Reviews (18)

A cultural misunderstanding tour de force
I have yet to see another movie of this type that explores the very scary side of cultural misunderstanding. Caught in a Japanese POW camp, deep in an East Asian jungle - both the Japanese and their Allied prisoners are out of their element. What are they to do? They play out the never ending drama of empowered over disempowered and do so under the framework of their respective traditions. In the war, to surrender meant shame for one, to the other it meant a lease on life - hope. The dynamics played out by Major Jack Celliers (David Bowie) and Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto) is by far the most electric in the story. Each one saving face to his own people albeit trying to effect peace. It seems like their respective situations are forcing them to do that which they are not comfortable doing. In the end John Lawrence (Tom Conti) and Gengo Hara (Takeshi) effect what is an understanding of the futility and madness of war. A microcosm of the irrationality that is armed conflict and how quickly the tables turn. As if pleading to grant him the same mercy Hara simply references Fr. Christmas says Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. As thought provoking as it was beautiful, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence should be a staple in East Asian Discourse and there should be one in every home.

Miguel Llora

THE RISE AND FALL OF MAJOR JACK AND CAPTAIN YONOI
Directed by Nagisa Oshima in 1983, MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE is the first movie of the japanese director after the international recognition of IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES (1976) and IN THE REALM OF PASSION (1978). It's not a war movie but rather a psychological study, set in a prisoner camp during WWII, of the cultural differences between europeans and japanese.

As usual in movies and in life, the most interesting characters are not the most intolerant ones played by David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto or Jack Thompson but those more human impersonated by Takeshi Kitano, the future brilliant director of SONATINE, and by the pragmatic Tom Conti who has the difficult task to be the spokesman of his fellow prisoners.

Although I've appreciated a lot this movie, I consider the David Bowie flashback that explains his final redemptive behaviour as ridiculous. Furthermore, this segment breaks the rythm of a nearly perfect film, if it wasn't for this scene. Too bad.

Please note that I've seen MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE on a zone 2 DVD found at amazon.fr in France. French subtitles (of the english and japanese dialogs), a trailer and filmographies. Sound and images OK.

A movie zone severe hang-ups.

A sadly neglected film
Far from the usual Hollywood crapola is this unusual and stylish gem of a movie.

As pow's at a camp in occupied Indonesia, Col. John Lawrence (Tom Conti) and Major Jack "Strafer" Celliers (David Bowie) engage their Japanese captors in a test of wills and mores. Conti's Col. Lawrence is an affable but somewhat naive English officer simply trying to make the best of the brutal circumstances inflicted on him and his men. On the other hand, Bowie's Major Celliers is a charismatic but enigmatic figure who engages the Japanese in psychological mind games - to preserve his self respect, but also to protect others and exorcise from his conscience the memory of a betrayal.

The Japanese cannot understand soldiers who would surrender, rather than fight to the death, and treat their prisoners with the brutality and contempt they think the internees deserve. Sergeant of the Guard, Hara Gengo-san (Takeshi) is the embodiment of this mindset, and casually clubs and stomps his way through the prisoners - as well as his own men.

Ryuichi Sakamoto stars as Capt. Yonoi, the new commandant of the camp. Yonoi is a relatively decent man who at first tries to contain the violence of the guards, but finds himself caught between his own humanist tendencies and the old, warrior ethic. Yonoi is alternately fascinated and repulsed by Celliers, (and it is this tension that drives the movie) but tries to understand and accomodate him. Yet, in the end, he too is entrained by the samurai militancy of the soldiers around him.

The movie contains many memorable scenes. In one, an inexplicable and courageous act of kindness to Lawrence and Celliers by the brutal Sgt. Hara gives the film its name. In another, as powerful and moving as the above mentioned, captor and captive meet once again; only this time with their conditions reversed.

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is a great movie - very well acted, directed, scored and cinematographed. I first saw it about 20 years ago. A friend had told me, "It's just different, you'll see..." He was right.

Just a word of caution
I own this movie and I enjoy watching it. But I think that potential buyers should know that there are NO SUBTITLES. The prisoners speak English, and the guards speak Japanesse. The body language is eloquent and the acting well done. But you have to guess/surmise at what is being said by the japanesse soldiers. I suppose it adds to the air of the film. But I would truely love to find a version with english subtitles.

Bowie's Best Film & Sakamoto's Shining Hour
This is probably the most stylish and progressive war film you'll ever see.

A strange sense of Zen permeates the air in WW2 as we see the Japanese in Batavia, trying to control their POW camp. And on the other side, a band of Allied soldiers try to maintain their sense of dignity and survive the dreadful conditions of the war.

When two men arrive - the whole world changes. Bowie brings with him an air of an Intrepid Adventurer meets Peter Pan...while Sakamoto is a revisionist Samurai.

Throw in Nagisa Oshima's direction and the book on which this is based on becomes a contemporary retelling of a war fable.

