In the Realm of the Senses (1976)
"Ai no korîda" (original title)

Based on a true story set in pre-war Japan, a man and one of his servants begin a torrid affair. Their desire becomes a sexual obsession so strong that to intensify their ardor, they ... See full summary »

Director:

Nagisa Ôshima

Writer:

Nagisa Ôshima

Stars:

Tatsuya Fuji, Eiko Matsuda, Aoi Nakajima

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tatsuya Fuji	...	Kichizo Ishida
Eiko Matsuda	...	Sada Abe
Aoi Nakajima	...	Toku
Yasuko Matsui	...	Tagawa Inn Manager
Meika Seri	...	Matsuko (Yoshidaya maid)
Kanae Kobayashi	...	Old geisha Kikuryû
Taiji Tonoyama	...	Old Beggar
Kyôji Kokonoe	...	Teacher Ômiya
Naomi Shiraishi	...	Geisha Yaeji
Shinkichi Noda
Komikichi Hori	...	Mitsuwa Geisha
Kikuhei Matsunoya	...	Hôkan jester
Akiko Koyama	...	Mansaki Geisha
Yuriko Azuma	...	Mitsuwa Geisha
Rei Minami	...	Mitsuwa Geisha

Storyline

Based on a true story set in pre-war Japan, a man and one of his servants begin a torrid affair. Their desire becomes a sexual obsession so strong that to intensify their ardor, they forsake all, even life itself.

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Plot Keywords:

pre war | obsession | sexual obsession | desire | 1930s | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance

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Certificate:

X

Details

Country:

Japan France

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

1 April 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

In the Realm of the Senses

Filming Locations:

Daiei-Kyoto Studios, Kyoto, Japan

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 1,424,906 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Argos Films, Oshima Productions, Shibata Organisation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min 109 min (original) 107 min (2000 re-release) 98 min (DVD) 102 min (final)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.50 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first non-pornographic film to feature scenes of fellatio and an erect penis.

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Quotes

Kichizo: You want to make love all the time, huh?
Sada Abe: You don't think it's wrong, do you?
Kichizo: I think it's wonderful. You're beautiful.
Sada Abe: I was afraid of not being like others. I was so worried about it, I even went to see a doctor. He said I was sensitive where sex was concerned.
Kichizo: Sensitive? I hope it's incurable. Because I adore your oversensitivity.

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Connections

Edited into Destricted (2006)

User Reviews

Well, if nothing else, it has guts...

Sure, everyone (or most everyone) has heard about "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" and its remarkable statement about human sexuality. However, it is unlikely that as many people have heard about this film, which in a totally different way makes perhaps as profound a statement about that topic.

In fact, if you see an uncut version of this film, you are in essence watching pornography. That is, you are watching incredibly graphic sexual content that simply would not be allowed in an American film. I won't spell it out for you, but I will say this...do you know what they can't show you in American movies? This one shows that. And quite a bit more. This is not the type of sex you would see in a film like "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" or "Bliss" or some of the other decent American films about sex (though I can't think of any others). This is more like the sex shown in "Last Tango in Paris." The characters are so self-destructive and dangerous that the sex (one of the most inherent of all human practices) becomes an expression of their inhumanity. This is not easy stuff. But if you are willing to find an uncut version and experience the true power of this film, you may find yourself moved by the things you see.

This film blurs the line between pornography and art, and I believe that it stays one inch to the art side, but decide for yourself. Either way, I think that it is about time for American films to truly explore that distinction.