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Released by: Impulse Pictures
Released on: May 7, 2013.
Director: Junichi Suzuki
Cast: Yuki Kazamatsuri, Yoko Azusa, Kyoko Ito, Hajime Ishigami
Year: 1982
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The Movie:
Directed by Junichi Suzuki for Nikkatsu Studios in 1982, Female Teacher Hunting begins with a scene in which two high school students - Midori (Kyoko Ito) and Daisuke (Hajime Ishigami) - enjoy a little skinny dipping fun in the school's pool. The next morning when Midori's uniform is found floating in the water, Daisuke's teacher, Sakatani (Yuki Kazamatsuri), accuses the young man of rape. He responds by pushing her to the ground and when she threatens to scream, he tells her that rape isn't as easy as she seems to have thought - meaning that if he had raped Midori in the pool, surely someone would have heard her scream.
He then proceeds to find Midori in the radio room and, with the microphone on, he has his way with her for the whole school to hear. Once this is done, he drops out of school and heads to the coast to a small town where he meets the owner of a small bar. He lets Daisuke crash with him, and even lets him share his girlfriend in one of the most awkward and depressing three ways you're ever likely to see. Oddly enough, when school break comes around, Sakatani heads to the coast too. She's having an affair with a married man who is writing a 'report about rape' and is hanging out near the sea to take a break from his wife and daughter. Eventually Daisuke and Sakatani realize they're in the same town and when Midori shows up too, the truth about the events that took place in the pool that night come to light as all involved come to terms with what's happened and what they've done.
Although very little of the movie actually takes place around the school and instead plays out in the small coastal town, the story does do an interesting job of toying with teacher/student relationships in a couple of key scenes. The early part where Daisuke appears to be ready to rape Sakatani in the classroom and the finale that takes place between Sakatani and Midori are the two strongest examples, though those expecting loads of girls in sailor suits getting into various sexual predicaments may walk away disappointed. Though the movie is not wanting for graphic sex, outside of the rape angle this movie doesn't really fetishize things the way other Nikkatsu titles tend to. In fact, the three way scene, which starts off seeming like it's going to be graphic and erotically charge, soon takes a turn in a completely unexpected direction, much like the storyline itself does.
While all of this plays out much more like a dramatic film with liberal doses of sex and a sex film with liberal doses of drama, at sixty-five minutes in length it's well paced and the story does a good enough job setting up the characters that even if it isn't as lurid as other Roman Porno pictures, you still want to find out what happens and who it happens to. The performances are strong across the board from all of the key players - Yuki Kazamatsuri seems consistently conflicted and is apparently only happy when she's getting laid while Hajime Ishigami's character is consistently angry. While we obviously can't resent him for being upset over a false accusation, what he does later in the film doesn't exactly redeem him. The only character in the film who comes across as less than selfish or abusive is Midori, well played here by the slightly boyish looking Kyoko Ito. Everyone else in the film wants something from someone else and uses people to get it. Not exactly a feel good movie and a film that delivers some confusingly mixed messages about rape, Female Teacher Hunting is periodically artsy, occasionally sexy, but at the very least consistently interesting.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Female Teacher: Hunting looks good in this 1.85.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Colors are handled well and look quite natural as do skin tones, of which there are loads on display. Black levels aren't quite inky deep but they're strong and detail is pretty good across the board. There are no issues with print damage to complain about and overall this is a clean, sharp, good looking picture though it should be noted that a few scenes were shot with some softness in mind and that comes through in the transfer (as it should).
The Japanese language Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono track is crisp and clean though occasionally just a tiny bit shrill. The levels are well balanced and there are no issues with hiss or distortion. The optional English subtitles that are provided are free of any typos and easy to read. This won't floor you but it sounds fine, there are no problems.
Extras on the disc are limited to a menu, chapter selection and a delightfully salacious trailer for the feature. Inside the case, however, is an insert containing original poster art for the feature and liner notes from film scholar/author Jasper Sharp that provide some details on the film and on the cast and crew involved in the production. Sharp also provides a bit of background information on the Female Teacher series that Nikkatsu was pumping out and their connection to Takashi Ishii's work on the Angel Guts series. Well worth reading.
The Final Word:
Surprisingly enough, Female Teacher Hunting is a lot more dramatic and morose than most of the other entries in the line so far. It has its share of sleaze and skin and the rape scenes definitely keep it in Roman Porno territory, but it avoids the more insane aspects of some of its ilk and plays things very straight. Not the highlight of Impulse's Nikkatsu line so far but a nice addition and a well-made movie in its own right.
