Birth Control Revolution (1967)
A transgressive Japanese pink film by Masao Adachi that turns a mad doctor's grotesque theory into a razor-sharp satire on power, pain, and bodily control.
Birth Control Revolution - Movie Information
- Original Title: 避妊革命
- Release Year: 1967
- Directed by: Masao Adachi
- Type: Movie
- Runtime: 1h 16m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): February 21, 1967 (Japan)
- Alternative Titles: Contraceptive Revolution (US)
- Production Countries: Japan
Birth Control Revolution - Plot
The insane gynecologist, Dr. Marukido Sadao (Marquis de Sade), theorizes that a woman is unable to become pregnant if she is writhing in intense pain during intercourse. He sets about testing this new method of birth control by torturing women during sex.
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Birth Control Revolution - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Masao Adachi
Main Cast
- Mikio Terashima
- Kozue Katori
- Kuniko Masuda
- Hachirô Tobita
- Atsushi Yamatoya
- Hatsuo Yamaya
- Kōji Wakamatsu
- Shigechika Satō
Writers
- Masao Adachi
Birth Control Revolution - FAQs
What is Birth Control Revolution about?
Birth Control Revolution follows Dr. Sadao Marukido, a deranged gynecologist whose name evokes the Marquis de Sade. He develops a twisted theory that extreme pain during intercourse prevents pregnancy, then proceeds to test this grotesque hypothesis on women. The film blends exploitation with dark satire on medical authority and bodily control.
Is Birth Control Revolution a political film?
Very much so. Director Masao Adachi was a committed radical leftist, and the film operates as a subversive critique of patriarchal authority and institutional power. The mad doctor figure serves as a stand-in for state and medical control over women's bodies, reflecting the fierce political debates around reproductive rights in 1960s Japan.
Who directed Birth Control Revolution?
Masao Adachi directed the film. Adachi is one of the most provocative figures in Japanese underground cinema, known for his work within the pink film genre and his later involvement with radical political movements. He also wrote the screenplay, making Birth Control Revolution a deeply personal artistic and ideological statement.
What is the significance of the doctor's name in the film?
The protagonist's name, Dr. Marukido Sadao, is a deliberate phonetic play on the Marquis de Sade — the infamous French nobleman whose name gave us the word 'sadism.' This naming choice is central to the film's satirical intent, framing the doctor's cruelty as both a personal pathology and a systemic one rooted in male authority.
Where can I watch Birth Control Revolution?
Birth Control Revolution is a rare 1967 Japanese pink film with limited availability on mainstream streaming platforms. Your best bet is to check specialist distributors of Japanese cult and underground cinema, physical media archives, or film retrospectives dedicated to the pink film genre or to Masao Adachi's body of work.
Who are the main actors in Birth Control Revolution?
The cast features Mikio Terashima as the unhinged Dr. Sadao Marukido and Kozue Katori as Mitsuko Marukido. Notably, director Kōji Wakamatsu — Adachi's frequent collaborator and a major figure in Japanese pink cinema — appears on screen as a weekly magazine photographer, adding a layer of insider cinematic self-awareness.
How long is Birth Control Revolution?
The film runs 76 minutes — a tight, compact runtime typical of the pink film (pinku eiga) format of 1960s Japan. These low-budget productions were designed to be short and punchy, often packing considerable artistic or provocative content into a lean running time, and Birth Control Revolution is no exception.
What films are similar to Birth Control Revolution?
If Birth Control Revolution intrigues you, explore Audition (2000) for Japanese transgressive horror, Tokyo Decadence (1992) for erotic provocation with social commentary, or The Duke of Burgundy (2015) for a more arthouse take on power and desire. Poor Things (2023) also shares the film's dark satirical edge around bodily autonomy.
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