![Realizing large-scale screening of “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” (4K restored version) and “Corrida of Love” (restored version) Interview with director Arata Oshima of Nagisa Oshima Production [CINEMORE ACADEMY Vol.16]](https://cinemore.jp/images/7bd9e6ecd7d195ca5f08d081107ec195f93313a3679da957fa577b6defbf0706.jpg)
Realizing large-scale screening of “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” (4K restored version) and “Corrida of Love” (restored version) Interview with director Arata Oshima of Nagisa Oshima Production [CINEMORE ACADEMY Vol.16]
“Corrida of Love” created a dark childhood.
Q: I was born in 1975, so I don't remember anything about ``Corrida of Love'' in 1976, but even as a child, I still remember the enthusiasm with which the world was excited about ``Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence'' in 1983. . For my generation, director Nagisa Oshima was associated with ``Sen Meri.'' Mr. Arata was born in 1969, so what is the position of your two works?
Oshima: I feel that ``Ai no Corrida'' created my dark childhood (lol). ``Ai no Corrida'' was released when I was in the first grade of elementary school, and a book called ``Ai no Corrida'' (Sanichi Shobo) that included the scenario was published around the same time and was accused of distributing obscene materials. His house was searched and the case went to trial (he was later found not guilty). As a result, I was labeled as "the son of an erotic director."
After that, my father directed `` The Ghost of Love '' (1978), which won the director's award at the Cannes Film Festival, but like ``Corrida of Love,'' this was also pornographic and was called ``18+.'' .
Ever since I started remembering, both of the films my father has directed in quick succession were ``18+'', so I feel like this (lol).
“Corrida of Love” (Restored version) ©Oshima Nagisa Productions
I never hated my father, but being Nagisa Oshima's son was really painful. I was my grandmother's child, but at the time, I had the impression that my grandmother, my older brother, and I lived in a small household.
Then, ``Sen Meri'' came out, and I saw my father's movie in the theater for the first time in my second year of junior high school. I didn't really understand the content, but it featured a kissing scene between Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Bowie, and a dangerous relationship between men. I was disappointed and thought, ``Next to the eroticism between men and women, is it love between men?'' (lol) Of course, that doesn't happen now, but I was still in adolescence at the time...
It was a big hit, so some of my friends were watching it, but I didn't want them to talk about it. So it wasn't until much later that I began to really focus on the content of the work.
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