3. In The Realm Of The Senses (1976)
In 1936 Tokyo, Japan is becoming stridently militant and aggressive. Hotel maid Sada Abe begins a love affair with Kichizo Ishida - the hotel owner, who leaves his wife and family for her. Cue lots of kinky sex and an obsession in which Kichizo submits to Sada's sexual whims and Sada becomes demented in her attempts to possess him utterly. Classic artsploitation fare directed by Nagisa Oshima, In the Realm of the Senses caused quite a stir whenever it was released back in 1976. The words 'perversions with impunity' basically sum up what goes on in the film for its duration. It is a classy affair despite the non stop graphic sex acts, but anyone watching it for a bigger explanation of Japan's increasing militarisation of society or similar deep issues will be distracted by all the bed gymnastics going on. Oshima was able to portray the really rude things in the movie by listing it as a French film. In The Realm of the Senses portrays sexuality in a graphic way without the blurring of genitals. There is erotic asphyxiation, castration and Sada puts an egg in her vagina and pops it back out again for Kichizo to eat. A more educated person than me might be able to come up with a raison d'être for the film apart from it being a classy smut fest which uses art house trappings to give it respectability. Answers on a postcard please!