The movie could perhaps not have been better cast. Adding to the naturalism of the film are the heartfelt and understated performances of Tom Conti, Bowie, Sakamoto and Beat Takashi who are in superb form, along with the supporting cast.

Particularly, Bowie and Sakamoto bring in a strange, eclectic energy into the piece. Inspired casting for sure which adds to the haiku like quality of the film.

Other reasons to watch this:

Ryuichi Sakamoto's soundtrack is excellent and a must-have. The signature tune burns in movie history.

Fans of Japanese films will see Beat Takashi here, aka Takashi Kitano...of Violent Cop fame.

They don't make movies like this one anymore. This should be on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Gets better with repeat viewings
This is a really good film once you get used to the charcters and understand a little about Oshima. There are definitely no heroes here. But you come to admire Hanako's tenacious struggle to survive in the changing underworld of Osaka. What sticks with you afterwards is the incredible beauty of the shots which always seem to take place at dawn or dusk when the sky looks incredible. Combined with the bleak industrial landscape of the city, its haunting.

This is my second favorite Oshima film, my favorite being Death By Hanging which I can't find on video for the life of me. That one will blow your mind.

The Sun's Burial
Oshima Nagisa has become one of Japan's premiere directors and The Sun's Burial is one of his earliest and strongest films. The movie centers on a woman named Hanako who a prostitute and cutthroat entrepreneur trying to survive the Kawagasaki slum of post-war Osaka. Oshima shows, without pretention, the heart of the slum and the gangs that control it. One of the gangs is a right-wing group lead by a man known only as The Agitator and another gang is lead by a man named Shin. Both of their storylines are tied together through the character of Hanako who schemes and manipulates both of them for simple survival.

Another key character is a member of Shin's gang, Takeshi, who repeatedly tries to escape from the gang and eventually becomes involved with Hanako. Oshima uses him as an innocent, someone to show how jaded and harsh Hanako has become in order to make a living in such a place. Oshima's cinematography also magnifies that harshness. Considered shocking at the time, his camera captures violence perfectly, not only in actions but in color as well. Throughout, the film displays beautiful shades of yellows in sand, oranges and reds in fire to emphasize a setting sun and the consequent rise of a new Japan in its place. As one might expect, The Sun's Burial heads towards a destructive finish that emphasizes the theme the title suggests: not only the burial of the sun, an image associated with traditional Japan, but the consequent rise of a new Japan in its place.

Even if you're not a follower of Japanese cinema, don't rule The Sun's Burial out. The film has as much depth as the rich colors it displays and should appeal to any fan of solid storytelling and detailed characters. Although not as brutal as some films found today, it was among the most challenging of its time and can be appreciated just as much, if not more, today. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This fascinating, gorgeous film examines homosexual passions among the samurai of an 1865 militia. Taboo centers around a young samurai named Kano, whose smooth face and soft beauty makes him an object of desire. Rumors about who might be his lover lead to a love triangle, dazzling swordfights, and a mysterious murder. The story is intriguing enough, but what makes Taboo even more striking is that the heterosexual samurai treat their comrade's queer leanings as possibly dangerous, but only because of the potential for jealousy and inflamed passions--there's no sense that they see it as unnatural or even unmanly, in striking contrast with the American military view. Japanese superstar Beat Takeshi (Fireworks, Sonatine) plays a samurai captain struggling to maintain order in the ranks. Elegantly directed by NagisaOshima (In the Realm of the Senses, Merry Christmas, Mr.Lawrence). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Also a big Takeshi fan, but...
...I wish I had as many positive things to say about the film. I really wanted to like it. I'd heard nothing but good things about director Oshima and his films, especially In the Realm of the Senses. I was also drawn to this as a Takeshi Kitano fan. In the end, however, I couldn't get past the poor acting of the Kano and Tashiro characters. Fortunately, the film has a few talented actors and comedians that make up for it. There are also a few entertaining moments like when Takeshi tries to encourage Kano to switch to the straight path. Also, the swordplay throughout the film is very well done. Recommended with some reservations.

Another master piece of Oshima trivializing death and sex
Gohatto is the law, or the code. In this magnificent piece from the master of cinema Oshima Nagisa, Gohatto means something like a marshal law. With or without knowledge of the Shinsengumi, the movie offers plenty to viewers who like plots based upon samurai stories. However, instead of the fighting scenes on the battle fields like most of the stereotypical samurai movies, this one is ever so contriving about the human within the samurai with their physical and spiritual projections towards life, death and sex. Kano was portrayed as an utterly handsome youth recruited as a new member of the militia, who was inevitably attracted by a number of other militia members. Whirled within all these conflicting feelings among the wooers, Kano appeared to be composed and cold, with a sole goal towards the "right to kill". Tashiro, the rumored only lover of Kano, was suspected of killing another samurai, Yuzawa, who courted Kano as well and assaulted sergeant Yamazaki. Commando Kondo ordered him to be executed by the hands of Kano with captain Hijikata and lieutenant Soji watching afar. The movie ends with a surreal setting of the wilderness, with drizzling rains and smoky air where Soji and Hijikata exchanged their premise about love among men. Kano was finally able to execute Tashiro and retreated, likely with Soji. With his narration, Hijikata objected the evil behind Kano's beauty which was not only to woo the men in the militia, but also to lead the wish to violate the samurai codes. Stymied a beautifully blossomed cheery tree in one swift swing of his sword, Hijikata's mind was made to crush the beauty so as to preserve the sacred code of samurai.

