Muscle (1989)

Ryuzaki, an editor of Muscle Magazine, which features photographs of men with sculpted bodies, becomes involved with a man named Kitami; their affair soon becomes dominated by ... See full summary »

Director:

Hisayasu Satô

Writer:

Shirô Yumeno (as Shiro Yumeno)

Stars:

Kiyomi Itô, Takeshi Itô, June

Cast

Credited cast:
Kiyomi Itô	...	Yoko
Takeshi Itô	...	Ryuzaki
June	...	Hustler with long hair
Simon Kumai	...	Kitami
Mabze	...	Hustler
You Suzuki	...	Chida

Storyline

Ryuzaki, an editor of Muscle Magazine, which features photographs of men with sculpted bodies, becomes involved with a man named Kitami; their affair soon becomes dominated by sadomasochistic games, with a horrid result. Jump ahead one year, Ryuzaki is released from jail and goes in search of Kitami, perhaps to make amends. The films of Pasolini, especially "Salò," dominate Ryuzaki's imagination; he works sometimes at the Lunatic Theatre, which shows films about rough trade; and, he becomes involved with a couple into S & M. Will Ryuzaki find Kitami, and what will happen if he does?

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Plot Keywords:

male nudity | bdsm | gay interest | pinkku film | prison | 

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

March 1989 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Lunatic Theatre

Company Credits

Production Co:

ENK Promotion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

References Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

User Reviews

I Love You to Death

Like Sato's best-known and probably most widely seen pink film, THE BEDROOM aka AN ARIA ON GAZES, this movie deals with obsessions, both sexual and otherwise (but mostly sexual), only now from a gay point of view and relatively straightforward and accessible unlike the convoluted BEDROOM. The male editor and photographer of a muscle magazine (which his boss readily admits is 'a good excuse for looking at hard bodies') falls in love with a beautiful young man who performs in a fascinating experimental play. Their relationship starts off tenderly but soon turns sour when the younger man reveals sadistic tendencies his partner cannot contend with. Following a particularly grueling sex session involving involuntary bloodletting, the photographer lops off his boyfriend's arm with a samurai sword ! After a year in prison, he's still obsessing over his lost love (whose arm he's still keeping in a jar by his bed !) and tries to track him down. Considering he's a one-armed hustler, this is not as easy as you might think. The final masked ball sequence where the lovers are reunited is both incredibly shocking and bizarrely touching in a very Japanese way. You'll understand once you see the film, and indeed you should as this is a true masterpiece of warped cinema, consistently diverting audience expectations, stunningly shot in hauntingly beautiful widescreen compositions. Whether you're gay or not (though, granted, it'll work better for you if you are) the sex scenes are incredibly hot stuff, even though they're a lot less explicit than they seem at first glance. Sato's a true master of suggestion in this respect. References to the work of Pier Paolo Passolini (TEOREMA and SALO especially) could've made the film end up looking pretentious and awkward yet it's anything but. Get hold of your copy today ! This is a must-own modern classic.