Borderline Films

Last night while I was researching about old Japanese films and actresses, I came across with pornographic movies produced by Nikkatsu (Nippon film company?). The series of adult movies were called Nikkatsu romanporuno - romantic pornography.

These days when you hear the word 'porn' you'd think that's all about sex, which, I assume is true about recent pornographic movies. However, things were different in the 70s.

There were many porn stars in the 70s who later proved themselves to be real actors. Among them I saw the names of my favorite Jidaigeki stars like Yoshimi Ashikawa and Masayo Utsunomiya. They have this classy and dainty air that I've grown to appreciate.

I admit that many of those porn movies are flops but there are some real aesthetic, artistic movies with good story line.
I checked out some of them and saw the difference between real actors and plain porn stars. I bet that some talented, but struggling actors had no choice apart from getting themselves into the porn film industry back then. And, maybe that's why porn movies weren't just porn movies in the 70s.

Films like "Jitsuroku Abe-sada (Documentary of Abe-sada's crime)" and "Sekka Tomurai-zashi (Direct translation: snow-flower, farewell tattooing. English Title: Spirit of Tattoo)" are some of the best.

The former, indeed is based on the same story as Nagisa Ooshima's "In the Realm of the Senses" but some regard this so-called porn movie more highly than Ooshima's version - which makes you wonder: where's the borderline between art and pornography?

Some say art has no limit.
And it's a point that has been argued for a long time as far as I know.

So, here's my question: Could pornography be called a form of art?

Note: Abe-sada was a nymphomaniac ex-prostitute who murdered her lover by strangling him during the intercourse. She was carrying his severed genital when arrested in 1936.
It's said that she told the police "I loved him too much and didn't want anyone else to touch his member."