Koji Wakamatsu returns with an Edogawa Rampo adaptation

by Chris MaGee

Here's something big for all you Koji Wakamatsu fans out there. Fresh off news that Paris-based distributor Blaq Out/ Dissidenz is releasing 14 digtally remastered Wakamatsu films on DVD (sadly without English subs) word now comes via Wildgrounds that the 73-year-old filmmaker is going to be following up the international success of his 2008 documentary drama "United Red Army" with an adaptation of the works of Edogawa Rampo.

Wakamatsu, one of the founding filmmakers of the 60's and 70's pinku eiga genre with his films "Ecstasy of the Angels" and "Go Go Second Time Virgin", will be taking on Rampo's 1929 short story "Imomushi (Caterpillar)" about a wife who either cares for, or keeps hostage depending on your viewpoint, her war veteran husband who lost all his limbs in battle. According to Wildgrounds Wakamatsu is just finishing up editing the film and hopes to find a distributor who will release "Imomushi (Caterpillar)" sometime next year.

Of course Rampo's works have been a favorite of pinku eiga and ero-guro directors for years with the likes of Teruo Ishii and Noboru Tanaka adapting his stories to the screen. Some of you will already be familiar with pink film director Hisayasu Sato's adaptation of "Imomushi (Caterpillar)" that appeared in the 2005 omnibus film "Rampo Noir" that starred Ryuhei Matsuda, Nao Omori and Yukiko Okamoto (pictured in the still above).

We'll definitely keep you updated on any developments on this story as they pop up.