Debauchery (1983)
Director: Hidehiro Ito
Where to get it: Synapse/Impulse/CAV
Celebrating 100 years of NIKKATSU PRODUCTIONS, Impulse Pictures is proud to present THE NIKKATSU EROTIC FILMS COLLECTION, a continuing series of critically acclaimed, classic “eroductions” designed to shock and titillate fans of erotic cinema. The sexy Ryôko Watanabe stars as Ami, a jaded housewife who pitches herself, body and soul, into the Tokyo decadence of the decade in an attempt to pep up her marriage. She secretly joins the elite “Madame Machiko Society Club” to experiment with discrete sex games and the thrill of making love to anonymous men. The sexual perversion and sick depravity she is subjected to, by her clients, is much more than she bargained for. Bondage, beads and whips are only the beginning! Can she escape this secret life she has chosen, or will it destroy her forever?
On the surface one could be quick to jump to conclusions and write off Debauchery as just some soft-core sex movie. But that isn’t entirely the case. Yes, the movie does pack some weird fetish and sex filled moments, but the movie also packs a very strong story that has a pull to it to draw the viewer in. And I do mean more than just the eye appealing sight of naked Asian women on the screen for the majority of the film. Which, if you couldn’t already guess, doesn’t hurt things at all either. Pretty soon the film dives into the weird and strange images that Asian cinema is known for, and it really becomes a sight to see. And I do mean that in a positive way.
One thing about this film, besides strong characters and strong plot that keeps you interested, is the film’s overall look. Synapse, under their Impulse banner here, do what they always do and make an old film look outstanding. It might be hard to believe this is a film as old as the reviewer typing here as you watch, and that’s a kudo to the company, they always deliver. And the movie delivers as well. From it’s erotic nature to it’s strange, yet fitting, ending. I don’t think you’ll have a thing to be uninterested in when this film is on your TV. If you like erotic films, you should probably love this one. It has what many of those lack, a solid plot.
(7/10)
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