A natural or unnatural yearning?
The year 1865 was a time of transition for Japan. The Tokugawa Shogunate would collapse in two years time and the Meiji Restoration, where the emperor would be restored to his full glory was a year after that. Yet political struggles and fighting between those loyal to the shogun and those loyal to the emperor marked that interim period.

The black-robed Shinsengumi are a pro-shogunate, pro-isolationist police force, a kind of elite squad fighting against pro-imperialist forces in Kyoto. They are led by Commander Kondo Isami and Captain Hijikata Toshizo.

The story revolves around Sozaburo Kano, one of two new recruits whose fighting skills impress the two leaders. Kano seems very able even in his first assignment, the execution of someone who broke the Shinsengumi code of borrowing money, dispatching the offender in the traditional way. Yet his effeminate looks and his hair, still in a long pony-tail as opposed to the short-cut adult style, arouse desires in certain officers in the police force, such as his fellow recruit Hyozo Tashiro and threatens the stability of the Shinsengumi. While Kano denies that he is someone's lover, he seems to enjoy the attention he gets from the others. Hijikata seems to think Kano and Toshiro were lovers. He has a dojo bout against Kano, who stands up well, and against Tashiro, who is "one notch lower than Kano." Yet when Kano and Tashiro fight, the former does not fight as well. This inconsistency leads the captain to that conclusion in answer to rumours asking who Kano has taken up with.

One repeated line has the motif of "Does he lean that way" or "I didn't know he leant that way" in regards to officers suspected of desiring Kano. There was indeed a homosexual subculture flourishing in Kyoto during the Tokugawa period and it wasn't forbidden. In the Shinsengumi, though, it's akin to love of youthful male beauty in Roman times.

One thing that might confuse people is the repeated mention of the Ikedaya Jiken (Incident). That was a fight that took place at the Ikedaya, an inn in Kyoto, in July 1864. Commander Kondo and some men attacked and killed eight anti-shogunate activists, arresting twenty. The two samurai who taunt Kano while he is having a bout with Commander Inoue were suspected of being anti-shogunate activists itching for revenge. And Satsuma and Aizu refers to domains held under sway of more moderate anti-shogunate forces who sought reconciliation with the shogunate.

Beat Takeshi (Takeshi Kitano under his acting name) is his usual understated but occasionally potent self, and he does well as Hijikata, even if real Hijikata died in his mid-thirties. His observation that jealousy among men is a dangerous thing underscores what happens when Kano comes into their midst. Historical accuracy is also questionable in the characterization of Commander Kondo, who like Hijikata was in his thirties when he was later captured and executed in 1868 by imperial forces.

The period detail is well captured, down to the dress and even the palanquins, as is the militaristic dojo atmosphere of the Shinsengumi. An interesting study of the attractions to youthful beauty and the jealousies it can lead to.

Shocking Swordplay
Feudal Japan--Leaders of the Shinsengumi militia, an indpendent "bad cop" faction on the government's side, watch as their two newest recruits face off in a Kendo match--a wooden sword battle during a time when swordmasters received the highest regard, the samurai period. Bearded Tashiro faces off against Sozaburo Kano, who everyone can see is easily the better swordsman. But to the surprise of many, except a few insightful higher-ups, Kano loses. Beat Takeshi's Hijikata character (one of many real Japanese personalities--the Shinsengumi stories alone could entertain you for hours) and Isami Kondo immediately understand, what is going on. The viewer doesn't, but soon will. A thoughtful, judgemental look at Sozaburo, with his boyish face and demeanor, long, smooth hair, and feminine almond-shaped eyes--got it yet?--reveals all. He lost because he may be "involved" with Tashiro, who may not be the only one with "leanings" toward Sozaburo.

It's an interesting revelation to those of us only familiar with the tough samurais of Kurosawa films or the Zatoichi blind swordsman-type TV series; that these men of the sword were also men of a different type of sword. The practice isn't uncommon in history. Gladiators (yes, those during Russell Crowe's Maximus character's time) were also prone to have homosexual leanings, as did many senators. But director Nagisa Oshima does a masterful job of the consequences of a workplace relationship in the context of samurai Japan, and a homosexual relationship at that.

