Hisayasu Satō

Hisayasu Satō
Born	August 15, 1959 Shizuoka City, Japan
Occupation	Film director Screenwriter
Years active	1985 – present

Hisayasu Satō, sometimes misread as Toshiyasu Satō, (佐藤 寿保 Satō Hisayasu, born 15 August 1959 in Shizuoka City, Japan) is a Japanese exploitation film director. He has worked prolifically in the pinku eiga genre. His best known works are the pink film The Bedroom (1992), and the V-Cinema splatter film Splatter: Naked Blood (1996). He is known for his "sledgehammer" filmmaking style, and using his exploitation career to tackle serious subjects like obsession, alienation, perversion and voyeurism.^[1] He is often likened to Canadian director David Cronenberg^[2] due to his unflinching eye for Body Horror. Along with fellow directors, Kazuhiro Sano, Toshiki Satō and Takahisa Zeze, he is known as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings of Pink" (ピンク四天王 pinku shitenno).^[3]

Life and career

Satō is a very prolific director, having directed about two dozen films in 1998 and 1999.^[4] To date, he has directed more than fifty films dealing with eroticism, sadism, and horror among the lower classes of Japan.^[5] He is famous for his "guerilla shooting technique" in which his actors appear on location in public and incorporate unknowing bystanders into the film.^[1] One notorious example of this technique can be seen in Widow's Perverted Hell (1991) in which the lead actress, nude and bound in S&M gear, appears in a busy downtown location and begs confused passers-by to help her masturbate.^[6] Allmovie comments, "Like Divine's memorable strut through the streets of Baltimore in Pink Flamingos, this scene was shot guerrilla-style, with no planning, and some of the reactions from unsuspecting pedestrians are priceless. Intended as a dark meditation on the unhinging effects of grief, the mondo aspects of its climactic scene makes the rather lackluster Mibojin Hentai Jigoku worth seeing."^[7]

Satō's 1987 Temptation of the Mask was important for several reasons. One of the first gay films produced by a major pink film director, the film also brought together three members of the shitenno for the first time. Takahisa Zeze worked as Satō's assistant director for the film, and through him began hiring future-director Kazuhiro Sano as an actor in his films. Zeze later recalled, "I remember once there was a gay pink film, and Satō wanted to use Sano, so I was the go-between and negotiated with him to appear in it. That's how we all started working together."^[8]

Satō's second gay-themed film was Muscle aka Mad Ballroom Gala (1988),^[9] a tribute to director Pier Paolo Pasolini.^[10] For this film, Satō was awarded the grand prize at the Berlin Gay and Lesbian Festival in 1993.^[11] From this and later films like Hunters' Sense of Touch (1995), Satō has gained a reputation as one of the few directors who can competently alternate between gay and heterosexual-themed pink films.^[12]

Satō's 1990 film, Horse and Woman and Dog, another film featuring Kazuhiro Sano, became a success due to its scandalous scenes involving bestiality between the three characters in the film's title.^[13] Another controversial, but highly regarded film from Satō is Promiscuous Wife: Disgraceful Torture (1992), for which the director hired the Paris cannibal, Issei Sagawa (aka Kazumasa Sagawa) to appear in a cameo role.^[14][15]

Famed for the offensiveness of his films, Lolita: Vibrator Torture (1987), dealing with a homeless man who rapes and murders women, is often singled out as Satō's most repulsive film.^[16][17] In his later works, Satō has collaborated with the female pink film writer, Kyoko Godai. While the violence in his films has sometimes been less extreme since this collaboration,^[1] the Weissers, in their Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films call Godai and Satō's work on Uniform Punishment: Square Peg in Round Hole! (1991) "Perhaps the most mean-spirited satire on film.".^[6] The film deals with a religious cult who worships a maniacal young woman who spends her nights hunting the city for people to rape and kill with the help of a male slave. Allmovie judges the film a "perversely entertaining jet-black satire" and a "dark but highly watchable softcore effort."^[18]

Yoshiyuki Hayashida, editor of P*G magazine—currently the leading journal on pink film—and founder of the Pink Grand Prix, became a fan of Satō's work and wrote a script using many of Satō's major themes. Satō filmed the script as Uniform Masturbation: Virgin's Underpanties (1992).^[19] Though Satō's style seems to have softened somewhat as the 1990s progressed, he was still capable of producing such works as Splatter: Naked Blood (1996),^[9] which, Allmovie warns, "contains one of the most appalling scenes in Japanese horror, with a young woman mutilating and eating her own body."^[20]

