DramaRomanceHorror

Empire of Passion

- The haunting of a passionate love.

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.

Release Date : 1978-09-06

Language :Japanese

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : TOHO-TOWAArgos FilmsOshima Productions

Production Country : JapanFrance

Alternative Titles : Empire of PassionIn the Realm of PassionGhost of Love

Cast

Character Name : Gisaburo

Original Name : 田村高廣

Gender : Male

Character Name : Seki

Original Name : 吉行和子

Gender : Female

Character Name : Toyoji

Original Name : 藤竜也

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inspector Hotta

Original Name : 川谷拓三

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Master's Mother

Original Name : 小山明子

Gender : Female

Character Name : Toichiro

Original Name : 殿山泰司

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Master

Original Name : 河原崎建三

Gender : Male

Character Name : Odame

Original Name : 佐々木すみ江

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : 北村英三

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Takaaki Sugiura

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Akiyoshi Fujiwara

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oshin

Original Name : Masami Hasegawa

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : 木村立哉

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Osugi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kurazo

Original Name : 山本麟一

Gender : Male

Character Name : Orator

Original Name : 佐藤慶

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : 小林加奈枝

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : 三星東美

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : 新屋英子

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Tatsuya Kimura

Gender : Male

Reviews

talisencrw

@talisencrw

2021-06-23

I am a great fan of Ôshima's work, though unfortunately I have only seen previously six films of his, all between 1965's 'Pleasures of the Flesh' and 1976's extremely controversial 'In the Realm of the Senses'. This, like the latter, was a period piece that looked at a doomed relationship (this time in 1895), though far less scandalous in its sexuality, though still titillating nevertheless. Exiled and forced to work with the French in order to continue his passion, Ôshima's storytelling, through Yoshio Miyajima's gorgeous camerawork and another exemplary soundtrack by Japanese scoring genius, Tôru Takemitsu, and remarkably passion-ate performances by its stars, Tatsuya Fuji (who separated his shoulder, his acting was so intense) and Kazuko Yoshiyuki (who, I must admit, has the most amazing nipples I have ever seen), was great, earning him Best Director at Cannes. It seemed a reverse noir, with Fuji's Toyoji playing the seducer, and Yoshiuki's once-faithful wife being persuaded to be co-conspirator to her loving (but not fulfilling her desires) rickshaw-driver husband, not to mention a fine ghost story, with Gisaburo's very patient ghost taking three years to finally bring himself justice, by forcing the community to press the horribly-incompetent (almost as inept as Doug McGrath's Sergeant Nash in the original 'Black Christmas'!) Inspector Hotta to eventually torture confessions out of the ill-fated duo. Another film to see with the person you love!...