In the Realm of the Senses shocked audiences globally with its sexually explicit story, so it’s probably why filmmaker Nagisa Ōshima went another direction with Empire of Passion. Despite the name, it’s considerably tamer than his previous feature. That isn’t to say there’s no sex (there still is). Instead of focusing on that aspect, Empire of Passion is more interested in the murder and the resulting uneasiness that comes of it. Because of this, it feels closer to a gothic romance than an erotic psychosexual drama, though Ōshima still unabashedly explores the taboo through the original novel’s cheating protagonists, pushing them to confront their terrible deed. Empire of Passion may be less erotic, but it’s no less provocative when it comes to examining twisted desire.
In a small Japanese village at the end of the 19th century, a rickshaw driver's wife takes on a much younger lover and the two conspire to murder him.
Japan, 1895. After years away from his hometown, rickshaw runner Gisaburo is happy to return to his wife Seki. Unfortunately for him, Seki has been having an affair with their younger neighbor Toyoji, and the both of them plan to kill him.
Honestly, this film will always be compared to In the Realm of the Senses, which is sort of unfair considering that both films are adaptations of different stories, but it also makes sense because of the way both films mirror each other.
This is why forcing women to shave down there is a red flag.
Cannes
1 win
