This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)

#1 | Back to Top10-25-2016 07:19:23 AM

Koshernova
Touga Topper
From: City 7
Registered: 08-22-2010
Posts: 55
Website

audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

hi all!

so I'm coming up to one of my regular revisits of Utena. I noticed that there seems to be a lot more in the web about J.A. Seazer. Which is cool! However, I find mostly the music itself, with very little written in English about him or the 演劇実験室◎万有引力 Engeki-Jikkenshitsu Ban'yū Inryoku (his theatrical company). Are there any good resources?

I guess also a line that piqued my interest was found in the good aul Ohtori.nu site about Be-Papas, which mentions that 'Absolute Destiny: Apocalypse' and 'Seal Spell' predate Utena by a decade. I couldn't find any info anywhere to corroborate that or find any pre-Utena versions of Seazer's Utena work. Do people know if there's a place online to find that?

I don't know how to end this post so I'll just say thank you and much obliged.

Offline

 

#2 | Back to Top11-03-2016 01:17:10 AM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

Right, so I appear to have several Seazer CDs haha. 12 that are not from SKU. To be totally honest, I've only listened to a couple of them, and that's probably where you heard that, as I heard the songs myself on an album from like...the 80's. I want to say it was Ship of Fools but I would need to review it to be sure. Let me see if track list availability has improved since I acquired these, and I'll get them shared out to you folks and see what I can scrounge up infowise from the dark bowels of my hard drive...

At one point I did physically have a few of his CDs but I don't have them any longer, they were victims of a very bad financial stretch in my life. emot-frown


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

Offline

 

#3 | Back to Top11-03-2016 01:23:23 AM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

Offline

 

#4 | Back to Top11-03-2016 08:08:40 AM

Koshernova
Touga Topper
From: City 7
Registered: 08-22-2010
Posts: 55
Website

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

Thank you so much, Giovanna! That's really good info emot-smile

And yeah I understand what it's like, I've had to get rid of a lot of things over time due to financial stress!

Offline

 

#5 | Back to Top11-03-2016 11:56:47 PM

Salem Saberhagen
Wakaba Wrangler
Registered: 08-22-2014
Posts: 16

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

Curious about those older albums. Were the ones in Utena re-recordings or the original versions?

Offline

 

#6 | Back to Top11-04-2016 06:12:46 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

All the ones used in SKU were redone for the series even if they come from or borrow heavily from previous works by Seazer. emot-smile

Still working on a little happiness batch of material here!


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

Offline

 

#7 | Back to Top11-04-2016 07:17:18 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

So!! I'm working on tagging and trying to organize this horrible mess. Query for you translatey folk!! I have this here, Shintokumaru:

http://i.imgur.com/4qJiCIh.jpg

Which obvious corresponds to one of these discs, which give a different song titles for tracks 6, 7, and 8. Based on the song titles I have here, can anyone tell me which CD this is? (Any interest in translating while you're totally bored?) It looks like it's the same performance either way so it probably doesn't matter a *ton* but I'd prefer to match up the discs as best as possible.

https://www.discogs.com/%E5%A4%A9%E4%BA … ase/911229

https://www.discogs.com/%E5%A4%A9%E4%BA … se/1273963

Ahem! In the meantime, here's current progress! These are all Tenjo Sajiki / JA Seazer. The zips range 45-75MB. Obviously, because these are recordings of plays, there's lots of talking, but I honestly haven't listened to them recently, I just wanted to get them tagged and up for you guys ASAP. emot-smile I randomly picked the ones I organized so these have no particular importance out of the recordings I have.

BaraMon (1972)
http://www.megafileupload.com/krTt/BaraMon.zip

Jashumon (1972)
http://www.megafileupload.com/7Rsw/Jashumon.zip

Jashumon (1972) Same performance but a shortened version?
http://www.megafileupload.com/7Rsq/Jash … ersion.zip

Ship of Fools (1977)
http://www.megafileupload.com/krTz/ShipofFools.zip


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

Offline

 

#8 | Back to Top11-04-2016 09:02:18 PM

Salem Saberhagen
Wakaba Wrangler
Registered: 08-22-2014
Posts: 16

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

Thanks for answering! Ooh, I look forward to going through these!

