Banmei Takahashi (高橋伴明, Takahashi Banmei) (or Tomoaki Takahashi)[1] is a Japanese film director. Takahashi started his career in the pink film industry, making his directorial debut in 1972 with Escaped Rapist Criminal. Due to a disagreement with his producer, Takahashi quit the film industry for a couple years.[2] He joined pink film pioneer Kōji Wakamatsu's production studio in 1975, working as a script-writer until Wakamatsu produced Takahashi's second film, Delinquent File: Juvenile Prostitution (1976). For the next few years Takahashi averaged five films annually at Wakamatsu's studio, until Takahashi left to start his own production company in 1979.[2]

Banmei Takahashi
Takahashi in three-quarter profile at press event wearing black suit and black shirt and glasses
Takahashi in 2022
Born (1949-05-10) May 10, 1949 (age 74)
OccupationFilm director
Years active1975–present
SpouseKeiko Takahashi

Takahashi married Nikkatsu Roman Porno and pink film actress Keiko Sekine who then changed her name to Keiko Takahashi and starred in several of Takahashi's films.[3] Sekine appeared in Takahashi's Tattoo Ari (1982), a mainstream box-office hit which won Takahashi the award for Best Director at the 4th Yokohama Film Festival.[4][5] With the success of this film, Takahashi dissolved Takahashi Productions to focus on mainstream filmmaking.[2] Takahashi's 1994 film Ai no Shinsekai, inspired by photographer Nobuyoshi Araki's work, is significant as the first Japanese production to play uncensored and unfogged domestically.[6]

Filmography edit

References edit

  1. ^ Weisser, Thomas; Yuko Mihara Weisser (1998). Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films. Miami: Vital Books : Asian Cult Cinema Publications. pp. 183, 234. ISBN 1-889288-52-7.
  2. ^ a b c Weisser, p. 234.
  3. ^ Weisser, pp. 253, 234.
  4. ^ 第4回ヨコハマ映画祭 1982年日本映画個人賞 (in Japanese). Yokohama Film Festival. Retrieved 2010-01-14.
  5. ^ Weisser, p.427.
  6. ^ Weisser, pp. 291-292.
  7. ^ "痛くない死に方". eiga.com. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  8. ^ "夜明けまでバス停で". eiga.com. Retrieved June 11, 2022.

External links edit