LULLABY BABY

Mess with her and she’ll put you straight to sleep.

Doubling up on the movie posters today, we also have this great Japanese sheet for Konketsuji Rika: Hamagure komoriuta, released in English as Rica 3: Juvenile’s Lullaby. The observant may have noticed the change in spelling of Rika’s name. We have no idea why that happened, especially because the first movie Rika the Mixed-Blood Girl didn’t have a spelling change. But being precise types, we didn’t want you think we made a typo. Though that happens al the time anyway.

Directed by Kôzaburô Yoshimura, Rica 3 caps off Rika’s Amerasian trilogy by following the Japanese/anglo heroine’s exploits as she tries to save her friend from sexual predators intent on making her the lead in a porno film. These pinku plots are never simple, but that’s the main thrust here. There’s also some expounding upon racial matters. For instance, we see that, like in America, in Japan being half black biologically makes you 100% black as far as the prevailing racist culture is concerned, but that’s nothing we didn’t already know.

We were more interested in the action, but much of it is played for laughs, like when we see Rika beat the shit out of some guys with what must be the world’s sturdiest baguette. They’re in good company. Virtually every man in the movie ends up laid out like a stunned carp (see below), but they all have it coming for being so mean and rapey. Rica 3 isn’t a great pinku, but it’s worth a look for fans of the genre. The women are smart and tough, and the heroine comes out on top. Which is the whole point, as far as we’re concerned. Konketsuji Rika: Hamagure komoriuta premiered in Japan today in 1973.

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HISTORY REWIND

The headlines that mattered yesteryear.

1954—First Church of Scientology Established

The first Scientology church, based on the writings of science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, is established in Los Angeles, California. Since then, the city has become home to the largest concentration of Scientologists in the world, and its ranks include high-profile adherents such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

1933—Blaine Act Passes

The Blaine Act, a congressional bill sponsored by Wisconsin senator John J. Blaine, is passed by the U.S. Senate and officially repeals the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution, aka the Volstead Act, aka Prohibition. The repeal is formally adopted as the 21st Amendment to the Constitution on December 5, 1933.

1947—Voice of America Begins Broadcasting into U.S.S.R.

The state radio channel known as Voice of America and controlled by the U.S. State Department, begins broadcasting into the Soviet Union in Russian with the intent of countering Soviet radio programming directed against American leaders and policies. The Soviet Union responds by initiating electronic jamming of VOA broadcasts.

1937—Carothers Patents Nylon

Wallace H. Carothers, an American chemist, inventor and the leader of organic chemistry at DuPont Corporation, receives a patent for a silk substitute fabric called nylon. Carothers was a depressive who for years carried a cyanide capsule on a watch chain in case he wanted to commit suicide, but his genius helped produce other polymers such as neoprene and polyester. He eventually did take cyanide—not in pill form, but dissolved in lemon juice—resulting in his death in late 1937.

1933—Franklin Roosevelt Survives Assassination Attempt

In Miami, Florida, Giuseppe Zangara attempts to shoot President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, but is restrained by a crowd and, in the course of firing five wild shots, hits five people, including Chicago, Illinois Mayor Anton J. Cermak, who dies of his wounds three weeks later. Zangara is quickly tried and sentenced to eighty years in jail for attempted murder, but is later convicted of murder when Cermak dies. Zangara is sentenced to death and executed in Florida’s electric chair.

Uncredited cover art for Day Keene’s 1952 novel Wake Up to Murder.
Another uncredited artist produces another beautiful digest cover. This time it's for Norman Bligh's Waterfront Hotel, from Quarter Books.
Above is more artwork from the prolific Alain Gourdon, better known as Aslan, for the 1955 Paul S. Nouvel novel Macadam Sérénade.
Uncredited art for Merle Miller's 1949 political drama The Sure Thing.

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