Empire of Passion

"Ai no Borei", masterfully crafted by renowned director Nagisa Ôshima, offers a unique blend of eroticism, horror, and drama. Released in 1978, this Japanese film captivates audiences with its surreal and ghostly narrative.

The film follows the tale of a forbidden affair between a younger man and an older woman, Seki, and their subsequent plot to murder her husband, Gisaburo. What follows is a steamy and guilt-ridden journey as the lovers are haunted by the ghost of the murdered man, their perfect plot unraveling amidst local gossip and a police investigation.

Ôshima's direction is a standout feature of this film. He masterfully weaves a complex web of emotions, where the characters' deepest passions and desires are laid bare. The cinematography, though hindered by the quality of some releases, boasts beautiful scenes that have inspired later films, such as "Ringu" and its American remake, "The Ring". The use of specific angles, such as the view of the well from inside, showcases Ôshima's attention to detail and visual storytelling.

The performances are equally impressive, with actors embodying the guilt, passion, and complexity of their characters. The surreal and supernatural elements add depth to the narrative, enhancing the emotional impact of the film.

"Ai no Borei" is a must-watch for fans of Ôshima's work and those seeking a unique blend of eroticism and the supernatural. The film's exploration of guilt and passion in the midst of a surreal love story will leave a lasting impression, showcasing Ôshima's distinct style and talent for pushing boundaries.

In 1895, in a small village in Japan, the wife of the litter carrier Gisaburo (Takahiro Tamura), Seki (Kazuko Yoshiyuki), has an affair with a man twenty-six years younger, Toyiji (Tatsuya Fuji). Toyiji becomes jealous of Gisaburo and plots with Seki to kill him. They strangle Gisaburo and dump his body inside a well in the woods, and Seki tells the locals that Gisaburo moved to Tokyo to work. Three years later, the locals gossip about the fate of Gisaburo, and Seki is haunted by his ghost. The situation becomes unbearable to Seki and Toyiji when a police authority comes to the village to investigate the disappearance of Gisaburo.

"Ai no Borei" is a surreal and supernatural love story. The remorse and the guilty complex of Seki make her see the ghost of her murdered husband, spoiling the perfect plot of her lover. The cinematography is jeopardized by the quality of the VHS released in Brazil, but there are very beautiful scenes, inclusive "Ringu" and the American remake "The Ring" use the view of the well from inside in the same angle. The performances and direction are excellent making "Ai no Borei" a great movie. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Império da Paixão" ("The Empire of Passion")

In the Realm of the Senses is a beautifully filmed, well-written, and splendidly acted film. It tells the haunting story of a woman who kills her husband after falling in love with another man. The ghost of her husband continues to haunt her lond after his murder. This film is really good, anyone interested should definitely check it out.

Empire of Passion is Nagisa Oshima's follow up to his infamous 1976 film In the Realm of the Senses. Based on a novel by Itoko Namura, Empire details the love affair between a young soldier and an older woman.

Toyoji is becoming more and more obsessed with Seki, the wife of a rickshaw jockey. He begins by bringing her little treats and having tea with her while her husband is at work, then eventually works his way up to raping her. Of course, seeing as this is a Japanese film, Seki ends up enjoying the rape and falls head over heels for Toyoji.

The only problem facing the newfound couple's domestic bliss is Seki's husband, Gisaburo. Fortunately, Toyoji thinks of a solution - homicide. So the pair hatch a plan wherein Seki will ply her husband with sake, then when he is well and truly sloshed, Toyoji will pop in for a drive-by strangulation, thus leaving the two in peace.

Everything goes according to plan and the couple dump Gisaburo's body in a disused well. Now they are free to live happily ever after… or are they? When the village-people begin to gossip about Gisaburo's death and his ghost starts appearing to Seki, her daughter and random townsfolk in their dreams and, finally, reality, Seki and Toyoji begin to get a little worried.

Intertwined with the doomed lovers scenario is a traditional Japanese ghost story. Gisaburo returns as a vengeful ghost and harasses Seki while having her serve him sake and gives her a ride in his rickshaw, but in the end gets his retribution.

Empire of Passion is an entirely different film than In the Realm of the Senses, for one it has none of the explicit sex, perverse fetishes or indeed the powerful emotional pull that Senses has (no penis-lopping here folks). It's true that both films portray fanatical love affairs and show the lengths two people bloated with love can go to but they do it in two completely different ways.

In contrast to In the Realm of the Senses, which had an obsessive/possessive female lead, Empire of Passion has a young male playing the role of the infatuated lover. But once Toyoji conquers Seki and has her all to himself he begins to loose interest and she becomes the insecure one. The couple of sex scenes that are shown are not shot from an intimate, candid angle like Senses but more from a voyeur's point-of-view.

All in all Empire of Passion is a decent portrayal of illicit love set against the gorgeous backdrop of the Japanese forest. See this if you have a fondness for arty love stories and/or vengeful ghost tales.

A nightmarish tale of guilt and retribution, mixing eroticism and horror, Nagisa Oshima's Empire of Passion marks the director's only true kaidan venture, one of immense passion and offbeat humour. It's a bizarre mix of genres but one Oshima handles well, making fantastic use of Yoshio Miyajima's photography and the compelling performances, taking a very simplistic story and structure and delivering it well. The film does tend to meander quite a lot, with long sections not benefitting the tone or atmosphere the rest of the film builds upon, but regardless, this is a rather savage and unrelenting experience even if the ghostly aspects of its story are relatively cheesy, detailing the emotional and physical downfall a murder has on the individual.