Partial filmography

Release title[21]	Satō's title	Release date	Studio
Mad Love! Lolita Poaching 激愛！ロリータ密猟 Gekiai! Lolita Mitsuro	Distorted Sense of Touch	February, 1985	Shishi Toei Central
Sex Virgin Unit: Party of Beasts ＳＥＸ乙女隊　獣たちの宴 Sex Otome-tai: Kemonotachi no Utage	Zero Flight	June 1985	Shishi Toei Central
Wife Collector 人妻コレクター Hitozume Collector	Decaying Town	1985-09-28	Shishi Toei Central
Office Lady Rape: Disgrace! ＯＬ暴行汚す OL Boko: Yogosu!	Save the Last Dance for Me	July 1986	Shintōhō Eiga/Kokuei
Uniform Virgin: The Prey 制服処女　ザ・えじき Seifuku Shojo: The Ejiki	Explosion...	1986-08-09	Nikkatsu Shishi
Exciting Eros: Hot Skin エキサイティング・エロ　熱い肌 Exciting Ero: Atsui Hada	Gimme Shelter	October 1986	Shishi Million Film
Rape Climax! 暴行クライマックス Boko Climax	Water's High	April 1987	Shishi Shintōhō Eiga
Lolita: Vibrator Torture ロリータ・バイブ責め Lolita Vibe-Zeme	Secret Garden	1987-09-19	Shishi Nikkatsu
Genuine Rape 暴行本番 Boko Honban	Pleasure Kill	October 1987	Shishi Shintōhō Eiga
Temptation of the Mask 仮面の誘惑 Kamen no Yuwaku	Temptation of the Mask	December 1987	Shishi ENK Production
Hard Focus: Eavesdrop ハードフォーカス　盗聴＜ぬすみぎき＞ Hard Focus: Nusumi-giki	Survey Map of a Paradise Lost	1988-03-09	Kokuei Shintōhō Eiga
Abnormal: Ugly Abuse アブノーマル　陰虐 Abnormal: Ingyaku	Rewind	July 1988	Kokuei Shintōhō Eiga
Pervert Ward: Torturing the White Uniform 変態病棟　白衣責め Hentai Byoto: Hakui-zeme	Love Letter in the Sand	1988-10-15	Kokuei Shintōhō Eiga
Lolita Disgrace ロリータ恥辱 Lolita Chijoku	Radical Hysteria Tour	1988-12-23	Shishi ENK
Mad Ballroom Gala 狂った舞踏会 Kurutta Butokai	Asti: Lunar Eclipse Theater	March 1989	Shishi ENK
Rape Between Sisters: Penetration! 姉妹連続レイプ　えぐる！ Shimai Renzoku Rape: Eguru!	Welcome to the Illusion	1989-03-04	Shishi Excess
Ecstasy Game 陶酔遊戯 Tosui Yugi	Bondage Ecstasy	May 1989	ENK Productions
Pervert Ward: S&M Clinic 変態病棟　ＳＭ診療室 Hentai Byoto: SM Shinryo-shitsu	Fuga Music for Alpha and Beta	1989-09-02	Kokuei Shintōhō Eiga
Beauty Reporter: Rape Broadcast 美人レポーター　暴行生中継 Bijin Reporter: Boko Nama-chukei	Love Obsession	1989-10-07	Shishi Shintōhō Eiga
Naked Action: College Girl Rape Edition 半裸本番　女子大生暴行篇 Hanra Honban: Joshidaisei Boko-hen	Psychic Rose	January 1990	Media Top/Shintōhō Eiga
Serial Rape: Perverted Experiment 連続レイプ　変態実験 Renzoku Rape: Hentai Jikken	Ki*Ra*Ra	February 1990	Shishi Excess
Rapist with Handcuffs: Defile! 手錠暴行魔　いたぶる！ Tejo Boko-ma: Itaburu!	Interlocking Locks	May 1990	Shishi Excess
Horse and Woman and Dog 馬と女と犬 Uma to Onna to Inu	Poaching by the Water	May 1990	Media Top/Shintōhō Eiga
Office Lady Rape: Devouring the Giant Tits ＯＬ連続レイプ　巨乳むさぼる OL Renzoku Rape: Kyonyu Musaboru	Slush	September 1990	Shishi Excess
Special Lesson: Perverted Sex Education スペシャルレッスン　変態性教育 Special Lesson: Hentai Sei-kyoiku	The Gods Have a Nervous Breakdown	September 1990	Kokuei Shintōhō Eiga
Hidden Video Maniac: Uniform Hunting 制服盗聴魔　激射・なぶる！ Seifuku Nusumi-dori-ma: Gekisha Naburu	Naked City	December 1990	Shishi Excess
Lesbian Rape: Sweet Honey Juice レズビアンレイプ　甘い蜜汁 Lesbian Rape: Amai Mitsujiru	Silencer Made of Glass	1991-02-02	Shishi Shintōhō Eiga
