kabō
 Chōchō Miyako as The Virgin House Madame
 Kazuo Kitamura as The Doctor

Release
The Pornographers was released in Japan on March 1966 where it was distributed by Nikkatsu. It was released in the United States by Toho International with English-subtitles in August 1966.

References

Bibliography

External links

 
The Pornographers an essay by J. Hoberman at the Criterion Collection
 

Category:1966 films
Category:1960s comedy-drama films
Category:1960s black comedy films
Category:Films about pornography
Category:Films directed by Shohei Imamura
Category:Japanese erotic films
Category:Japanese films
Category:Japanese-language films
Category:Japanese sex comedy films
Category:Films based on Japanese novels