Rating: 
Summary: Well Made but Repulsive and Sickening
Review: Every time someone has told me she or he is going to see this film, I always say that I hope they don't find it as upsetting and violent as hubby and I did. Without exception, everyone gets back to me to say that they did find it violent, upsetting, sickening and repulsive. I know it ranks highly on the art house circuit and among film listserv devotees so there are a lot of viewers out there who evidently don't agree with me. The plot is about two asian lovers, a man and woman, and the increasingly sick nature of their relationship, both physically and emotionally. This "relationship" includes acts of mutilation. We found this film so upsetting that we stayed away from the art house theater we then went to for over a month. This was a big absence for us since we went 2-3 times a week prior to seeing this film. I can't imagine seeing this film again and will do anything to avoid doing so. I suppose someone might make a claim that a film that makes this strong an impression on you must have done something positive. I've been waiting for almost two decades to find out what that positive something is.
Rating: 
Summary: satisfied purchase
Review: worth your time to watch and the money spend.
Rating: 
Summary: a rock and a hard place
Review: Fox-Lorber has devised a new level of cruelty for fans of this film. You can have a full-screen version with subtitles or a widescreen version with dubbing. What you need is a widescreen version with subtitles. The dubbing turns this dark parable into a sleazy porno film. The images are carefully and beautifully composed - you don't need them chopped up by pan and scan. In addition, the English language version (the only one I've seen) has horrible 'ghosting' along the edges of any high-contrast contour - it looks like it was dubbed from a poor over-the-air tv transmission! It's also slightly censored - not the version I saw overseas, anyway...Until someone offers a decent DVD version of this film, I recommend passing on these insultingly inferior transfers.
Rating:
Summary: DON'T MISS THIS FILM
Review: wonderful film!! best viewed in a relaxed setting with someone you love. don't be afraid..... this is a masterpiece of erotic art. it will be a film you will not forget... go ahead you can do it ... click that buy button on your computer this little film will not let you down. ( no pun intended ).
Rating: 
Summary: Very Emotional Film!
Review: I found this film to be very emotional. It was based on a true story that happen prior to WWII and during the depression era. I don't know how much of the facts were stretch but if you watch the film I don't think you would find time to make popcorns. Yes, it graphic and erotic but without it the picture would not make sense. One scene with the drunken homeless was to show how caring she was but it ended too quickly to know what she did for him. Another scene was playing with children. This film would make a good project for physiognomy. Not knowing what I was watching I got involved not with the physical aspects of this film but the mental aspects of this film. If you are in the Psychiatry field or thinking about getting into this field you must watch this film. I don't know if Freud could explain this? Buy it and watch this with a friend. You will have a great time discussing how, why and what?
Rating:
Summary: Frighening in a way.
Review: This is a frightening view at what can happen if carnal desire engulfs the senses and blocks out all the emotional aspects of a relationship. In the story, the man and woman are attracted sexually and are very dependent on one another. It's a story of intense physical love, although the two lack the security and comfort of true understanding for each other. The woman tries harder and harder to please the man, resorting to deviant sexual indulges and paranoia. Eventually, the relationship goes too far but there's no turning back, ... It's depressing and eye-opening at the same time. Worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: CUT ABOVE THE REST?
Review: Now, come off it people! This IS A rather tedious and overlong excursion into the sensual obsessions of two mismatched lovers circa 1938ish or thereabout. There are the usual boring, very boring endless "pillowing" {the Shogun term?} and the endless, repetitive music........ YES, it does boast THAT scene ala Bobbit, but somewhat "con-sensual" - he seems to agree [!], give or take a few excursions into auto-asphyxiation [the silk-scarf bit]. A trifle too extreme for the Younger Crowd, but worth-while having on your shelf, next to the copy of "Salo", "Last Tango in Paris" and "The Night Porter". Oh, the things we do do for love.........
Rating:
Summary: An actors film, based on a true story.
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: NC-17-RATED HARDCORE PORN FOR ADULTS
Review: This movie is pretty good for all mature adults. However, it is not for squemish people. Some people may be offended by the explicit sex scenes and graphic nudity. I think any guy would want to have this one in their private collection. Definitely not for children though.
Rating:
Summary: Eroticism at its finest
Review: This movie is probably the most erotic film that I've seen to date (pornos notwithstanding). It is a movie about obsession and what can happen when it gets out of control, something that this movie demonstrates well. However, I wished the movie had delved into the background of the characters, especially Sada's. If the audience watching this film knew about Sada's past, where she was raped and then outcaste by her wealthy family because of it, I think the audience would have a better understanding about the reason for Sada's behavior. Still, despite that and an undeveloped plot, the movie is still entertaining. However, if you want to see a more sanitized version of this story, which is based on an actual event that took place in Tokyo in 1936, then get "A Woman Called Sada Abe", which is available on both VHS and DVD. From what I've heard, it doesn't have nearly as much sex and nudity as "In the Realm of the Senses", which is a good thing for people who are easily offended by it. Personally, I liked the sex scenes, which I felt were tasteful and elegant, unlike what would normally be found in a pornographic movie. There was a lot of emotion displayed in those scenes, and that gave it a certain romantic, authentic dimension to it. For that reason alone, I will watch it again and again.
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