Uniform Punishment: Square Peg in Roung Hole! 制服私刑　ねじり込め！ Seifuku Lynch: Nejirikome!	Silencer Made of Glass	1991-03-01	Shishi Excess
Widow's Perverted Hell 未亡人変態地獄 Mibojin Hentai Jigoku	Look Into Me	1991-04-26	Shishi Excess
Hidden Video Report: Dark Shot! 盗撮レポート　陰写！ Nusumidori Report: Insha!	Turtle Vision	1991-07-20	Shintōhō Eiga
New Wife's Private Parts: Caress 新妻下半身　わしづかみ Nizuma Kahanshin: Washizukami	Doll	1991-11-22	Shishi Excess
Lady of the Stable 馬小舎の令嬢 Umagoya no Reijo	Wave	1991-12-21	Shintōhō Eiga
Real Action: Vibrator Punishment 本番バイブ　折檻 Honban: Vibe Sekken	Symbol of Release	1992-01-24	Shishi Excess
Housewife Punishment: Triple Torture 人間拷問　三段責め Hitozuma Gomon: Sandan-zeme	Labyrinth of Primary Colors	1992-07-31	Shishi Excess
Promiscuous Wife: Disgraceful Torture 浮気妻　恥辱責め Uwaki-zuma: Chijoku-zeme	An Aria on Gazes	1992-09-12	Kokuei Shintōhō Eiga
Uniform Masturbation: Virgin's Underpanties 制服ＯＮＡＮＩＥ　処女の下着 Seifuku Onanie: Shojo no Shitagi	Close Dancing	1992-10-10	Shintōhō Eiga
S&M Group Wax Torture ＳＭ集団?責め SM Shudan Ro-zeme	Dirty Blue	1992-11-06	Shishi Excess
Wife in Mourning: Pubic-Shaved Rope Slave 喪服妻　剃毛縄奴隷 Mofuku-zuma: Teimō Nawa-dorei	Negation	1993-02-05	Shishi Excess
Real Time Tapping Report: Pillow Talk (生)盗聴リポート　痴話 Nama Tocho Report: Chiwa	Kyrie Eleison	1993-03-05	Shintōhō Eiga
Pleasure Masturbation: New Wife Version 快感ＯＮＡＮＩＥ　新妻篇 Kaikan Onanie: Niizuma-hen	Light Sleep	1993-05-28	Shishi Excess
Real Action: Drink Up ナマ本番　飲み干す！ Nama Honban: Nomihosu!	Angel in the Dark	1993-08-13	Shishi Excess
Molester's Train: Nasty Behavior 痴漢電車　いやらしい行為 Chikan Densha: Iyarashii Kōi	Birthday	1993-11-26	Kokuei Shintōhō Eiga
Wife's Perverted Beauty Salon 人妻変態美容師 Hitozuma Hentai Biyoshitsu	Dead End	1994-01-14	Shishi Excess
Molester and the Peeper: Gynecology Ward 痴漢と覗き　婦人科病練 Chikan to Nozoki: Fujin-ka Byoto	Sick People	1994-04-01	Shishi Excess
Young Wife: Opening Juicy Thighs 若奥様　太股びらき Wakaoku-sama: Futomono-biraki	Rental Love	1994-06-17	Shishi Excess
Filthy Wife: Wet いやらしい人妻　濡れる Iyarashii Hitozuma: Nureru	Love - 0 = Infinity	1994	Kokuei Shintōhō Eiga
Wife in Heat: While Husband is Away すけべ妻　夫の留守に Sukebe-zuma: Otto no Rusu ni	Rafureshia	1995-01-06	Shishi Excess
Hunters' Sense of Touch 狩人たちの触覚 Karyudo-tachi no Shokkaku	Hunters' Sense of Touch	1995-05-02	ENK Productions
In the Thicket / New Rashomon 薮の中 Yabu no Naka		1996-05-18	Image Factory
Splatter: Naked Blood 女虐／ＮＡＫＥＤ　ＢＬＯＯＤ Megyaku: Naked Blood		1996-02-20	TM Project/Museum
Night of the Anatomical Doll 人体模型の夜 Jintai-mokei no Yoru		1996-11-08	Excellent Film/Toei Video
Meet Me in the Dream: Wonderland 夢で逢いましょう Yume de Aimasho: Wonderland		1996-02-09	Pink Pineapple
Soft Skin やわらかい肌 Yawarakai Hada		1998-01-31	Kokuei Shintōhō Eiga
Scent of a Married Woman 人妻の値段 匂いたつ欲情 Hitozuma no Nedan: Nioutatsu Yokujou		2001-28-12	Legend Pictures
Rampo Noir (segment: The Caterpillar) 乱歩地獄 Ranpo Jigoku		2005-05-11	Albatros Film Toei
The Tattooer 刺青 Si-Sei		2006-24-03	ArtPort Inc.
Love & Loathing & Lulu & Ayano 名前のない女たち Namae no nai Onnatachi		2010-04-09	There's Enterprise Inc. Makotoya
Hana-Dama 華魂		2014-18-01	Shibuya Production