Not to say that the practice is widely accepted. Hijikata even orders a sergeant to take Sozaburo to a brothel to see if he can be turned around; Sozaburo misinterprets the sergeant's friendliness. Internal strife develops as other samurais join the chase for Sozaburo; rumor gives birth to tension that ends in murders, a difficult thing to have in an organization involved in a war. This is particularly of concern to Hijikata, who serves as the narrative voice in many parts of the movie, although Sozaburo remains the protagonist.

Oshima has a flair for creating then sustaining moods, be it soft, dark and suspenseful, or symbolically poignant. The swordfights are excellent, as they should be, being that this is a samurai film. Blood and gore levels are kept a reasonably tame level for this sort of film. This film would be best viewed with some sort of knowledge of the time period; perhaps get some simple reading done, or even watch a few episodes of the Rurouni Kenshin anime series, which deals heavily with the Shinsengumi, Ishin Shishi and the Meiji restoration of this time (search for "Samurai X" then watch the Trust and Betrayal movies).

This is a four-star film that gets three for revealing an aspect of the samurai that many hardcore fans may not be comfortable with. It may taint your ideal of the samurai, but Oshima allows us to accept this slowly, through a beautifully--both in image and in flow--worked film. Highly recommended for viewing, and possibly recommended for your own library.

Taboo is gratifying & pleasing
Have always like Japanese films, not all of course, but quite a few. In addition the culture, history & society of that land is of endless fascination. Must admit also to a liking for the traditional costumes (would be good fun to be a samurai warrior for a short time, but no head cutting please) & of course many of the men that well fill such costumes. To bring an end to the digression, will now talk about the film Taboo. It is a beautiful film. Magnificent settings, good dialogue, interesting story, well told. There are many scenes that will remember for a long time, one is when the older samurai takes our hero to the parlor to be introduced to the pleasures of the feminine sex. Kano takes the hand of the older samurai in such a sweet way, particularly considering how well that those same hands so easily cut off heads. Would I recommend Taboo, you bet you little bippy I would, don't miss it!!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

stark vivid potrayal of post-nuclear tension and despair.
A tale of post-nuclear tension in modern Japan set in the late fifties, Cruel Story of Youth, a rare film that successfully combines beautiful images and an intelligent provacative story of extortion, abortion, modern love and a society struggling to keep up with it all. Director Oshima uses color and sound unlike any other director I have seen. For being such an old film, the vivid juxtapostion of youth with loud rich color and distoted sounds still holds up far better than most films produced today. This contoversial tale about a pair of rebel teen lovers in post-war japan is akin to Rebel Wihout a Cause but with far more guts. This rarely seen film is a must see for anyone interested in great film making.

The early Iron Men. Stark Youth
To live is no possible any more. The second film by Oshima, beautiful and untra violent, the film was made in 1960, the portrait of a lost generaton after the atomic bomb, none of the japanese film makers, even Tsukanoto, is able now to remake the immense terror into the atmosphere. One of the best movies of all times. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A highly unusual war movie with as many detractors as fans, thisEnglish-language feature directed by Nagisa Oshima (In the Realm of theSenses) stars David Bowie as a silent, ethereal POW in a Japanese camp. Protesting--via his own enigmatic rebellion--the camp's brutal conditions andtreatment of prisoners, Bowie's character earns the respect of the campcommandant (Ryuichi Sakamoto). While the two seem locked in an unspoken,spiritual understanding, another prisoner (Tom Conti) engages in a moreconventional resistance against a monstrous sergeant (Takeshi). The film hasa way of evoking as many questions as certainties, and it is not alwayseasy to understand the internal logic of the characters' actions. Butthat's generally true of Oshima's movies, in which the power of certainrelationships is almost hallucinatory in self-referential intensity. The castis outstanding, and Bowie is particularly fascinating in his alien way. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A cultural misunderstanding tour de force
I have yet to see another movie of this type that explores the very scary side of cultural misunderstanding. Caught in a Japanese POW camp, deep in an East Asian jungle - both the Japanese and their Allied prisoners are out of their element. What are they to do? They play out the never ending drama of empowered over disempowered and do so under the framework of their respective traditions. In the war, to surrender meant shame for one, to the other it meant a lease on life - hope. The dynamics played out by Major Jack Celliers (David Bowie) and Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto) is by far the most electric in the story. Each one saving face to his own people albeit trying to effect peace. It seems like their respective situations are forcing them to do that which they are not comfortable doing. In the end John Lawrence (Tom Conti) and Gengo Hara (Takeshi) effect what is an understanding of the futility and madness of war. A microcosm of the irrationality that is armed conflict and how quickly the tables turn. As if pleading to grant him the same mercy Hara simply references Fr. Christmas says Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. As thought provoking as it was beautiful, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence should be a staple in East Asian Discourse and there should be one in every home.

