It’s not officially part of the festival, but a special side event is happening on the evening of July 4th, aimed especially at fans of crazy-ass Japanese cinema in general, and people—like us—who love cherubic pervert Noboru Iguchi (THE MACHINE GIRL, ROBO-GEISHA) in particular.

It’s the International Premiere of THE ANCIENT DOGOO GIRL: MOVIE EDITION!

What is THE ANCIENT DOGOO GIRL: MOVIE EDITION, you may well ask? That requires a bit more storytelling. For those of you who were hooked at “Noboru Iguchi,” or “crazy-ass Japanese cinema,” or even “cherubic pervert,” details are below. For anyone still undecided, read on…

Anthology Film Archives – special benefit screening
Second Street & Second Ave, East Village
Sunday, July 4th at 6:00 pm
tickets are $9 general admission, available day-of-show at box office only

Now, for those of you still with me…check out the trailer for the movie edition here.

Does that tell you what you need to know? How about this?

Or this?

Or this?

THE ANCIENT DOGOO GIRL: MOVIE EDITION began its life as a TV series, created by Iguchi, that aired on late-night Kansai (western Japan) television beginning last fall. It’s about a 10,000 year old “yokai / monster hunter” who is resurrected from the earth by a bumbling archaeologist and his high schooler son. In each episode, the hunter, or “Dogoo Girl”, sniffs out monsters in the modern world and, at the same time, copes with being a 21st-century high school gal with big boobs who runs around in a stone bikini.

The first season of the series (a second is in the works) ran 13-some episodes, and all along, the creators had planned to turn it into a movie edition for overseas sales, as well as for viewers in the rest of Japan to see. Iguchi, along with TOKYO GORE POLICE director Yoshihiro Nishimura, cut down the full series into a 90 minute movie, and Nishimura directed a half-hour “pilot episode” gore version that was added at the end. Fans in Tokyo were not disappointed, and we thought you’d like it, too, which is why we’re showing it here.

The problem, however, is that the movie doesn’t exist in a film festival-screenable form (with English subtitles) except on DVD. So if you’re a bit forgiving regarding the technical format, we promise that the presence of Iguchi, Nishimura, Nikkatsu producer Yoshinori Chiba, and actresses Asami (who plays Dogoo Girl in the pilot version) and Cay Izumi (who plays a liver-sucking vampire pole dancer), will more than make up for it.

Come celebrate America’s independence with breasts, monsters and Noboru Iguchi—that’s the true meaning of freedom!

Erika Yazawa wants you to come to Anthology Film Archives! Happy Birthday, America!