Bibliography

• Seveon, Julien. Le cinema enrage au Japon. France : 1st edition : Sulliver 2006 / 2nd edition : Rouge Profond 2009. ISBN 978-2-911199-85-1 (French)
• Seveon, Julien. USA : "Interview with Hisayasu Sato" in Asian Cult Cinema #34, 1st quarter 2002.
• Jack Hunter. "Abnormal Ward: The Forbidden Visions of Hisayasu Sato" in Andy Black (ed), Necronomicon: The Journal of Horror and Erotic Cinema: Book Two, London: Creation Books, 1999, pp. 30–39.

Notes

1. Weisser, Thomas; Yuko Mihara Weisser (1998). "Spotlight: Four Kings of Pink (Hisayasu Sato)". Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films. Miami: Vital Books : Asian Cult Cinema Publications. p. 463. ISBN 1-889288-52-7.
2. Sharp, Jasper (2008). Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema. Guildford: FAB Press. pp. 265–266. ISBN 978-1-903254-54-7.
3. Domenig, Roland (2002). "Vital flesh: the mysterious world of Pink Eiga". Archived from the original on 2004-11-18. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
4. Firsching, Robert. "Tejo Boko-ma: Itaburu!". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
5. Firsching, Robert. "Gekiai! Lolita Mitsuro". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
6. Weisser, p.471.
7. Firsching, Robert. "Mibojin Hentai Jigoku". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
8. "Takahisa Zeze interview". midnighteye.com. Retrieved 2007-10-04. External link in |work= (help)
9. McRoy, Jay (2008). Nightmare Japan: contemporary Japanese horror cinema. Contemporary cinema 4. Rodopi. pp. 49–59. ISBN 90-420-2331-7.
10. Firsching, Robert. "Muscle". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
11. Weisser, p.467.
12. Firsching, Robert. "Hunters' Sense of Touch". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
13. Firsching, Robert. "Uma To Onna To Inu". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
14. Weisser, p.473.
15. Firsching, Robert. "Apartment Wife: Promiscuous Wife: Disgraceful Torture". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
16. Weisser, p.465.
17. Firsching, Robert. "Lolita: Vibrator Torture". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
18. Firsching, Robert. "Seifuku Lynch: Nejirikome!". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
19. Firsching, Robert. "Seifuku Onanie: Shojo No Shitagi". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
20. Firsching, Robert. "Megyaku: Naked Blood". Allmovie. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
21. Filmography from Weisser, Thomas; Yuko Mihara Weisser (1998). "Spotlight: Four Kings of Pink (Hisayasu Sato)". Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films. Miami: Vital Books : Asian Cult Cinema Publications. pp. 463–479. ISBN 1-889288-52-7.; Hisayasu Sato at the Internet Movie Database and "佐藤寿保 (Satō Hisayasu)". Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-10-06.

Sources

• Hisayasu Sato at the Internet Movie Database
• Koyama, Akirashi (2003-02-24). "Hisayasu Satō Interview" (in Japanese). channel.slowtrain.org. Retrieved 2009-07-23. External link in |publisher= (help)
• "佐藤寿保 (Sato Hisayasu)". Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-10-06.
• Weisser, Thomas; Yuko Mihara Weisser (1998). "Spotlight: Four Kings of Pink (Hisayasu Sato)". Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films. Miami: Vital Books : Asian Cult Cinema Publications. pp. 463–479. ISBN 1-889288-52-7.