09 March 2009
Short Novel: "Bauhausler" Introduction
A new novel after 4 American Hostages in Baghdad
A story of Japanese woman who experienced Bauhaus art and love romance in Berlin, early 1930's when Nazis came to power.
Auschwitz Museum in Oswiecim, Poland November 2009
"Ladies and Gentleman. Thank you for gathering today. We are here to honor the biggest contributor to this museum in our history. Late Madam Masako Chikano."
A man spoke in Polish and English in front of tens of people, mostly journalists gathered in the conference room. The speaker was the head of the museum. Auschwitz-Birkenau, The World Heritage, death camp built by Nazi-Germany.
Late Madam Masako Chikano was called "Hotel Queen". She died of natural causes last month. She was 98 years old when she died. She established one of world's most biggest hotel chain, Chikano Hotels, which have franchises in most of major cities in Japan and the rest of the world. The chain ranges from high-class to cheap business purpose only style. But all the hotels she owned had one thing in common, every room, lobby, and some of the corridors placed interesting pipe chairs, usually called Wassily Chair. It is one of most symbolic Bauhaus furniture.
Some of the hotel buildings were designed in the way of Bauhaus concept. Modern, functional, minimumal ways.
It was one of the mysteries of the hotel queen, why she liked Bauhaus style. She was very mysterious woman.
Other mysteries are,
Although she had been known as most energetic business woman in Japan until her retired age 80, she had been single for her life. She dedicated her life to hotel business, but she was actually very beautiful woman that could attract any man. Indeed she was once married when she was 20 to 21. But she never was remarried after the divorce of first marriage.
The will she left said that she wanted to donate all her fortune to the Auschwitz Museum. That may be a biggest mystery of her. What made her want to do such thing?
The speaker held the will in his hand and said,
"To begin with, we have to talk about her connection between this museum and her early life experience. This is the part rarely known about her life. She never wanted to talk about that part in her life. But that was most important part in her life as mentioned in the will. Now let us unveil one of the most important mysteries of this woman."
Berlin, Germany, October, 1932
Masako Chikano arrived in Berlin. She came to capital of Germany, Deutcheland all the way from Yokohama, Japan. First by ship, almost 1 month travel to Marseille, France via Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and then from Marseille to Berlin by train for a few days.
She was heart broken after the divorce. Because of the divorce just a year after marriage, she was treated as embarrasment of her family, Baron Chikano, a noble man who rooted from highest rank of samurai clan. Her father, Baron Kozo Chikano was a member of House of Lords and ran business of finance and military equipments. Her family belonged to elite class in Japan.
The reason that she got divorce was she had an affair with her husband, Yoshio's best friend Takeshi. Actually Yoshio regarded him as his sworn brother. Both of them belong to Japanese Imperial Navy. Her affair with Takeshi made him angry and kick her out. She could have been prosecuted of adultery but her husband did not because of her family's influence in the society and he did not want to prosecute his sworn brother either. After she came back to her home, her family had to kick her out because of biggest blunder in the family's history. She had dishonored her family's name. They had to hide her until the bad reputation would fade away. Her father ordered her to leave Japan for several years. She had to stay in foreign country where no one knew her.
She had good command of English and Germany since she learned those languages from childhood as part of upper class education. She chose to go to Berlin, Germany. She did not have specific reason to choose it. She just prefers learning modern art. She heard good reputation of German born modern art, Bauhaus.
Here she was in Berlin. She opened a door to her new life. She believed she could forget about all the mess.
Continued to Chapter 1.
This novel is copywrighted by this blog's manager, Masagata.
00:59 Posted in Deutschland, My novel | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: history, poland, nazis, gay, holocaust, literature
09 November 2008
Backlash is coming
I love this Commerical.
Great and creative!
Think about it. Things went too far. It usually takes so long for ordinary people to accept new idea.
They rushed and that resulted in the failure.
Why do they demand so much? They've had enough already. After all, marriage itself is discriminatory institution.
and this one, too. That partly represents my opinion.
17:59 Posted in Culture, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: religion, homosexuality, gay
22 November 2007
Richard Chamberlain was real Samurai!
I was surprised to know an American actor who is famous for acting British sailor who arrived in 17th century Japan in the famous TV mini-seires "Shogun" was gay. He came out 4 years ago on TV interview program. If you want to know more about it, please visit this site.