Miguel Llora

THE RISE AND FALL OF MAJOR JACK AND CAPTAIN YONOI
Directed by Nagisa Oshima in 1983, MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE is the first movie of the japanese director after the international recognition of IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES (1976) and IN THE REALM OF PASSION (1978). It's not a war movie but rather a psychological study, set in a prisoner camp during WWII, of the cultural differences between europeans and japanese.

As usual in movies and in life, the most interesting characters are not the most intolerant ones played by David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto or Jack Thompson but those more human impersonated by Takeshi Kitano, the future brilliant director of SONATINE, and by the pragmatic Tom Conti who has the difficult task to be the spokesman of his fellow prisoners.

Although I've appreciated a lot this movie, I consider the David Bowie flashback that explains his final redemptive behaviour as ridiculous. Furthermore, this segment breaks the rythm of a nearly perfect film, if it wasn't for this scene. Too bad.

Please note that I've seen MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE on a zone 2 DVD found at amazon.fr in France. French subtitles (of the english and japanese dialogs), a trailer and filmographies. Sound and images OK.

A movie zone severe hang-ups.

A sadly neglected film
Far from the usual Hollywood crapola is this unusual and stylish gem of a movie.

As pow's at a camp in occupied Indonesia, Col. John Lawrence (Tom Conti) and Major Jack "Strafer" Celliers (David Bowie) engage their Japanese captors in a test of wills and mores. Conti's Col. Lawrence is an affable but somewhat naive English officer simply trying to make the best of the brutal circumstances inflicted on him and his men. On the other hand, Bowie's Major Celliers is a charismatic but enigmatic figure who engages the Japanese in psychological mind games - to preserve his self respect, but also to protect others and exorcise from his conscience the memory of a betrayal.

The Japanese cannot understand soldiers who would surrender, rather than fight to the death, and treat their prisoners with the brutality and contempt they think the internees deserve. Sergeant of the Guard, Hara Gengo-san (Takeshi) is the embodiment of this mindset, and casually clubs and stomps his way through the prisoners - as well as his own men.

Ryuichi Sakamoto stars as Capt. Yonoi, the new commandant of the camp. Yonoi is a relatively decent man who at first tries to contain the violence of the guards, but finds himself caught between his own humanist tendencies and the old, warrior ethic. Yonoi is alternately fascinated and repulsed by Celliers, (and it is this tension that drives the movie) but tries to understand and accomodate him. Yet, in the end, he too is entrained by the samurai militancy of the soldiers around him.

The movie contains many memorable scenes. In one, an inexplicable and courageous act of kindness to Lawrence and Celliers by the brutal Sgt. Hara gives the film its name. In another, as powerful and moving as the above mentioned, captor and captive meet once again; only this time with their conditions reversed.

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is a great movie - very well acted, directed, scored and cinematographed. I first saw it about 20 years ago. A friend had told me, "It's just different, you'll see..." He was right.

Just a word of caution
I own this movie and I enjoy watching it. But I think that potential buyers should know that there are NO SUBTITLES. The prisoners speak English, and the guards speak Japanesse. The body language is eloquent and the acting well done. But you have to guess/surmise at what is being said by the japanesse soldiers. I suppose it adds to the air of the film. But I would truely love to find a version with english subtitles.

Bowie's Best Film & Sakamoto's Shining Hour
This is probably the most stylish and progressive war film you'll ever see.

A strange sense of Zen permeates the air in WW2 as we see the Japanese in Batavia, trying to control their POW camp. And on the other side, a band of Allied soldiers try to maintain their sense of dignity and survive the dreadful conditions of the war.

When two men arrive - the whole world changes. Bowie brings with him an air of an Intrepid Adventurer meets Peter Pan...while Sakamoto is a revisionist Samurai.

Throw in Nagisa Oshima's direction and the book on which this is based on becomes a contemporary retelling of a war fable.

The movie could perhaps not have been better cast. Adding to the naturalism of the film are the heartfelt and understated performances of Tom Conti, Bowie, Sakamoto and Beat Takashi who are in superb form, along with the supporting cast.

Particularly, Bowie and Sakamoto bring in a strange, eclectic energy into the piece. Inspired casting for sure which adds to the haiku like quality of the film.

Other reasons to watch this:

Ryuichi Sakamoto's soundtrack is excellent and a must-have. The signature tune burns in movie history.

Fans of Japanese films will see Beat Takashi here, aka Takashi Kitano...of Violent Cop fame.

