Sada

Rating:
Summary: Simply beautiful
Review: Although this is based on or inspired by In the Realm of the Senses, it does not contain the explicit sexuality that made that film so notorious. What it does have is a marvelously constrained performance by the lead actress playing the title role, and some exquisitely beautiful cinematography. I only wish it were more involving. It lacks the intensity of In the Realm, which is one of those unforgetable films despite its many weaknesses because it was so raw and uninhibited. This one is entertaining, but in a much more sedate way, using various cinematic techniques and motifs to tell the story of a woman who was a victim of rape in her adolescence and later became a victim of social mores and her own complexes (and passions). It is nevertheless a very adult movie, but not in the X-rated league of In the Realm. I'm not sure I would want to see this one more than once, whereas In the Realm has a vitality that makes it watchable numerous times primarily, I think, because its shock value has not diminished. This one is more romantic, more poetic. It's simply, beautiful.

Rating:
Summary: Rather artistic, which = kinda boring, no nudity at all!
Review: Whereas "In the Realm of Senses" is hardcore pornography masquerading as a feature film and features lots of explicit sexual acts, "Sada" sits square at the other end of the content spectrum: it has zero nudity (not even Sada's supposedly cute behind!), but is rather highly stylized, almost like a Broadway musical (except it has no singing or dancing). Some of the scenes are even comic, like the time when Sada works as a prostitute and is visited by her godbrother. There's liberal use of vibrant colors, very unlike the muted hues in "In the Realm of the Senses". In other words, this film can be no more different from its 1970s inspiration in content or style.

Whereas "In the Realm of Senses" presents ABE Sada (Sada is her firstname) as a nymphomaniac who, in her thirst for more and more sex, kills her lover and cuts out his member, "Sada" depicts her more as a maiden who loses her innocence under dubious circumstances (raped or consensual?) and is then forced by the cultural environment into prostitution, who eventually meets a man she desires. Compared to the other film, "Sada" is not convincing as to why Sada kills her lover. Things are just too "peaceful" and "quiet" in this film. "In the Realm of Senses" shocks you with its pornographic scenes and the intensity of the acting on the part of the actress (who's, BTW, not as pretty as the actress in "Sada", in the humble opinion of yours truly, but actually sexier in a very nymph way); anyone watching that film will never forget it. "Sada," in its 130-minute glory, is too lighthearted yet also too boring. It tries too hard to be a stylized film rather than a film that tells a story, and ends up being something I'll probably forget soon. If you are a film student or an art buff, you might like this better. If you are a staight guy and regardless of your artistic taste, you'll probably like "In the Realm of the Senses" better.

Apparently ABE Sada did exist as a real person and did cut out her lover's member after strangling him. Shockingly, she received only six years of prison sentence for her sadistic murder. I hope my significant other doesn't get inspired by this!