Gate of Flesh

Suzuki is one of my favorite directors, so it's exciting to see Criterion put out four of his films already this year. Gate of Flesh was classified as an adult film on its original Japanese release, but it's pornographic in the same way X-rated Midnight Cowboy is- which is to say, not at all. One of the things that makes Suzuki's B-films so enjoyable and inspiring is the playful touch he injects in the production design, camera work, editing, etc. In this film, a band of obstinate prostitutes (think Sin City) in post-war Japan spend their days looking for pleasure and giving the finger to everything they dislike, especially GIs. The costume design is wonderful- four of the five women wear pastel dresses, each of a different color, while the sophisticated outcast of the group wears a traditional Japanese outfit. The effect is similar to the West Side Story-ish gangs of The Fighting Elegy or the ranking of killers in Branded to Kill. It's a big genre joke, but really adds another dimension to the simple story.
Like Story of a Prostitute, and moreso even, this is a pessimistic film that borders on tragedy and expressionist pathos. It seems that the tragic hero is not the protagonist, but Japan itself; it is portrayed as a dejected group of people united only by their nihilism. Truly a sad portrait of the after-effects of WW2 on Japan's national consciousness. Not nearly Suzuki's best film, but a great example of his stylistic enthusiasm.