They don't make movies like this one anymore. This should be on DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nagisa Oshima's sensational, 1976 film concerns a woman (Eiko Matsuda) whose obsessive sexual relationship with her husband (Tatsuya Fuji) crosses the line from passion into the territory of life and death. One of the most sexually explicit films ever to play in mainstream theaters (though it did run into legal trouble both in the U.S. and Japan), it has an air of palpable doom, suggesting that sex can be a doorway to suicide. Lest this sound like grunge-era noodling over dreams of self-destruction, be assured that the Kyoto-born Oshima (Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence) takes a somewhat formal, middle-aged perspective on the conjunction of various mysteries of existence. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (53)

ASTOUNDING EROTICA.....
This is an amazing film to watch. Not only is it beautifully filmed but the atmosphere is quite vivid in its' depiction of a Japanese servant girl who becomes mistress of the master of the house and sexually obsessed with their relationship. She leads him deeper into the sexual realm until it becomes the focus of both their lives. Their relationship becomes so intense that it can only lead to destruction. Film is extremely sexually graphic and to be honest, I wasn't even aware that I was watching "pornography" because the acting and story were so mesmerizing. By then, I didn't care because it wasn't offensive---just honest. The two leads are wonderful actors and they made me forget I was watching a supposedly one-time controversial film. The film is supposedly based on a true incident. The ending is shocking and depressing but that's allegedly what happened. I consider this film a classic and a must see for foreign film buffs. It's one of the most beautiful erotic love stories ever made and one of the most disturbing.

An actors film, based on a true story.
Based on a true story, Nagisa Oshima's 1976 film about possession, sexual obsession and love, is still fresh in its portrayal of a woman named Matsuda who struggles to posses her husband Fuji, wholly and completely.
In what must be one of the most shocking movies to come out of Japan in decades,
Nagisa's skillful use of location builds a claustrophobic atmosphere of intimacy, with very little light, cramped space and no fresh air (minor character comments about the smell that builds in the room the couple are in). Though at times seemingly pretentious, my feeling is that this may be due to the translation.
From beginning to end the controversial and explicit nature of the film will either turn you on, or off or leave you in jaw-dropping awe. Its still amazing what the two main actors do for this film, and the levels they go to, to bring these two characters to life. Still fresh and worth a good unbiased viewing every other year.

Serious Minded Erotica......
Nagisa Oshima has achieved what few other directors have managed in dealing with the very touchy subject of sex, in this instance, with sexual obsession. If you plan to watch this movie for a cheap sexual thrill, you will be most disappointed. Oshima has drawn from a real incident reported in a 1936 Japanese newspaper. The film centers around the love between two people expressed physically, graphically, into realms of the senses where few dare to tread. And with good reason. This is a very intense film as it progresses from the attraction of two people through increasing experimentation in an effort not only to express their passion but to try to find the outer most limits of passion itself. Oshima must have had something metaphorical in mind but the journey as chronicled in the film also has retained the feel of the specifics. It's quirkey and eccentric. The backdrop of the story is as interesting as the story itself. It is an amazing spectacle to observe, giving the viewer a perspective on Japanese life not usually rendered but often alluded to in some historical accounts. One wonders what this experience must have been like for the actors. Oshima has managed what I have always believed should be done in order to treat the subject of sex fully and without shrinking from its' less savory aspects. This is serious minded erotica and quite unlike anything else on screen. The only other film I can recall that compares at all is "Taxi Zum Klo" which was autobiographical and starred a number of actual people playing themselves.Obviously a different catagory in that regard from what is going on here, but both films draw much of their power from explicitly sexual scenes without compromising the integrity of the story being told. This is a film experience that should not be missed.

Interesting movie...
I have to say that this movie is most certainly not one for everyone. That's quite obvious from it's NC-17 rating, and the fact that it was banned for quite some time.

But aside from that.... It's an interesting movie about obsession and sex. The characters don't really get too deep, and you don't necessarily feel much sympathy for them, but that's part of the point of the film. You're supposed to feel the obsession, and the fact that the two lovers really only ever have sex on their minds, that it's taken over their lives.

It's graphic, violent even, with tons of sex... But if you know what you're getting into and can look beyond just the simple act of sex, you might find it a worthwhile movie.

Not worth the time or money
After reading some of the other reviews I was expecting a film that would leave me thinking about something of significance in life, even if was an extreme reaction to sexual obsession. I also, often forlornly, hope for a cathartic experience whenever I watch drama.

Unfortunately, this film provided neither. I was left thinking that there was something left on the cutting room floor that would explain the actions of the main characters. There was little in the film that would help me understand how the two 'lovers' could end up in their final situation. It was northing more than a voyeuristic following of a couples' series of sexual experiences that were neither erotic nor enlightening of motivations.

Then there were those unexplained forays by the female lead that had nothing to do with the main theme of the movie. The only reason for them seemed to be "comic relief" to the sex. The problem is that they were not funny and did not inform the audience about the main character.

Over all, the only reason to watch this film would be to see what really bad movies are like. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

no eroticism but dark and creepy film work.
Nagisa Oshima's follow up to his hit IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES is some wath of a disappointment, but is good too, making it so so film (a lot of them). But I do not know why TLA VIDEO AND DVD GUIDE calls it "erotic ghost story of unremitting passion". 1 could be that there was some sex scenes cut from the film (the video cover says it to be 180 mins but TLA says 110 mins), but as IMDB.com recalls that there are no missing scenes reported. Or 2 can be that film reviewers these days have forgotten wath real eroticism is, because there is nothing sexy at all in this film, and the only sex scenes in the film are too dark to see and not that nice to look at. Any way the story line is that a man and the woman he has had a affair with kill her husband to be together, but with a horror twist put into it as the man's ghost comes back to haunt them. Dark and creepy themed film.

