3. Shogun's Sadism (1976)
A follow up to the magnificent Shogun's Joy of Torture, Shogun's Sadism is a treat to behold. The film is split into two halves. In the first half, a Christian girl falls for a Samurai called Iori. Her family is taken captive and the girl is used as a sex/torture toy by Iori's boss who is intent on breaking her spirit. In the second half Sutezo has to repay his debts by working in a brothel which is run by a cruel pimp. He falls in love with one of the prostitutes and they go on the run together. Of course, their exploits will end in sadistic tragedy for them both. A bleak and cruel film with some of the most appalling acts of ultra violence ever seen on the screen, Shogun's Sadism is, nevertheless, a highly watchable movie. The production values are high, the writing is good, the acting is capable and direction assured. But please be warned that if you buy this film, you can expect to see a horrible abortion sequence, women raped and thrown into snake pits, people are torn apart, cooked alive, and crucified. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I enjoy all Japanese horror fests and the thought that there are a lot more depraved Japanese movies out there for me to watch makes me glad to be alive.