Kan Mukai (å '井寛, Mukai Kan) a.k.a. Hiroshi Mukai and Patrick Kan
(カン・ãƒ'トリック, Kan Patorikku, October 16, 1937 â€" June 9,
2008) was a Japanese film director, cinematographer, producer and
screenwriter, known for his pioneering work in the pink film genre. In
the realm of pink cinema, Japanese critics have estimated that Mukai
is "the only serious rival of KÅ ji Wakamatsu." As a producer, Mukai
helped the early careers of many prominent directors, including
Hisayasu SatÅ and Academy-Award winner YÅ jirÅ Takita. In his
career, he directed nearly 200 films and produced approximately
500.Kan Mukai was born in Dairen, Manchukuo (modern Dalian, China) on
October 16, 1937. He studied economics at Kyushu University, but
dropped out to pursue a career in film. In 1959 he began his
apprenticeship, serving as assistant director to Kiyoshi Saeki,
Tadashi Imai and Isao Yoshida. He also worked as a cinematographer on
projects for various studios, mostly for educational, children's and
industrial films. During this early period in his career he honed his
craft and became known as a top cinematographer.Mukai made his debut
as a director in 1962 with Two Boys (二人㠮å°'å¹´), an educational
film. Wanting to direct, but lacking the educational requirements
necessary to be hired as a director at a major studio, in 1965, Mukai
moved into the lucrative new pink film genre. That year he founded
Mukai Productions and, with financial backing from Nihon Cinema,
directed his first pink feature, Flesh (肉, Niku), which was
distributed by Kokuei. Though the film was a plotless series of scenes
in the life of a prostitute, Mukai's technical skill impressed early
pink audiences and critics, and he quickly became a major name in the
genre. Comparing him to the major pink director of the 1960s, a critic
for Kinema Junpo wrote, "Hiroshi Mukai is the only genre director who
could rival KÅ ji Wakamatsu." Flesh received international
distribution, and was released in Germany on May 14, 1965 as Nacktes
Fleisch. The Bite (1966) was another early Mukai film shown overseas,
playing in the U.S. soon after its Japanese release, and in Britain,
under the title Bait, in 1967. It was released on DVD in the U.S. in
2008.According to some sources, Mukai's Sexy Partners (1967) was the
first S&M film. It was the first to use the subject as its primary
theme. He worked with his wife, actress Takako Uchida, in several of
his early films such as Nightly Pleasure (Yoru No Yorokobi, 1967),
Stories of Adultery (Aru Mittsu, 1967), and Spring of Ecstasy (Kokotsu
No Izumi, 1968). Stories of Adultery was a three-part omnibus film,
with other two segments directed by KÅ ji Wakamatsu and Shin'ya
Yamamoto (director). Mukai's section was titled Beauty and Ugliness
(Bi To Shu). Takako Uchida later starred in Nikkatsu's big-budget
pre-Roman Porno venture into the pink arena, Story Of Heresy In Meiji
Era (1968). Mukai gave future first Nikkatsu Roman Porno star, Kazuko
Shirakawa, her film debut with the 1967 film Girls' Dormitory. Until
that studio's reorganization in 1967, Mukai's films were released
principally through Kanto Films. In 1968, Mukai founded his own
studio, and Shameful Technique (æ ¥ã ‹ã —ã „æŠ€å·§, Hazukashii Giko,
1967), was the first film released by Mukai Studios.
(カン・ãƒ'トリック, Kan Patorikku, October 16, 1937 â€" June 9,
2008) was a Japanese film director, cinematographer, producer and
screenwriter, known for his pioneering work in the pink film genre. In
the realm of pink cinema, Japanese critics have estimated that Mukai
is "the only serious rival of KÅ ji Wakamatsu." As a producer, Mukai
helped the early careers of many prominent directors, including
Hisayasu SatÅ and Academy-Award winner YÅ jirÅ Takita. In his
career, he directed nearly 200 films and produced approximately
500.Kan Mukai was born in Dairen, Manchukuo (modern Dalian, China) on
October 16, 1937. He studied economics at Kyushu University, but
dropped out to pursue a career in film. In 1959 he began his
apprenticeship, serving as assistant director to Kiyoshi Saeki,
Tadashi Imai and Isao Yoshida. He also worked as a cinematographer on
projects for various studios, mostly for educational, children's and
industrial films. During this early period in his career he honed his
craft and became known as a top cinematographer.Mukai made his debut
as a director in 1962 with Two Boys (二人㠮å°'å¹´), an educational
film. Wanting to direct, but lacking the educational requirements
necessary to be hired as a director at a major studio, in 1965, Mukai
moved into the lucrative new pink film genre. That year he founded
Mukai Productions and, with financial backing from Nihon Cinema,
directed his first pink feature, Flesh (肉, Niku), which was
distributed by Kokuei. Though the film was a plotless series of scenes
in the life of a prostitute, Mukai's technical skill impressed early
pink audiences and critics, and he quickly became a major name in the
genre. Comparing him to the major pink director of the 1960s, a critic
for Kinema Junpo wrote, "Hiroshi Mukai is the only genre director who
could rival KÅ ji Wakamatsu." Flesh received international
distribution, and was released in Germany on May 14, 1965 as Nacktes
Fleisch. The Bite (1966) was another early Mukai film shown overseas,
playing in the U.S. soon after its Japanese release, and in Britain,
under the title Bait, in 1967. It was released on DVD in the U.S. in
2008.According to some sources, Mukai's Sexy Partners (1967) was the
first S&M film. It was the first to use the subject as its primary
theme. He worked with his wife, actress Takako Uchida, in several of
his early films such as Nightly Pleasure (Yoru No Yorokobi, 1967),
Stories of Adultery (Aru Mittsu, 1967), and Spring of Ecstasy (Kokotsu
No Izumi, 1968). Stories of Adultery was a three-part omnibus film,
with other two segments directed by KÅ ji Wakamatsu and Shin'ya
Yamamoto (director). Mukai's section was titled Beauty and Ugliness
(Bi To Shu). Takako Uchida later starred in Nikkatsu's big-budget
pre-Roman Porno venture into the pink arena, Story Of Heresy In Meiji
Era (1968). Mukai gave future first Nikkatsu Roman Porno star, Kazuko
Shirakawa, her film debut with the 1967 film Girls' Dormitory. Until
that studio's reorganization in 1967, Mukai's films were released
principally through Kanto Films. In 1968, Mukai founded his own
studio, and Shameful Technique (æ ¥ã ‹ã —ã „æŠ€å·§, Hazukashii Giko,
1967), was the first film released by Mukai Studios.
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