Das älteste Gewerbe der Welt (1974)

Das älteste Gewerbe der Welt: Directed by Noboru Tanaka. With Meika Seri, Junko Miyashita, Genshû Hanayagi, Moeko Ezawa. A rough, uncompromising film about a washed-out prostitute going through the hardships of life on the margins of society.

“Having seen many films on the subject of prostitution, I can honestly say that u0026quot;She Beast Marketu0026quot; is one of the most harrowing and bleak examinations of the subject. Sordid and sleazy, but somehow never exploitative, u0026quot;Beast Marketu0026quot; focuses on 2 young women involved in the life of street prostitution. One girl is rather new to the scene, and therefore has retained a kind of naive innocence, while the second girl is much more jaded, and hardened by the life. One girl maintains hope that she will escape her brutal reality, while the second girl is completely resigned to this life. We also are witness to one of the most extreme cases of u0026#39;mother/daughteru0026#39; competition, as the one girlu0026#39;s mother is also a prostitute, who is quite bitter and jealous of her daughteru0026#39;s youth and beauty. The two women despise each other and make no secret of the fact.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis movie covers it all; sadomasochistic johns, incest, back alley abortions, mental illness, and ultimately death for one tortured soul. The reason the production never seems exploitative is the fact that the sexual content, is so unpleasant, and the subject matter so incredibly grim..I canu0026#39;t imagine anyone being titillated by what is happening on screen, even though the sex is quite graphic at times. The most impressive thing about u0026quot;Beast Marketu0026quot; is probably itu0026#39;s starkly beautiful black u0026amp; white photography, which perfectly compliments the bleak storyline and landscape. Seedy apartments, sleazy bars and shadowy alleys come to life when photographed with this gritty black u0026amp; white film stock. This is also a very sad movie, and I didnu0026#39;t expect to become so involved in the stories of these character. Certainly a masterpiece of itu0026#39;s genre, this is a very rare and obscure title, that should be seen by any fan of art house cinema, if the opportunity comes their way. Highly recommended.”