aka Fan Life, Front Row, A Thirsty Life and Life of a Striptease Love is a 1968

1968 in film

The year 1968 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter, starring Katharine Hepburn, debuts.* November 1 - The MPAA's film rating system is introduced.-Top grossing films :- Awards :...

 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 directed by Tatsumi Kumashiro

Tatsumi Kumashiro

was a Japanese film director best known for his critically acclaimed, award-winning Roman Porno films, such as Ichijo's Wet Lust and The Woman with Red Hair...

. The celebrated Roman Porno director's first film, it was a box-office failure, and stalled his directing career until 1972.

Synopsis

Based on the 1964 novel of the same name by Komimasa Tanaka

Komimasa Tanaka

was a noted Japanese writer.- Prizes :* 1979 Naoki Prize for Rōkyoku shiasahimaru no hanashi / Mimi no koto * 1979 Tanizaki Prize for Poroporo - Selected works :* Kaburitsuki jinsei, 1964.* Ueno shōgitai, 1968....

, the film tell the story of a strip-teaser, and her daughter who wishes to join her mother's profession.

Cast

• Hatsue Tonooka: 笑子
• Shizu Niwa (aka Shizu Tanba): 洋子
• Shuntaro Tamamura: 勝チン
• Yoshihiro Nakadai: 坂本っちゃん
• Hiroko Hanae: 秋子
• Yukimasa Natori: 恭やん
• Masanori Nagase: 倉さん
• Tatsuo Mizuki: ふとん屋
• Hiroshi Ichimura: 若いやくざ
• Takeshi Yoshida: 錦ちゃん
• Hisako Nitta
• Bonji Masuda

Background

Tatsumi Kumashiro had been working at Nikkatsu as an assistant director and screenwriter when he was given his first chance to direct, at the age of 41. Front Row Life gained positive reviews from critics, but was not popular with the public. As a result of the film's failure, Nikkatsu returned Kumashiro to assistant directing and scripting. Kumashiro was given his second chance to direct in 1972 after the studio had decided to take over the pink film genre by devoting its resources almost entirely to the output of Roman Porno films. This second film, Wet Lips was a success, and Kumashiro's string of pink blockbusters, which lasted over two-decades, had begun. Kumashiro and leading lady Hatsue Tonooka were married the year the film was released, but were divorced after only a few months.