Angel Guts: Red Porno (1981)

Angel Guts: Red Porno (1981), or "Tenshi no harawata: Akai inga," is the fourth in the Nikkatsu Angel Guts series. This time the action was directed by Toshiharu Ikeda from a screenplay by Ishii, the creator of the characters and the scenarist on several in the series. Ishii and Ikeda became lifelong friends during this film. 

Ikeda is interviewed in the special features, and his interview is a "must watch." He became a director accidentally. While in college, he was out drinking with friends, and the woman next to him at the bar seemed to know a lot about movies. As he was a movie fan, he expounded on his theories, and she became angry, saying that if he knew so much about movies, he could probably direct one. When he agreed, she gave him her card. She was a scriptwriter at Nikkatsu. The next day, he showed up for an interview, but was told he would need a four-year degree to be hired. Relieved, he joined her for tea in the employee cafeteria, where she was sitting with two men who were in desperate need for an assistant director for the film they were starting the next day. She offered Ikeda's services and, since he had no degree, she said he would work free of charge.

Ikeda welcomed the Roman Porno at Nikkatsu, as he had wanted to explore sexy cinema anyway, and the idea of delving into real women, as opposed to romanticized cup dolls, appealed to him. Perhaps this is a good time to mention the origin of Tenshi no harawata, or "Angel Guts." Angel represents the idealized woman, a model of purity and goodness. As I previously mentioned, Japanese believe the guts are the seat of all feelings and motivations. Thus the title infers the conflict between modern womens' spotless image, and the realities of their lives and thoughts. It is also worth mentioning that, although the Japanese have adapted the word porno into their language, it doesn't have the same stigma that it does in English.

While Ikeda claims to be a reluctant director who was much happier as an assistant, I think that was partially modesty talking, and partially beer, since he drank constantly through the interview. Of all the Japanese directors interviewed for this excellent set, Toshiharu Ikeda was the most likable. I suppose it is not a surprise that I liked his film very much as well. Surprisingly, Ikeda was not originally slated to direct at all, but was brought in at the 11th hour, as Ishii was finishing the screenplay. It was slated for an already advertised December 25 release, and he had 10 days to film it.

This time, Nami (Jun Izumi) is a junior sales clerk in a posh department store. She is no stranger to physical pleasure, and we seen her tossing off in one creative way or anther as soon as she gets home from work each day. As a favor to a friend, she subs for a photo shoot one night, and that proves to be a serious mistake because the shoot was for a B&D magazine called "Red Porno." This came to the attention of her married boss, who took her to dinner, got her drunk, and took her to a love hotel. When the boss' wife discovers Nami's magazine spread and recognizes her from the store, he turns her in and gets her fired as a slut moonlighting as a porno star. Nami, as is expected in the Angel Guts series, ends up forming a relationship with Muraka.

Muraka is a nerd, given to masturbating in unison with the school girl (Kyoko Ito) across from his apartment. Of course, she is an inspiration. You wouldn't believe what she does with a raw egg, a condom, and three sharp pencils. Also, some pervert is making obscene phone calls and stealing women's underwear. We are to expect, as the neighbors do, that Muraka is the pervert.

Eventually we finally get to the obligatory rape and tragic ending.

This particular one is the sexiest of the five in the series. The masturbation scenes, while soft core, are very hot, and most of the sex is consensual and passionate. In fact, the plot, although coherent, seems more like glue to tie the sex scenes together. It is the shortest of the five, but otherwise offers the same high quality as the others in the series.

This concludes my coverage of the Nikkatsu Angel Guts films, as I already did the final one (Red Vertigo) a few weeks ago. Ishii made another Angel Guts film several years later, but not for the same studio. This is a fascinating series, presented well, with worthwhile special features and good transfers. Since these were all high budget efforts made by film professionals with the resources of Japan's oldest studio behind them, the quality is solid. They were intended to be shocking, and are still shocking today, especially to Western audiences. They were also the cream of the Roman Porno offerings, due to their origin. This particular film is a C+, and the entire 5-film box set is a very high C+. If you have any interest in Roman Porno, Asian cinema, the depiction of rape in Japan the 70s and 80s, or Manga adaptations, this set is a "must own."

IMDb readers say 5.9, again with very few votes.

Jun Izumi, as Nami, shows breasts and buns in several sex and several masturbation scenes. You really need to see how she used a furniture leg.

Kyoko Ito, as the schoolgirl, shows breasts during her masturbation scene and during her rape.

An unknown, as the boss' wife, shows breasts having sex in a bathtub.