Production
Producer Takashi Asai, founder of the underground and independent film production company Uplink, commissioned director and media artist Shu Lea Cheang to "make a sci-fi porn film". Cheang began writing the script with the intention of addressing Japanese censorship. Conflicts between the two began during the initial script writing process and lasted throughout production. Takashi wanted a traditional Japanese pink film, which integrated storyline and softcore sex, where Cheang aimed towards genre-defining American pornographic films along the lines of Behind the Green Door (1972), with hardcore sex throughout. Daily debates ranged from issues such as foreplay and sexual positions to fist fucking and penis size.
Pornographic actress Mai Hoshino was hired for the lead role, Reiko, but disappeared three days before shooting began. Of the subsequent actresses auditioned, Cheang was unable to find one who was both able to act and willing to perform all of the sexual acts outlined in the script. Instead, seven actresses were selected and the lead role modified to incorporate the shapeshifting element, allowing the contentious hardcore scenes to be meted out between the seven. Even so, the hardcore acts were continually renegotiated throughout filming.
The film was shot mainly in studio with some location shooting throughout Tokyo over a three week period. Location shooting included scenes on the metropolitan highways where Andrei Tarkovsky shot the famous driving scene in Solaris (1972). During shooting Cheang came into further conflict with crew members and the police. Cinematographer Tetsuya Kamoto, well known for his music video photography, refused to include himself in the onscreen action, hamedori style. Editor Kazuhiro Shirao, also a film director, stated that "if it becomes a real porno film, I stop working on it". A Tokyo vice squad raided the set.
Post-production took more than six months although the visual effects company, VJ E-MALE, spent eight months on the film. I.K.U. was completed in July 2000.
Read more about this topic: I.K.U.
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