Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1971) [short]

Japan (MIFF2009,Eros + Massacre)
Director: Shuji Terayama

With Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Shuji Terayama takes a Lord of the Flies story hook and milks it to immoral extremes. His hand-held pastiche depicts a world ruled by children - children who, armed with weaponry, rape and assault women, physically abuse men and seek to annihilate any remnants of the former ‘adult' regime.

Terayama uses unnerving imagery and tongue-in-cheek humour to make a pronounced statement on man's fixation on the socially, aesthetically and ethically abhorrent.

--- D/S Shuji Terayama P Michi Tanaka WS Image Forum L Japanese w/English subtitles TD 16mm/1971

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