Offline

 

#9 | Back to Top11-05-2016 12:55:05 AM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

Here's a huge post:
http://forums.ohtori.nu/viewtopic.php?p … 80#p132480

It looks like what we want is actually mostly his later work with Banyu but they're even harder to find. emot-frown


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

Offline

 

#10 | Back to Top11-05-2016 01:33:34 AM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

(1979) Lemming
Don't know nothing about this except that it's the Tenjo Sajiki group. Not even a tracklist. emot-frown
http://www.megafileupload.com/gfNb/(1979)Lemming.zip

(1980) Sealbreaking
This one is JA Seazer's specifically, as are the following two. There are some tracks with Tenjo Sajiki involvement but it's his name on the CD.
http://www.megafileupload.com/krWl/(1980)Sealbreaking.zip

(1974) Pastoral: To Die in The Country
A soundtrack for a Shuji Terayama film, the music of course done by Seazer
http://www.megafileupload.com/krWq/(1974)Pastoral.zip

(1973) Song of Pilgrimage to the Borders of the Nation
Otherwise known by it's Japanese name, Kokkyou Junreika
http://www.megafileupload.com/krWt/(1973)SongofPilgrimage.zip


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

Offline

 

#11 | Back to Top11-05-2016 01:50:34 PM

Dallbun
Tour Guide to Crawling Chaos
Registered: 10-19-2006
Posts: 719

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

This has drifted away from the OP's request for English writings about Seazer, but... if we're sharing our Seazer, I have a fan-subtitled DVD .iso of the movie Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets. If anyone can think of a way I can realistically share it, I'd be happy to.

Offline

 

#12 | Back to Top11-10-2016 09:38:26 AM

Koshernova
Touga Topper
From: City 7
Registered: 08-22-2010
Posts: 55
Website

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

Giovanna wrote:

(1979) Lemming
Don't know nothing about this except that it's the Tenjo Sajiki group. Not even a tracklist. emot-frown
http://www.megafileupload.com/gfNb/(1979)Lemming.zip

(1980) Sealbreaking
This one is JA Seazer's specifically, as are the following two. There are some tracks with Tenjo Sajiki involvement but it's his name on the CD.
http://www.megafileupload.com/krWl/(1980)Sealbreaking.zip

(1974) Pastoral: To Die in The Country
A soundtrack for a Shuji Terayama film, the music of course done by Seazer
http://www.megafileupload.com/krWq/(1974)Pastoral.zip

(1973) Song of Pilgrimage to the Borders of the Nation
Otherwise known by it's Japanese name, Kokkyou Junreika
http://www.megafileupload.com/krWt/(1973)SongofPilgrimage.zip

Holy crap Gio, talk about going above and beyond!

Yeah my request was for more Seazer info and material and these are just stunning and beautiful as are the previous ones you shared. Holy shit.

Offline

 

#13 | Back to Top12-15-2016 11:34:38 AM

Anthiena
Egghead
From: ...the space between your ears
Registered: 10-21-2006
Posts: 1108

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

Dallbun wrote:

This has drifted away from the OP's request for English writings about Seazer, but... if we're sharing our Seazer, I have a fan-subtitled DVD .iso of the movie Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets. If anyone can think of a way I can realistically share it, I'd be happy to.

Google Drive, but if you can't, sendspace a zip of them and I will host them on my GDrive space if you don't want anything to do with google.


I stopped seeking to be sought after. That wasn't being true to myself.
I want to become someone who can exercise power. I want to become a prince. - Ikuni

Offline

 

#14 | Back to Top12-21-2016 03:05:08 PM

At Times, Love Is
Touga Topper
Registered: 04-29-2016
Posts: 59

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

For me, buying Angel Creation, Namely Light helped me a lot--that one specifically because it's been released with an English insert booklet, and can be purchased very cheaply (I think it costs around 6 dollars). The insert booklet is great--it's got a list of the productions that each of the songs on the CD originally came from, plus some background info and stage pics, as well as a bit of commentary from Seazer (a bit).
Another thing--someone mentioned Pastoral, to Die in the Country--well, it's on youtube with English subtitles! https://youtu.be/MThQ8kQHEyg. I have to add, though, it has some really, really disturbing content. Some examples under spoiler code: [A mother is at one point pressured into killing her newborn child, & there's a scene of the protagonist as a 15-year-old boy being violently raped that lasts the length of an entire song ]. I absolutely recommend it because it's brilliant, really, but it's very much not for everybody.
There's also a short film that's on youtube with subtitles, Grass Labyrinth: https://youtu.be/91VN172ejOE. I watched that one longer ago so I don't remember it too clearly, but I'd advise caution with this one, too.
I will note, in those videos, the song lyrics aren't always translated, and that can be frustrating if you're watching primarily for the music.
What I haven't ever found is English translations for any of the works that the duel songs came from. That would be absolutely fantastic.
One random tidbit I have is that Wakaba's duel song is from an adaptation of Hamlet. That's mentioned in the Angel Creation insert booklet and on a lot of Japanese sites.
The Rose Egg Sophia CD is great because it's got music that wasn't in Utena, but it's all been translated (though not necessarily accurately) by two or three different groups. Unfortunately, it's not cheap to buy.