1978. Fox. 108 MINS.

Rated R for General Tone and Some Sexuality.

One (...) of a movie where sex and art converge in good taste
we are used to believe that sex and art in movies are hard to combine. A small mistake, a single forced note and the movie will degenerate in a porno movie or just a kitch. Ngisa Oshima has passed this mountain high obstacle at stratosferic altitude.
Lanscapes and interiors interact to call for an atmopsphere of darkness, surreal, sexual passion and murderous instinct. Finaly seeing genitalia in this movie does not appear to be just another porno or gratuitous visual "sensation". The lanscape pictures are also spectacular. "Good" is too little for this movie to say. ATTENTION: MANY CUT VERSIONS IN RENTAL STORES OUT THERE. GET YOUR UNRATED COPY FROM SOMEWHERE OR ELESE YOU DEAL WITH THE "RELIGIOUS SCHOOL" VERSION.

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME
Completely unwatchable drivel. In the Realm of Senses pushed the envelope with its sexual themes and graphic depictions of sexual acts. In the Realm of Passion seems to want to capitalize on that, but it fails miserably. No real plot (some sort of insanity and a ghost story of some kind), sex, and nothing interesting or engaging at all here. Do not bother with this.

Pretty Good
In the Realm of Passion is the companion piece to Nagisa Oshima's ... In the Realm of the Senses. The film is a ghost story, dealing with guilt and revenge. Several good scenes. PLEASE SEE MY OTHER REVIEWS.

It saddened me.
This film contains so much violence, paranoia, and madness. The story is kinda slow, but the ending is quite heart-shaking and depressing. The cinematography is almost like film noir. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

ASTOUNDING EROTICA.....
This is an amazing film to watch. Not only is it beautifully filmed but the atmosphere is quite vivid in its' depiction of a Japanese servant girl who becomes mistress of the master of the house and sexually obsessed with their relationship. She leads him deeper into the sexual realm until it becomes the focus of both their lives. Their relationship becomes so intense that it can only lead to destruction. Film is extremely sexually graphic and to be honest, I wasn't even aware that I was watching "pornography" because the acting and story were so mesmerizing. By then, I didn't care because it wasn't offensive---just honest. The two leads are wonderful actors and they made me forget I was watching a supposedly one-time controversial film. The film is supposedly based on a true incident. The ending is shocking and depressing but that's allegedly what happened. I consider this film a classic and a must see for foreign film buffs. It's one of the most beautiful erotic love stories ever made and one of the most disturbing.

An actors film, based on a true story.
Based on a true story, Nagisa Oshima's 1976 film about possession, sexual obsession and love, is still fresh in its portrayal of a woman named Matsuda who struggles to posses her husband Fuji, wholly and completely.
In what must be one of the most shocking movies to come out of Japan in decades,
Nagisa's skillful use of location builds a claustrophobic atmosphere of intimacy, with very little light, cramped space and no fresh air (minor character comments about the smell that builds in the room the couple are in). Though at times seemingly pretentious, my feeling is that this may be due to the translation.
From beginning to end the controversial and explicit nature of the film will either turn you on, or off or leave you in jaw-dropping awe. Its still amazing what the two main actors do for this film, and the levels they go to, to bring these two characters to life. Still fresh and worth a good unbiased viewing every other year.

Serious Minded Erotica......
Nagisa Oshima has achieved what few other directors have managed in dealing with the very touchy subject of sex, in this instance, with sexual obsession. If you plan to watch this movie for a cheap sexual thrill, you will be most disappointed. Oshima has drawn from a real incident reported in a 1936 Japanese newspaper. The film centers around the love between two people expressed physically, graphically, into realms of the senses where few dare to tread. And with good reason. This is a very intense film as it progresses from the attraction of two people through increasing experimentation in an effort not only to express their passion but to try to find the outer most limits of passion itself. Oshima must have had something metaphorical in mind but the journey as chronicled in the film also has retained the feel of the specifics. It's quirkey and eccentric. The backdrop of the story is as interesting as the story itself. It is an amazing spectacle to observe, giving the viewer a perspective on Japanese life not usually rendered but often alluded to in some historical accounts. One wonders what this experience must have been like for the actors. Oshima has managed what I have always believed should be done in order to treat the subject of sex fully and without shrinking from its' less savory aspects. This is serious minded erotica and quite unlike anything else on screen. The only other film I can recall that compares at all is "Taxi Zum Klo" which was autobiographical and starred a number of actual people playing themselves.Obviously a different catagory in that regard from what is going on here, but both films draw much of their power from explicitly sexual scenes without compromising the integrity of the story being told. This is a film experience that should not be missed.

