ABCs of DEATH: Interview with Director Noburo Iguchi

Here's the second interview in our ABCs of Death: Sushi Typhoon director showcase! Sushi Typhoon is a vibrant collective of some of Japan's finest splatter directors. Here I catch up with Noboru Iguchi; director of deliriously violent films such as Machine Girl; Dead Sushi; Tomie: Unlimited; Robogeisha; and co-director of Mutant Girls Squad!

MM: How did you get involved with doing a short for ABCs of Death?

NI: It was presented by my old friend, Mr.Marc Walkow.

What is your highest priority when making a film; to scare, shock, be original, or raise the bar for your competition? Without giving away the story, which approach can we expect in your ABCs short?

My priority themes are quite different for every project, however, if I say the common points, my wish is to shoot movies have an impact that nobody has seen before. 

How would you define your specific styles of filming, and did you use your traditional approaches or decide to try something new for a foreign produced film?

Because ABCs of Death is a foreign project, I consciously  introduced symbolic images of Japan, such as school girls and shrines.  I intended to put the messages of my thoughts about earthquakes and radiation. 

Machine Girl was the first movie of this new wave of Japanese super splatter horror that I saw, and definitely the first one to get lots of attention from my friends. What were your inspirations to make such a fun and crazy film?

I was requested to shoot snuff, a fake torture killing movie first, but it didn't fit in my nature, so I  asked to do an action movie instead.  To tell the truth, this project would not be approved in Japanese movie companies. My first idea was to shoot macaroni western (what they spaghetti westerns in Japan) with high school girls.

How did it feel to adapt Junji Ito's manga, Tomie? I've read several volumes of Tomie and loved it--I would say Ito isn't just my favourite Japanese horror writer, but my favourite horror comics writer period! For your film Tomie: Unlimited, how was it to work with Ito? 

I am a fan of Mr. Junji Ito, too. I put a great deal of effort into grotesque description because there weren't many Tomie movies which were visualized grotesque. I am glad that I could visualize the scene of a no-neck Tomie running, because as soon as I read it, I knew this was a scene I would love to bring to life. I was deeply moved that Mr. Junji Ito himself liked "Unlimited".

You've created some memorable female horror heroes in Japanese cinema… is there any specific actress in Hollywood (or anywhere outside of Japan) you'd like to make a horror film with?

I really like Mia Farrow originally. I want Kirsten Dunst in my movie too. I love Spider-Man and Melancholia.

Be sure to catch Iguchi's contribution to ABCs of Death, and 25 other insane horror shorts from around the world!

THE ABCS OF DEATH

Sat., Sept. 15th, 3:15 PM: SCOTIABANK 9

Sun., Sept. 16th, 9:00 PM: SCOTIABANK 9 

The ABCS OF DEATH Japanese Directors: NISHIMURA

I was lucky enough to be put in touch with Japanese horror collective Sushi Typhoon's most prolific directors, so in this series we'll get to know them a bit better, and learn about their involvement with The ABC's of Death!

First we start with Yoshihiro Nishimura, a legend in Japanese horror FX with an impressive director's resume which includes: Tokyo Gore Police; Helldriver; co-director of, Vampire Girl VS Frankenstein Girl, and, Mutant Girls Squad!

MM: ABC's of Death is such an amazing, border crushing, epic project--and it's a great thing that you've all made a short for it; it's really bringing world horror talent together. You all already have such huge resumes with signature films-- but Sushi Typhoon has emerged as the most focused collaborative horror movement out of Japan today, and it's an absolute honour to speak with each of you!

How did you get involved with doing a short for ABC's of Death?

YN: Marc (Walkow), who premiered Tokyo Gore Police the first time in America and also has been helping me brought me the ABC's of Death project. I have decided to join it because it was a project about making shot films with the limited budget by the directors all over the world and Tim (League), who is helping me in Austin, Texas was involved as a producer too.

What is your highest priority when making a film; to scare, shock, be original, or raise the bar for your competition? Without giving away the story, which approach can we expect in your ABC's short?

None of them. Since it was a project by foreign funds and the release was certain in the foreign countries, I thought I should make a movie which I absolutely cannot screen in Japan. Visually and ideologically, we can not screen my film in Japan.

How would you define your specific styles of filming, and did you use your traditional approaches or decide to try something new for a foreign produced film?

Taken in one day shooting style, although I say, it was 24 hours. Some horror, splatter and action. As I said earlier, I made this film with the approach of making something for outside of Japan, moreover, something that cannot be screened in Japan, so please look forward to seeing it.

In Helldriver, you held off on the opening title credits until they explode at the 48 minute mark of the film! It was a spectacular moment! What brought about such an audacious decision?

I wanted to put the opening title at the moment when the era changes. Japan had been protecting the infected zombies, and then times changed from the moment that the Prime Minister was eaten by zombies, and we entered the era where we can kill zombies. It is one of the things I wanted to say in Helldriver is that moment. In any era, the fate of human beings are controlled by the absolute power of the government. We are all subjected to living under the selfish motivations of our authorities. I wanted to use satire to describe the meaning of a word spoken by those in power. 

Your films have some of the best high-powered blood sprays combined with some of the most outlandish deaths I've ever seen--when designing a death sequence/ultra gore set piece, what's the first thing you ask yourself?

It is Dream. Dream. And the fun of body parts. I have always imagined that I dismembered the human body into pieces and stacked them like blocks. And it is always in the freshness of morning that I come up an impressive scene for a movie. 

I'm told you'll be here at the Midnight Madness Screening, all the way from Japan! We're so happy you can make it. What does this mean to you?

Thank you. I'm looking for producers who would say: "I want to make a movie with you" with this good opportunity!

What kind of reaction do you expect from the Toronto World Premiere audience?

Expecting? I made a fun work in my own way. I wish for people to accept it for it is. 

 Re-learn your ABCs in a very tactile blood-spattered way when it screens:


THE ABCS OF DEATH
Fri., Sept. 14th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat., Sept. 15th, 3:15 PM SCOTIABANK 9
Sun., Sept. 16th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9