Offline

 

#15 | Back to Top12-21-2016 03:18:49 PM

At Times, Love Is
Touga Topper
Registered: 04-29-2016
Posts: 59

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

Looking at the stuff people linked to, I found a REALLY great resource, lots of Seazer films with English subtitles: http://www.ubu.com/film/terayama.html. I think maybe not all of them are Seazer, but you can look that stuff up on places like imdb and wikipedia, generally. At any rate, a lot of it is Seazer.

Offline

 

#16 | Back to Top12-21-2016 03:52:45 PM

Dallbun
Tour Guide to Crawling Chaos
Registered: 10-19-2006
Posts: 719

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

At Times, Love Is wrote:

Looking at the stuff people linked to, I found a REALLY great resource, lots of Seazer films with English subtitles: http://www.ubu.com/film/terayama.html. I think maybe not all of them are Seazer, but you can look that stuff up on places like imdb and wikipedia, generally. At any rate, a lot of it is Seazer.

Pretty awesome. At a glance, only The Boxer seems to have English subtitles, but that is one of the ones Seazer worked on.

For reference, going off of his Japanese Wikipedia article, and using the titles on the aforelinked site, Seazer was involved in:

The Boxer (1977)
The Reading Machine (1977)
The Eraser (1977)
Issun Bosi O Kijutsu Sura Kokoromi(??) (1977)

Offline

 

#17 | Back to Top12-21-2016 04:41:10 PM

At Times, Love Is
Touga Topper
Registered: 04-29-2016
Posts: 59

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

Dallbun wrote:

At Times, Love Is wrote:

Looking at the stuff people linked to, I found a REALLY great resource, lots of Seazer films with English subtitles: http://www.ubu.com/film/terayama.html. I think maybe not all of them are Seazer, but you can look that stuff up on places like imdb and wikipedia, generally. At any rate, a lot of it is Seazer.

Pretty awesome. At a glance, only The Boxer seems to have English subtitles, but that is one of the ones Seazer worked on.

For reference, going off of his Japanese Wikipedia article, and using the titles on the aforelinked site, Seazer was involved in:

The Boxer (1977)
The Reading Machine (1977)
The Eraser (1977)
Issun Bosi O Kijutsu Sura Kokoromi(??) (1977)

You're right about only Boxer having English subtitles. I made a mistake there.
Seazer was definitely involved in more of those--Emperor Tomato Ketchup for example--I underestimated how easy it was to find this information, clearly, because his Wikipedia page doesn't have much. Imdb lists some more, but still not all.
One thing I found--Directions to Servants/Cloudcuckooland is apparently an adaptation of a work by Jonathon Swift. Swift was the only name in Allegory, Allegorier, Allegoriest I wasn't sure about, but I don't have any doubt now it was Jonathon Swift. Seazer was involved in that also.
Another thing, I made a mistake. I got Pastoral mixed up with Farewell to the Ark, which I've also seen on youtube with English subtitles. So if anything I said about Pastoral was not true, that's why. I can't seem to find a link to this one at the moment, though.

Offline

 

#18 | Back to Top12-21-2016 05:16:28 PM

Dallbun
Tour Guide to Crawling Chaos
Registered: 10-19-2006
Posts: 719

Re: audiology audiologyER audiologyEST: thirsty for J.A. Seazer info

By the way, a book about Seazer just came out this previous January. In Japanese, of course.

Amazon.co.jp link here

It looks like it's more of an assemblage of resources than a biography... several chapters are interviews, for example... but some of the contents are relevant to this discussion. For example, Chapter VII is a list of the music he's done for films - presumably much more authoritative than the Wikipedia page.

I'm actually going to Japan in a few days, but the book is about $20 used. A little too steep for me right now. emot-frown

Offline

 

Board footer

Powered by PunBB 1.2.23
© Copyright 2002–2008 PunBB
Forum styled and maintained by Giovanna and Yasha
Return to Empty Movement