Emperor Tomato Ketchup (film)

Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Hepburn	Tomato Kechappu Kōtei
Directed by	Shūji Terayama
Written by	Shūji Terayama
Produced by	Art Theatre Guild
Starring	;
Distributed by	Daguerreo Press
Release date	1971; January 27, 1996;
Running time	27 min (1971); 75 min (1996)
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Emperor Tomato Ketchup (トマトケチャップ皇帝, Tomato Kechappu Kōtei) is a Japanese short experimental film made by Shūji Terayama. A 27-minute cut was released in 1971. A "director's cut" of sorts, attempting to recreate the film as originally made in 1970, was released as a 75-minute feature in 1996, 13 years after Terayama's death.^[1]^[2]

Plot[]

Set in an indeterminate future in which children have overthrown adults and established their own empire, the film does not have a central narrative or identifiable character roles. Rather it depicts a series of graphic tableaux in which children (played onscreen by actual children) engage in cruel and abusive acts against the adults under their dominion. These include scenes of child soldiers arresting, enslaving, executing, and raping helpless victims, often held at gunpoint.

A constitution is read aloud, establishing the basic laws of the Empire and the supremacy of children over adults. The title of Emperor Tomato Ketchup is derived from the stipulated favorite food of children enshrined in the constitution. The boy emperor lazily lords over his parents and shows disinterest in the young girl who is his designated concubine. He later sexually assaults a glamorous woman, suckling on her breasts and placing his head between her thighs.

Controversial material includes animal abuse, drag play, nudity, and sexual fetishism as well as pantomimed erotic acts involving both children and adults.

Cast[]

Influence[]

The British alternative rock band Stereolab named their 1996 album Emperor Tomato Ketchup after the film.

References[]

^ トマトケチャップ皇帝 (in Japanese). jmdb.ne.jp JMDB. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
^ あらすじ・解説 - トマトケチャップ皇帝オリジナル完全版 (in Japanese). movie.goo.ne.jp. Archived from the original on 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2012-12-06.

External links[]

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[1] トマトケチャップ皇帝 (in Japanese). jmdb.ne.jp JMDB. Retrieved 2012-12-06.

[2] あらすじ・解説 - トマトケチャップ皇帝オリジナル完全版 (in Japanese). movie.goo.ne.jp. Archived from the original on 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2012-12-06.

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