In 1988, a month after the release of Miyazaki's Totoro, a surreal horror film, The Trap of the Dead, was unveiled. Film director Toshiharu Ikeda created a number of salty and wet erotic films before shooting the film, and although those pink films were not as good as the master-level "Sensory World", some films also gave people a variety of sensory stimulation and let the audience be deeply involved in the topic of gender. "The Trap of the Dead" and Toshiharu Ikeda, who is good at shooting pink films, seem to be incompatible, but because of this sense of separation, "The Trap of the Dead" looks unique.
Toshiharu Ikeda's early pink films "The Red Obscene Painting of the Angel's Heart" and "The Legend of the Mermaid"
In the 1970s and 1980s, European and American horror films flourished, Italian horror masters Dario Aquido and Lucio Ferz frequently produced masterpieces, and in the 1980s, Sam Remy, who was in his twenties, successfully became one of the most promising newcomer directors with the low-budget film "Ghost playman", which also became one of the classic horror films in film history.
The success of "Stormy Wind" (left) and "Ghost playman" (right) has influenced generations of horror films
European and American horror films that play with plasma and vomiting emerge in an endless stream, and in such a big environment, Japanese horror movies are not to be outdone, in this extraordinary period, Japan has bred a series of "guinea pigs" that make the world shine. Perverted, gore, and gruff became synonymous with the series. Even this type of film has the style of snuff film. (Generally refers to some bloody, violent B-grade films or personal short films with similar themes, most of which show the whole process of someone committing violence or murder against someone, and fans compare the thrill of watching the movie to using a snuff bottle (1))
In the 1980s, the guinea pig series was jaw-dropping, and the terrifying "Mermaid of the Sewers" (right) in 1988 was born
Of course, although "Trap of the Dead" is not a superb horror film, it is very different from the "Guinea Pig" series in the same period, the "Guinea Pig" series is more experimental, and "The Trap of the Dead" is particularly artistic. After experiencing the filming of many pink movies such as "The Red Obscene Painting of the Angel's Heart" and "The Legend of the Mermaid", Toshiharu Ikeda does not seem to be satisfied with the in-depth study of gender relations and ethics. Turning to create a film that combines the strengths of a hundred families became what he needed. Of course, this film is not a failure.
Perhaps "The Trap of the Dead" does not have its unique side, but it almost perfectly integrates the horror elements that were popular in Europe and the United States at that time into the film, making it have a Japanese atmosphere. The horrific glare of the snuff film clip at the beginning of the film has to remind people of the classic eye-cutting scene of "An Andalus Dog".
Snus crossover clip from The Trap of the Dead (above) and A Dog of Andalus (below).
The Goblin-esque soundtrack in the film, when listening to the ear, even has the aural oppression of the soundtrack of "Wind And Wind". The scenes in The Dead Trap seem to harbor the shadow of Dario Aquido's "Stormy Storm" (1977), David Cronenberg's "Video Murder" (1983) horror films, and even a bit of Lucio Fernz or John Carpenter, Sam Remy and other works.
Sexual innuendo is destined to have an erotic component
When it comes to horror movies, a little bit of eroticism is a great companion for horror. If people have been in a state of panic, it is harmful to the brain and has no benefit, after a long period of fright, it must make people trance, so the right erotic shot makes the brain dopamine surge, and gradually excited, the original frightened state has been alleviated.
Next, a horror scene is inserted to neutralize the excitement left by watching the adults behind the camera, so that the excitement is suppressed. This practice of pulling people from unconscious spiritual climaxes into cold rationality is the only way to achieve the best effect of fear. The Trap of the Dead is no exception. The joining of Japanese adult film actors in this film is undoubtedly the icing on the cake and has also won the attention of everyone.
The epoch-making superstar in the AV field participated, resulting in the erotic drama in the film quite bold
This adult film actor is not small, she is the AV session that year, creating huge sales (7 billion yen) Hitomi Kobayashi (Kobayashi ひとみ). It is she who puts the AV industry on a smooth path, and lets people see the unlimited future of the AV industry. Not only that, But Hitomi Kobayashi is actually the most powerful not only hanging bell milk and fruit body, her amazing acting skills are even more praised, "The Trap of the Dead" is no exception, although Kobayashi Hitomi contributed a few scenes of naked body in the film, showing a few frames of consternation. But it also stimulates the eyeballs and achieves a disturbing effect.
In horror films, women dedicate their feminine bodies and lustful attitudes, while at the same time exacerbating the horror atmosphere
I can't verify how many of the audience at that time went to see hitomi Kobayashi, nor can I prove the unique position of this film in the Cult film community. As an alternative to Japanese horror films of the 80s, it is ahead of its time, stream-of-consciousness and very European. Although the film has some bugs, it also has an ending that most people are not satisfied with. Perhaps on the way to becoming a classic, "The Trap of the Dead" made a slight mistake, but this did not hinder the reverence of Cult film lovers, and "The Trap of the Dead" can always appear in the eyes of people who like it.
(1) Hunting Syndrome, "Evil Snuff Film on Earth: Hanging Serial Killer Demon Slivko and His Demon Experiment", 201912.28, Hunting Syndrome