8. Philosophy Of A Knife (2008)
Like its fellow transgressive film, Men Behind the Sun, Philosophy of a Knife deals with the Japanese atrocities committed against the Chinese in medical unit 731. This film follows the birth of the camp right up until its demise in 1945. Eyewitnesses give testimony as to the horrors of the camp. Part documentary, part reconstruction, the film is seen through the eyes of a young Japanese nurse and a Japanese officer who is conflicted between doing his duty and his love for a Russian girl for whom he feels deep sympathy. His horror increases as he is forced to experiment upon the agonised inmates of unit 731. It helps to know beforehand what you are getting into whenever you choose to watch Philosophy of a Knife. The transgressive brutality and sadism of the film will deeply shock you unless you know what to expect from its depths of horror and misery. But even then, being 'prepared' does not adequately set you up for the sheer pain and cruelty of the film. There are caesarian sections to rip foetuses from the womb, sexually transmitted diseases, chemical experiments, radiation experiments. Thank God the movie is in two halves so that you can catch your breath between each section of gloom and doom. Maybe the four hour long length of the film is too much? Definitely not a date movie (unless your name is Clare Simpson ha ha!)