The Pornographers backdrop
COMEDY . 1966 . 2h 8m . Japanese . 7.2/10

The Pornographers_

Original: 「エロ事師たち」より 人類学入門

Subu makes pornographic films. He sees nothing wrong with it. They are an aid to a repressed society, and he uses the money to support his landlady, Haru, and her family. From time to time, Haru shares her bed with Subu, though she believes her dead husband, reincarnated as a carp, disapproves. Director Shohei Imamura has always delighted in the kinky exploits of lowlifes, and in this 1966 classic, he finds subversive humor in the bizarre dynamics of Haru, her Oedipal son, and her daughter, the true object of her pornographer-boyfriend’s obsession. Imamura’s comic treatment of such taboos as voyeurism and incest sparked controversy when the film was released, but The Pornographers has outlasted its critics, and now seems frankly ahead of its time.

Starring Shoichi Ozawa, Sumiko Sakamoto, Keiko Sagawa
7.2/10
Rating
2h 8m
Runtime
1966
Year
Updated Feb 16, 2026
The Pornographers poster

Subu makes pornographic films. He sees nothing wrong with it. They are an aid to a repressed society, and he uses the money to support his landlady, Haru, and her family. From time to time, Haru shares her bed with Subu, though she believes her dead husband, reincarnated as a carp, disapproves. Director Shohei Imamura has always delighted in the kinky exploits of lowlifes, and in this 1966 classic, he finds subversive humor in the bizarre dynamics of Haru, her Oedipal son, and her daughter, the true object of her pornographer-boyfriend’s obsession. Imamura’s comic treatment of such taboos as voyeurism and incest sparked controversy when the film was released, but The Pornographers has outlasted its critics, and now seems frankly ahead of its time.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Cast
Shoichi Ozawa stars as Yoshimoto 'Subu' Ogata in The Pornographers.
Shoichi Ozawa →
Year context
The Pornographers was released 60 years ago in 1966.
Overview
Subu makes pornographic films. He sees nothing wrong with it. They are an aid to a repressed society, and he uses the money to support his landlady, Haru, an...
The Pornographers is a Comedy, Drama, Romance film with a runtime of 2h 8m.

CAST (20)

Shoichi Ozawa
Shoichi Ozawa
Yoshimoto 'Subu' Ogata
Sumiko Sakamoto
Sumiko Sakamoto
Haru Masuda
KS
Keiko Sagawa
Keiko Matsuda
Masaomi Kondo
Masaomi Kondo
Koichi Matsuda
Haruo Tanaka
Haruo Tanaka
Banteki
Ganjirō Nakamura II
Ganjirō Nakamura II
Elderly Executive
Chōchō Miyako
Chōchō Miyako
Brothel Madame
Kō Nishimura
Kō Nishimura
Detective Sanada
Ichirō Sugai
Ichirō Sugai
Shinun Ogata
SN
Shinichi Nakano
Kabo
Kazuo Kitamura
Kazuo Kitamura
Doctor
Asao Uchida
Asao Uchida
Furukawa
Taiji Tonoyama
Taiji Tonoyama
Father
Jun Hamamura
Jun Hamamura
Company Manager
Kin Sugai
Kin Sugai
Teacher Oda
SK
Sayoko Kinoshita
Second-hand Bookstore Owner
Kayako Sono
Kayako Sono
Wife
SF
Shōzō Fukuyama
Prayer
ST
Shuntaro Tamamura
Nishioka
Hyōe Enoki
Hyōe Enoki
Middle-aged Man

STUDIOS (2)

Nikkatsu Corporation Imamura Productions

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
128 min (2h 8m)
Original Title
「エロ事師たち」より 人類学入門
Language
Japanese
Country
Rating
7.2/10 (51 votes)
Popularity
2

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is The Pornographers about?
Subu makes pornographic films. He sees nothing wrong with it. They are an aid to a repressed society, and he uses the money to support his landlady, Haru, and her family. From time to time, Haru shares her bed with Subu, though she believes her dead husband, reincarnated as a carp, disapproves. Director Shohei Imamura has always delighted in the kinky exploits of lowlifes, and in this 1966 classic, he finds subversive humor in the bizarre dynamics of Haru, her Oedipal son, and her daughter, the true object of her pornographer-boyfriend’s obsession. Imamura’s comic treatment of such taboos as voyeurism and incest sparked controversy when the film was released, but The Pornographers has outlasted its critics, and now seems frankly ahead of its time.
How long is The Pornographers?
The Pornographers has a runtime of 128 minutes (2h 8m).
Who stars in The Pornographers?
The cast of The Pornographers includes Shoichi Ozawa, Sumiko Sakamoto, Keiko Sagawa, Masaomi Kondo, Haruo Tanaka.
What is the rating of The Pornographers?
The Pornographers has a rating of 7.2 out of 10 based on 51 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (3)

Comedy Drama Romance
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