Underwater Love: A Pink Musical Review

• 8th Nov 2011

It may appear to be a bad idea to mix show tunes, soft-core pornography and mythological creatures but the outcome is far from messy in Shinji Imaoka’s Underwater Love: A Pink Musical, which is the antidote to all the sins of western erotic cinema. Japanese soft-core has evolved in to a recognised genre collectively called ‘Pink Films’. Part of the rich colourful history of Japanese Cinema these films reflect the changing attitudes towards pornography and the presentation of the human form on 35mm film.

Imaoka is one of seven well know directors practicing pink film production today in Japan. His wealth of experience, taught to him by the pioneering Pink directors of the 1960’s and 1970’s, sets him apart from the amateur explicit western counterparts. Despite the artistic merit of the Pink genre it remains relatively unknown to the worldwide market.  This new form of Pink film, integrating a musical element, is an attempt to make it more accessible for a western audience. Cinematographer Christopher Doyle lends his award winning eye to Underwater Love; Doyle has filmed the acclaimed Chungking Express and later the Australian epic Rabbit-Proof Fence. Together this team, director and cinematographer, have attracted international attention.

Pink Films have no western counterpart, there is no doubting their pornographic attributes however Japanese censorship laws dictate that visually there is a lot ‘left to the imagination’. As a result of these strict rules directors came up with even more inventive shooting sequences to keep a dwindling audience interested. Somehow out of the swamp of seedy budget sex films: an art form had emerged; recognisable and complete with creative value. There is even an award ceremony for Pink Films held each year in Japan: The Pink Grand Prix which celebrates the artistic merit of these low budget, feature length, porn films. I suspect your mother would have never thought that possible!

The story is about Asuka, 35 year old woman who feels is being to feel old. She sees her last chance to settle down and agrees to marry her boss.  She seems content until the arrival of a Kappa (a Japanese water demon – who is coincidentally the reincarnation of her teenage lover) stirs some long forgotten mischievous streak within her.  The Kappa discovers Asuka’s lifespan is almost over, together they must find a way to trick the god of death and fight for a life she is just learning to cherish.

Underwater Love could never be accused of taking itself too seriously. Certain plot points will have you in stitches (particularly the inclusion of a huge anal pearl) while others will have you hoodwinked into twists and turns you could not imagine.  However this being said something is missing. Perhaps it is a level of production value which cannot be achieved within the 5 and ½ days shooting time.  Overall I feel this film will alienate a western audience – I am generalising of course, some of you might love it- but this is not the breakout film which Pink needs.

There are obvious attempts within the narrative to attract a female audience. Asuka is wonderful character; she is complex and evolves throughout the story. Imaoka knows modern Japanese women will identify with an ex-Tokyo office girl returning to her rural village roots. Imaoka knows that these women will be familiar with the Kappa’s Tales and he has marketed this film specifically for those women.

This is sadly not The Sound of Music with boobs but some of the songs are rather catchy.  I found myself humming the opening number as I made breakfast this morning and I have German band ‘Stereo Total’ to thank for that.  The bright cheery pop techno fits well within the narrative and even the one-take-only lip synch is not as awful as I imagined it would be.  This is a curious hybrid between musical and soft-core. This duality will draw audiences in if nothing else.

This film is a good effort by Imaoka and his team. I was impressed by the performances, the creativity but the film could have done with a bit more finishing. As an introduction to Pink Films it is a good example. I would recommend it if you have an open mind and enjoy Japanese cinema but I do not think this film is ready to change the world: A particularly (given the subject matter) average film.

Lauren Hounsome