Few films in the entirety of cinematic history has its reputation preceding it and has generated as much debate, interest and academic analysis in depth as In the Realm of the Senses, also known as ai no corrida, which was directed by Nagisa Oshima in 1976. This is an erotic drama that is based on a true storyline which sent a tremor across Japan before the war. This film is a daring attempt to capture and examine sexual obsession, intertwining power dynamics, and the boundaries of human desire. It stays provocative while being captivating and remarkable nearly 50 years after its release. All this is a result of its explicit content and defined artistic vision.
Like many of Oshima’s works, In the Realm of the Senses had controversial sexual content as well as a unique take on Japanese history.
Synopsis
A narrative revolving a single character, In the Realm of the Senses has very few peripheral characters. Set in Tokyo in 1936 which is accompanied by an underlying trend of militarism and social repression, the movie chronicles the life of Sada Abe, a former prostitute turned maid and Kichizo Ishida, the proprietor of the inn where she works. Sada Abe attempts to break free from the clutches of her former profession, but luxury invariably leads back to the life of a troubled call girl. As she looks into the depths of her soul, she realizes that instead of liberating her, these situations serve to further entrap her. What begins as a flame of passion quickly evolves into a destructive spiral of mutual obsession, dulled by the dining room of the world.
Their physical relationship evolves and deepens along with their spiralling detachment from the world. Sada becomes more controlling and possessive while Ishida, as always, succumbs to her will—this time, delightfully and resignedly. Their copulations become more radical, pushing the boundaries of what is considered normal through the incorporation of domination, sadomasochism, and role-playing. Food, as well as parts of the body and other emblematic objects, turn into instruments of their love and hate.
In the climax, which is incredibly disturbing yet equally expected, Sada, in the most boundless act of possession, kills Ishida during an intimate moment and subsequently dismembers him. This act reflects the story of Sada Abe which shocked and fascinated the people of Japan in ‘36.
Cast and Characters
Starring Eiko Matsuda and Tatsuya Fuji, the film portrays the life of Sada Abe and Kichizo Ishida respectively. These two performers shoulder the entire weight of the film, both emotionally and physically. The intensity of their performances is matched only by the radical direction of Oshima, who forces his actors to exhibit their most vulnerable selves. Matsuda and Fuji bear not only their flesh, but their very souls in one of the most daring films of the century.
The role of Sada is particularly memorable for Eiko Matsuda. She plays a woman who is a radiance of desire, fulfillment, and love and later transforms into a beautiful embodiment of desire. Matsuda skillfully depicts this transformation. Tatsuya Fuji, as Ishida, starts with a domineering attitude, but eventually shifts to a wholly giving posture, surrendering to Sada’s overwhelming presence. Both actors are in perfect harmony.
Direction and Style
Nagisa Oshima, the noted Japanese New Wave filmmaker, was always politically, culturally controversial. With In the Realm of the Senses, he attempted to portray fiction using the film as a medium that was deemed too liberal for cinema. It is very few films that are devoid of a score. This is the only one, with the exception of noises accompanying the inn, Tokyo, or breathing of the lovers. The absence of classical music coupled with the soft ambient sounds serve to bolster realism, making the viewer an intruder into a very intimate space. The impact of this approach becomes tangible in the film.
Oshima’s camera work is most notable for its stillness. Rather than using cutaways or zooming in and out dramatically, he frequently employs long static shots. This produces a sense of calm, contrasting with the emotional and sexual fervor of the content. Even as the subject matter becomes more extreme, the visual style remains intentionally calm and restrained.
Perhaps most controversially, Oshima opted for real unsimulated sex between the lead actors. This choice caused global anger and censorship conflicts, culminating in the film being banned or heavily edited in numerous countries upon release. To circumvent Japan’s obscenity laws, it was produced using French funds and processed outside of Japan, deepening the film’s provocative character.
The film’s sub-argument revolves the concept of S giving up control and masochistically surrendering one’s self to the other.
Essentially, In the Realm of the Senses revolves around the concepts of power, possession, and the elimination of boundaries, whether it is between pleasure and pain, love and madness, or life and death. The sexual bond created by Sada and Ishida is neither healthy nor idealized; it is a spiraled descent into co-dependency and destruction.
Equally important is the historical background of this film. It was released 1976, during which the film could be considered a social critique because of its take on the evolving perception of sexuality, gender roles, as well as censorship. Oshima is using the personal rebellion of Sada and Ishida to critique Japan’s inflexible social hierarchy and the risks posed by rampant nationalism. Their defiance conjures dual feelings of freedom and horror.
The feminist interpretations also differ greatly. For some, Sada embodies a woman reclaiming her sexual agency while in a daughter-state, whereas for others, she is a portrayal of a woman possessing destructive jealousy and madness. The complexity and depth of her character provides room for interpretation and the film furnishes no easy morals.
Reception and Legacy
In the Realm of the Senses was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 76, where it received a mixed reception. While some called it a work of erotic art and bold artistic statement, others went further to call it pornography. The film was banned in several countries including its home country Japan, where it was only allowed to be shown in a censored version.
However, the film’s reputation has grown over the years. It is now considered a major work of world cinema—a film which broke boundaries of sexuality on film, explored censorship, realism, and art, and sparked debate on castration art. It influenced other filmmakers like Bernardo Bertolucci, Lars von Trier, and Catherine Breillat.
Nagisa Oshima, who died in 2013, never changed his defense of the film. His position that eroticism deserves serious consideration in cinema—and that the human form should not be off-limits to artists—has been embraced by many other filmmakers and critics.
Final Remarks
In the Realm of the Senses is a challenging film. Its intimacy, while striking, is also deeply unsettling. And yet, it is one of the most bold and rich philosophically works ever made in exploring love, obsession, and the human body. It demands the audience examine where passion simmers but possession ignites; whether utter surrender in love is freedom or incurs total obliteration.
In the Realm of the Senses, for those who are willing to engage with its intensity and ambiguity, offers a haunting, unforgettable cinematic experience. It remains as a powerful testimony of the capacity of cinema to delve into the deepest – and darkest – recesses of the human spirit.
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