Extreme Private Eros: Love Song 1974 (1974) User Reviews

Extreme Private Eros: Love Song 1974

[MartinTeller · 6/10 · 6 January 2012]

I was fascinated by Kazuo Hara's THE EMPEROR'S NAKED ARMY MARCHES ON, so I thought I'd try of his earlier documentaries. In this one, he follows his ex-girlfriend Miyuki Takeda and their child to Okinawa where she bounces from a lesbian relationship to an interracial hetero relationship to a self-run day care facility and back to the mainland where she gives birth without medical assistance. Although Takeda is a fiercely independent, modernized woman and her relationship to the filmmaker provides some tense and compelling material, ultimately she's not nearly as engaging a subject as Okuzaki from NAKED ARMY. The most revealing aspects come from the interactions between Hara and Takeda, especially when he brings his new girlfriend into the picture! I also found the scenes of Takeda arguing with her nearly-silent girlfriend very interesting. However, there's a lot of "downtime" without much that's very compelling. The film is also plagued with technical problems... out-of-sync sound, a noisy camera, and the entire lengthy birth scene is out of focus (which Hara rightfully excuses because of his emotional state). This film might make a good companion piece to SHERMAN'S MARCH, although McElwee does a lot more to keep momentum going.

A good portrait of a brave woman

[uwmasianfilm-1 · 8/10 · 3 May 2005]

Very much a good watch. Hara's ex-girlfriend Takeda Miyuki is an incredible subject matter as well. Her headstrong ways, while sometimes seeming arrogant, are impressive considering the time and culture in which she was living. Her bisexual relationships, not to mention her interracial child she births, are very brave. She is obviously a very independent. so independent in fact, that she births her half black half Japanese baby all by herself while Hara watches on from his camera and another woman sits next her watching while holding a microphone. While she has this incredible can-do attitude she doesn't make much of it, which makes it all the more impressive.

While one could nitpick at the film for its technical shortcomings-- out of sync sound and blurry shots-- yet in many ways these things lend the film its authentic feeling. It is akin to watching an old homemade film, except the subject-person is more interesting than your family is likely to be.

best nouvelle vague of the world

[mr-db · 25 August 2006]

inspiring documentary that shows one of a kind Japanese woman. featuring an alternative side of early seventies in japan this movie reveals the beginning of cultural and sexual new conflict of modern Asia. director follow his ex for three years or so through the islands. see her bisexual and interracial relationships with a neutral acceptance and even cries showing a fragility rare in Japanese manhood. walk around contacting dancers, strippers and bar girls of Okinawa. take the risk of putting his new wife in contact with the intelligent, brilliant, helpful former wife. and shows an out of focus amazing scene of baby being born without any help. beautiful, subtle, honest and strong. and the director was one of the kids on National Kid TV series! fantastic...

Exploitation Pseudo-Art

[sugarj1369 · 2/10 · 5 August 2007]

I strongly disagree with the previous reviewer's glowing review. This is an exploitation film cobbled together from the home movies of a disturbed rich Japanese (Hara), who is stalking/exploiting a mentally ill woman, Takeda, with whom he has a child.

Clearly, Takeda wants nothing to do with Hara, but allows Hara and his camera back into her life in exchange for money. There is a fine line between exploitation and controversial art, but Hara doesn't seem to know the difference. The exploitation is hidden here under the guise of love.

Ignoring her obvious mental condition, Hara encourages Takeda to give birth alone without the assistance of qualified people. BEWARE: There are graphic scenes of childbirth that leave nothing to the imagination. You witness a real human birth. Luckily it's in black in white because there is blood everywhere.

While giving birth, Takeda asks Hara for help, but Hara ignores her and continues filming. Encouraging someone with a fairly obvious mental condition to give birth alone without any experienced persons around is reckless and irresponsible. Hara could have easily killed her and the child.

In my view, Hara is an insensitive exploiter of the most vulnerable people, not the self-appointed "maverick of Japanese cinema" as his own pompous biography tries to claim.

I had hoped this film would be something worth watching, unfortunately it wasn't.