In the mini-series, he made very impressive line of dialog. A British sailor named John Blackthorne was saved by Samurai lord. A woman who took care of him was so worried about his health. She recommended him to do pillowing with a woman or women. But he declined. Then a woman said "how about boys?"
Blackthorne was upset and said "I am not God Cursed Sodomite. My intimate customs doesn't include boys."
But the actor who played that role was. Very strange.
In the interview, he said that he was so enthusiastic about playing that role and worked so hard getting the job because at that time Sean Connery was a big candidate.
Why was he so enthusiastic? He said he read the novel of the "Shogun." Maybe he learned what was Samurai's sexual life was by the book. As I described in this post, Japanese men's sexuality in the medieval to pre-modern period was bi-sexual. Samurai lords had gay lovers very openly. Some of their love stories became legends. The head of Japan, Shogun did have gay love affairs with his retainers.
Maybe Mr. Chamberlain wanted to jump into the period and the country where his way of loving people was considered normal.
His act in the mini-series was very realistic and convincing. He really wanted to be Samurai. Samurai was free sex lover.
By the way, there was also a famous actor who came out as gay and is related to our country. Mr. George Takei, who played an important role in "Star Trek." I am very surprised to know that, too. I've seen him more than 10 years ago in Japan Town, San Francisco. I remembered he made a speech about Japanese Americans rights and harsh history.
If you want to know about him, please visit this site.
22:45 Posted in Film | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: gay, homosexuality, history, samurai
27 October 2007
Film Idea: The Machiavellist
I was recently asked to give my novel to Hollywood script writer for free because he just wanted only the idea of the story. The novel was already made although it is short one. So I refused to give him unless he pays for the copyright of my novel. I, kind of regret that because my story may be a big motion picture in the near future.
This time I want to present the below story idea for free of charge to Hollywood producers because it is just an idea of the story. Interestingly enough it is about the story of one big Hollywood producer, who is modeled after Aaron Spelling.
The story begins with one Jewish boy survived in holocaust immigrated to the United States.
He grew up and remebered his painful experience in the past and later analyzed why that happened. He studied how Nazis manipulated people to grow their popularity. He learned the propaganda methodology which Nazis used.
Then he became a famous Hollywood producer in 1970's. He was selling television dramas to network media. He got an idea of female detectives chasing criminals, with guns and martial arts. In those days that idea was too radical because action heroes were always men. Women fighting with bad guys by themselves were unrealistic.
One feminist actress joined his idea. But she did not agree with the detectives flirting with men to get what they want. She contends such flirting scenes insulted women and treated women as sex objects for men. But the producer said to her "You have to do that because the viewers want that and at the same time the drama can promote women's independent roles in the drama and even in the society. People are still conservative. You can't change their value and attitude so easily. Do it cleverly."
As the drama got popularity by the actress's beauty and flirting scenes, more and more actresses got independent and active roles in the drama with no need for male characters' supports. Women's social status generally got better.
After the success of the female detectives drama, the producer challenged another issue, homosexuality. In 1980's he produced a soapopera of a very rich family who ran an oil company in Colorado. The family got a problem, the oldest son was a gay. The family struggled with his homosexuality. At first the father, the head of the oil rich family rejected his son but later accepted him and his lifestyle.
This was very provocative but at the same time drama featured typical soapopera elements such as other characters' heterosexual love romances, conspiracies, lies and betrayals. The viewers enjoyed it and also learned gay issue.
The director of the drama, who was gay was so glad to make this sensational drama but unsatisfied with the producers' orders to cut gay love scenes. Gay characters and their love story appeared but not love scenes. Why? He argued with the producer. The producer said "It is too early to show such sensational scenes on television. That might give backlash to gay movement. You have to see how the world is moving. Don't go too far."
As a result, gay movement made progress by changes of public attitude. More and more gay people are coming out. General public became supportive. Some States legalized gay marriage.
In the beginning of 21st century, the producer, who retired and became very old was seeing the movie "Brokeback Mountain." He confirmed he acomplished the missions. Using the media to educate foolish people but very cleverly.
He was truely a machiavellist.
I hope some good Hollywood producer will make this story into the film.
18:10 Posted in Film | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: feminism, homosexuality, gay