Cruel Story of Youth

Stars: Yusuke Kawazu, Miyuki Kuwano. Much tamer than his In The Realm Of The Senses or Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, this earlier effort from director Nagisa Oshima nevertheless exudes a heavy sense of raging hormones and imminent violence. As the 1960s dawn, boy Kiyoshi (Kawazu) meets girl Makoto (Kuwano) and they fall in lust. The shy, yet inquisitive, Makoto is virtually overpowered by gang member Kiyoshi, and he talks her into a moneymaking scam which involves Makoto's hitchhiking rides with older men. If, after the ride, the man tries to come on to Makoto, Kiyoshi steps in, whomps him upside the head (repeatedly), and then offers a choice of going to see the police or paying hush money. It keeps them in booze and smokes until Makoto becomes pregnant, forcing a major rift between the two lovers. The bold, vibrant colors and widescreen treatment (shot in CinemaScope, about one-third of the screen is black bands; i.e., major letterboxing), A Cruel Story Of Youth is a kind of Japanese Rebel Without A Cause with just a touch of politics thrown in. Audience: Foreign film fans, as well as fans of the early Sam Fuller and Nicholas Ray teen street dramas. Note: The back cover carries a "Premiere Recommends" sticker.