3D Porn Film at IMAX?

Well, ain't technology grand, a 3D porn film at IMAX, sort of. The film, Sex and Zen 3D: Extreme Ecstasy, has made its long awaited opening in Hong Kong. The tickets for the film are selling fast and there are plenty of theatres that have sold out all of their screen times. In all, some 70% of tickets have been pre-sold. The film is a sequel of sorts to an earlier film, Sex and Zen, which was first screened in 1991 and is still the highest grossing adult film in Hong Kong's history.

The film has a Category III rating for Hong Kong which means that no one under 18 years of age can get in and watch it. However, a Category III rating is not the same as an X rating.

The film is being screened in regular theatres is Hong Kong, but is destined for an IMAX theatre once it hits the shores of Taiwan.

Interestingly, Hong Kong seems to have adopted the Indonesian approach of using famous foreign porn stars to take the lead in a locally produced film. Sex and Zen 3D stars Japanese porn stars Yukiko Suo and Saori Hari. But, it seems a little strange to be following the Indonesian lead as Hong Kong has an "ample" supply of home-grown Hong Kong talent to choose from.

The film itself is based on classic Chinese erotic texts, particularly The Carnal Prayer Mat. According to the executive producer, Stephen Shiu Jr, of the film it is a little more erotic than 9 1/2 Weeks but not nearly as erotic as Tinto Brass' Caligula. Yet, the producers were proactive in preempting any  problems the Singaporean censors might have had with the film by self-editing some 18 minutes out of the version currently screening in Hong Kong.

However, it is likely that the die-hards in Singapore will be able to get a hold of a director's cut of the film which will include all the scenes cut out for public release. So, what are the Singaporeans missing out on? Apparently they will not be seeing scenes including group and oral sex, sadomasochism and anything that links sex and religion.

3D porn films appear to be a growing niche market with Tinto Brass looking at re-doing his classic film, Caligula, in 3D. Not to be outdone, Hustler has also indicated that they are looking at doing a 3D spoof of James Cameron's Avatar as a porn film.

I wonder whether the film will get a screening in Indonesia, or will it just be a pirated DVD version that does a brisk trade on the footpaths with the street-side vendors? There is one thing that I can be sure of, there is no chance of me being able to watch this where I live as there is no theatre in the town in which I live.

Mi Goreng: Is It Safe?

Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) are currently doing some independent testing of Mi Goreng (Fried Noodles). After the recall of the IndoMie products in Taiwan last month, it seems that there are some concerns about the use of Methyl P-Hydroxybenzoate (E218) and Benzoic acid as food preservatives. These two chemicals are also used in the manufacture of cosmetics. So, not only will you be full after having a serve of Indomie, there is also a good chance that your stomach lining will look pretty as well.

To be sure, Australia and New Zealand do not allow the use of E218 in any food products for sale in either country. Aside, form Taiwan who yanked the product from shelves, Singapore is also investigating whether the nasty little chemicals are present in the instant noodles inhabiting the shelves of Singaporean grocery stores.

The main sellers of Indomie in Australia are Woolworths, Coles, and IGA. In addition to the big three, independent Asian grocers tend to stock up on instant noodles. Come to think of it, the last place we brought instant noodles of the Indomie kind was from a little Asian grocer in Kingsford, the White Lotus.

Indomie is produced by PT. Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk. Indofood just happens to be the largest noodle producer in the world. So, concerns about one of their staple products must be cause for concern, particularly with respect to the bottom line.

Nevertheless, the Indonesian Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) was quick to come out and state unequivocally that Indomie is safe for consumption and that Indonesians have nothing to worry about.

I used to eat a lot of Indomie when I was resident in Indonesia. Since I have been back in Australia, I have not eaten Indomie often. This has happened for no other reason than a cup-a-soup is easier to prepare.

Now, according to FSANZ, it is unlikely that these chemicals are to be found in concentrations that are harmful. To be honest, if they really believed that, then why do the testing. Simply, there are concerns that these chemicals exist in this product in volumes that are unhealthy.

A bigger question is why E218 is permitted in Indonesia as a food preservative but banned in Australia and New Zealand. Surely, if it is dangerous to Australians and New Zealanders then it must also pose the same sort of health risks to Indonesians, right?

Hmmm, come to think of it, Indomie is on the shopping list for today. Perhaps a little re-evaluation is required before whacking them in the shopping trolley.

More Maria Ozawa (AKA Miyabi) and Her Non-Porn Film Career...

I am a sucker for site visitors, not. But, I could not but help noticing that my blog stats as they relate to visitors searching for particular material and visiting certain pages highlighted that there are a lot of people out there searching for Maria Ozawa and Miyabi. It is also worth noting that the majority of these are from Indonesian IPs.

It seems that Mari Ozawa, the Japanese porn star with Japanese - Canadian heritage, courts as much controversy in keeping her clothes on as she does taking them off. However, this is probably because more people would prefer to see her with her clothes off.

Nevertheless, it appears that Miyabi might be trying to construct a non-porn film career. "Kidnapping Miyabi" is her second clothed film (some might say mainstream film, but who am I to judge) after last year's "Invitation Only", a Taiwanese slasher / horror film.

Now, Kidnapping Miyabi has a very basic story line, Miyabi is in Indonesia as a tourist where some infatuated undergraduates decide to kidnap her. The film has all the potential to become a porn flick. Let's face it these undergraduates are infatuated with Miyabi for one reason only; they have watched all her porno films and have probably self-gratified during a few of them, and on seeing her in the flesh, real life flesh, they figured they probably would not mind a few rounds themselves.

Admittedly, I have not seen the script, and I am unlikely to be bothered watching the film when it comes out. The whole premise seems a little silly to me. Maybe I am just getting old, but there is probably a reason why big name porn stars have not been able to successfully cross over into mainstream films. Perhaps Ron Jeremy or Traci Lords have a view or two on this. But, it seems that for most porn stars they lose their allure and charm when they have their gear on.

Although, to be fair to Lords, she has appeared in a number of mainstream movies and TV shows, such as Tommyknockers, Married...with Children, and MacGyver, among others. Ron Jeremy has also done some non-porn stuff that has tended to capitalize on his porn star fame like: Fuck: A Fuckumentary.

So, to all my happy Miyabi searchers, this one is for you.

Enjoy!