© Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.
At the opposite end of the stereotype of docile Japanese women—heroic good mothers, chaste daughters and hardworking faithful wives—actresses Ayako Wakao, Mariko Okada and Meiko Kaji embodied the transgression of limits, breaking rules, flouting norms and generally upsetting everyone.
This series explores the idea of unconventional beauty that these spellbinding actresses created through an unparalleled body of films. Both Wakao and Okada were muses and inspiration for two major film directors, Yasuzo Masumura and Kiju (Yoshishige) Yoshida, respectively, while Kaji navigated between filmmakers, a wild card of Japanese cinema at the time. Put together, their films delineate what one could call an aesthetic of “convulsive beauty” (André Breton).
“.. one of the most astonishing film retrospectives of the year”
SUBWAY CINEMA
“Critics' Pick!”
New York Magazine
“If you're more in line with the stereotypically docile view of Japanese women, then this series is not for you.”
Time Out New York
“Kaji is the copy-ready deviant of the series, but Japan Society has seized the opportunity for layered programming (…) Besides spotlighting three actresses, "Mad, Bad . . . & Dangerous to Know" is also a tribute to the ruthlessly insistent filmmaker Yasuzo Masumura, a revealing high-low study in shame entertainment, and a never-mind-the-plot Scope showcase.”
The Village Voice
“It's things like this that make me want to move to NYC tomorrow”
Patrick Galloway, author of Stray Dogs and Lone Wolves and Asia Shock.
Ayako Wakao: Passion Made Flesh
 |
Tattoo
刺青 |
|---|---|
 |
Red Angel赤い天使Thursday, April 1, 7:30 PM Directed by Yasuzo Masumura, 1966 |
 |
Seisaku's Wife清作の妻Friday, April 2, 6:30 PM Directed by Yasuzo Masumura, 1965 |
 |
A Wife Confesses妻は告白するFriday, April 2, 8:30 PM Directed by Yasuzo Masumura, 1961 |
Meiko Kaji: A Mad, Bad Unholy Easter Weekend
 |
Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion女囚７０１号 さそりSaturday, April 3, 3 PM Directed by Shunya Ito, 1972 |
|---|---|
 |
Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter野良猫ロック・セックスハンターSaturday, April 3, 5 PM Directed by Yasuharu Hasebe, 1970 |
 |
Lady Snowblood:
修羅雪姫 |
 |
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance修羅雪姫: 怨み恋歌Sunday, April 4, 3 PM Directed by Toshiya Fujita, 1974 |
 |
Female Convict Scorpion Jailhouse 41女囚さそり 第４１雑居房Sunday, April 4, 5 PM Directed by Shunya Ito, 1972 |
Mariko Okada: The Discreet Charm of the Adulteress
 |
Impasse
炎と女 |
|---|---|
 |
The Affair情炎Thursday, April 15, 7:30 PM Directed by Kiju Yoshida, 1967 |
 |
Woman of the Lake女のみづうみSunday April 18, 6:30 PM Directed by Kiju Yoshida, 1966 |
 |
Two Wives妻二人Sunday April 18, 8:45 PM Directed by Yasuzo Masumura, 1967 |
Mad, Bad… & Dangerous to Know: Three Untamed Beauties is made possible through the generous support of The Globus Family.
Japan Society’s 2009-2010 Film Programs are generously supported by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund.
Additional support is provided by The Globus Family, Yoshiko and Tim Schilt, David S. Howe, Dr. Tatsuji Namba, Joshua S. Levine and Nozomi Terao, Elaine Sheng and Samuel Jamier, and the New York State Council on the Arts, a State agency.
The DRESSED TO KILL! party is sponsored by The Globus Family.
Acknowledgments:
Mayumi Nagumo, Asako Suzuki and Nobuhiko Kurosu (Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.); Mari Imaizumi, Grant Tompkins, Yukihiro Ohira, and Isao Tsujimoto (The Japan Foundation); Yusuke Okada and Satoko Ishida (Shochiku Co. Ltd); Kenji Ogino (Toho Co., Ltd.); Tomohiro Hayashi (Nikkatsu Corp); Carl Morano, Yoko Hayama and Megumi Kikuraku (Media Blasters); David Shultz (Vitagraph Films)
Special thanks to: Marc Walkow and Chris D.
