Lilith Likes to Watch - In The Realm of the Senses


Title:In the Realm of The Senses AKA Ai no korîda
Year: 1976
Starring: Tatsuya Fuji, Eiko Matsuda Director: Nagisa Ôshima
Synopsis: A passionate telling of the story of Sada Abe, a woman whose affair with her master led to a sexual obsession which then came to a violent end. (via IMDB)
Lilith's Notes: It contains scenes of unsimulated sex on screen.





In the Realm of the Senses was added to the watch list because of 2 things - It had unsimulated sex acts on screen, and it had a Criterion Collection release, which meant it was classy.

This movie was inspired by the true tale of Japanese folk hero, Sada Abe, a Japanese woman who killed her lover. Though this movie focuses on the relationship between Sada and said lover.

It was...fine.

It wasn't particularly pretty, for being a French-Japanese co-production. You had all the visuals of Japan, flowing silk, embroidery, the music, the makeup, and it was just sort of there. The inherent beauty in it wasn't romanticized at all.

The sex was, obviously very real since it was real sex and thus, not very sexy.

However, re-watching the trailer for this review, it struck me that the acting was quite impressive. The actors conveyed the passion and obsession quite believably.

So, it's a significant movie for having real on screen sex, and that it tells the true story of a woman who cut off her lover's penis, but it's just sort of...fine. Just fine.

LILITH'S SCORE: 2.5/5 - If that's your kink, then fine.

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