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January 19, 2006
WHY SHOWTIME DITCHED MIIKE
There've been a lot of rumors this week about Showtime ditching Takashi Miike's episode from their MASTERS OF HORROR series and now Dave Kehr has uncovered the truth. Writing for the New York Times he gets to the crux of the matter:
"Definitely, at the script stage we made comments about the aborted fetuses," Mr. Garris said. "We made it clear that we were going on American pay cable television, and even though there wasn't as much control over content, there still were concerns. And then when we got the first cut, it was very, very strong stuff."
Miike's episode, "Imprint", is described as a twisted version MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA and what it all boils down to is that his imagery (aborted fetuses, torture, aborted fetuses) was too strong for Showtime who decided to release it, uncut, on DVD but they won't be showing it on television.
Previously, images of rape from Asian films was usually what made Americans blanch. But between "Imprint" and DUMPLINGS (which Lion's Gate is still figuring out how to bury in an unmarked grave) we can now add abortions to that list.
(Thanks to Colin Geddes for the heads up)
January 19, 2006 at 09:49 AM in News | Permalink
Comments
Aborted fetuses? Yeesh. Speaking as an American, yes, that would make me blanch.
At least our porn remains lightyears better than theirs. ;)
Posted by: Justin Slotman | Jan 19, 2006 1:53:25 PM
Speaking as a non-American: I'd love to check out a "twisted version of MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA", and my Takeshi Miike no less!
BTW, DUMPLINGS is an excellent film but I must admit to thinking that it'd evoke the kind of reaction among certain Americans which Justin Slotman just gave us an example of -- and, hence, that it's not the kind of Hong Kong film which I'd like American distributors to latch on to, especially at the expense of examples from other genres. :S
Posted by: YTSL | Jan 19, 2006 4:57:45 PM
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