Interesting movie...
I have to say that this movie is most certainly not one for everyone. That's quite obvious from it's NC-17 rating, and the fact that it was banned for quite some time.

But aside from that.... It's an interesting movie about obsession and sex. The characters don't really get too deep, and you don't necessarily feel much sympathy for them, but that's part of the point of the film. You're supposed to feel the obsession, and the fact that the two lovers really only ever have sex on their minds, that it's taken over their lives.

It's graphic, violent even, with tons of sex... But if you know what you're getting into and can look beyond just the simple act of sex, you might find it a worthwhile movie.

Not worth the time or money
After reading some of the other reviews I was expecting a film that would leave me thinking about something of significance in life, even if was an extreme reaction to sexual obsession. I also, often forlornly, hope for a cathartic experience whenever I watch drama.

Unfortunately, this film provided neither. I was left thinking that there was something left on the cutting room floor that would explain the actions of the main characters. There was little in the film that would help me understand how the two 'lovers' could end up in their final situation. It was northing more than a voyeuristic following of a couples' series of sexual experiences that were neither erotic nor enlightening of motivations.

Then there were those unexplained forays by the female lead that had nothing to do with the main theme of the movie. The only reason for them seemed to be "comic relief" to the sex. The problem is that they were not funny and did not inform the audience about the main character.

Over all, the only reason to watch this film would be to see what really bad movies are like. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Floating Ghost
Oshima has a way of getting to his audience emotionally that is in diametric opposition to conventional techniques for creating viewer identification. At a crucial moment most directors will zoom in tight on the actor's big breakdown. Perhaps the music swells up to goad us (think "Schindler's List") into joining the sobbing. Oshima's camera, on the other hand, is liable to create distance between itself and the character in moments of emotional crisis. Their pitiful isolation is emphasized. You may feel your heart breaking, or even a touch of panic. That distance can drag you in close enough to really hurt - and maybe leave a little scar. You certainly don't forget it.

"Violence at Noon" has a lot in common with Carl Dreyer's masterful "Day of Wrath." First there is that refined sense of emotional subtltey - so much more devastating than anything I've seen come out of Hollywood ever. Secondly, we see a social order whose best laid plans for perfect, harmonious community lead inevetably to misery, cruelty and self-immolation. Finally there are characters whose very identities are warped beyond repair by the cultural pressures and abuses they suffer - until they can no longer recognize themselves.

"Violence at Noon" doesn't share the visual austerity of Dreyer's film, however. It contains a staggering 2,000 plus shots. The image is in cinemascope and the camera is handheld. The photography is in exreme high contratst black and white. The overall visual scheme is vertiginous and anxiety provoking. The cutting becomes more rapid as the film moves along - finally climaxing in a moment weirdly reminiscent of the key shot in Bergman's "Persona" (which was released the same year) - and just as remarkable. It is a frightening example of cinematic technique used to create an inner experience more natural to the novel form than to film.

As elsewhere, Oshima's primary focus is on the female characters. His camera doesn't dwell on the rapes themselves (as is not uncommon in Japanese cinema). Rather, we see the aftereffects in painful detail. We experience the victim's guilt. We are made to understand, to some extent, the unthinkable.

"Violence at Noon" has often been dismissed as a lesser work from Oshima. Indeed, it doesn't hit you at the same level as an "Ai no Corrida" or "Nihon no Yoru to Kiri" - in which you could swear the director had just invented a new kind of film to engage you on a level never before attempted. But it doesn't need to do anything so spectacular. It only wants to make the viewer think, feel and question.

What a novel approach.

Ambitious narrative & Very intricate images/camera work
Seeing there's only one review for this precious film so far, and a rather brief one at that, perhaps I could give my two cents on the experience of Violence at Noon.

While the film does use a lot of jump cuts and refuses to give an easy, linear narrative - in a way similar to many French new wave films, as the box helpfully points out - its strength and seductiveness lie in the subject matter.

Oshima has said that, in this film, he wanted to explore the desire-shame complex men have in the act of sex. The result is less straightforward, as the story becomes one of detective hunt in the Present (Who's the Phantom Killer going around in daylight, raping and killing women?), and Past (the 4 main protagonists were members of a failed socialist commune, steeped in love and idealism.)

On a personal note, I really enjoyed the challenge of piecing together the relationships among the characters, the flashbacks and the on-going police pursuit. The images are inventive to say the least: using high contrast photography, the overexposure seems to tell the story of 4 people whose memories threaten to evaporate as painfully as their youthful ideals and love for each other. The end result is a bitter and strange one, as I don't feel Oshima's feelings about rape as a socially constructed pathology of the male does justice to the brutalization of the female. Yet the film seems to point to the complicitous role of women who allow the rapist animal to go on with his business. A very difficult and rewarding film if you stick with it. ... Read more