In the Realm of the Senses is either a bold exploration of obsession and power, or a repetitive, awkwardly acted, pornographic film that confuses shock with depth—it depends on how you look at it. One of the most controversial films of the 1970s, it was directed by Japanese New Wave icon Nagisa Ōshima and based on the infamous 1936 case of Sada Abe, a woman who strangled her lover during sex and carried his severed genitals in her kimono. Known for challenging social and political norms, Ōshima used this sensational true story to attempt a character study on desire and control. Unable to make the film under Japan’s strict censorship laws, he secured French funding and shot it independently, later facing legal battles over its content. Even today, the film remains censored in Japan.
Ōshima takes an explicit, often pornographic approach to depict the couple’s obsessive relationship. This certainly captures their physical intensity, but it strips away emotional complexity. The film raises questions about taboo, power, and repression, but those themes often feel pushed aside by the repetitive focus on sex.
Cinema often relies on suggestion to build emotional impact, leaving space for viewers to imagine what’s too intimate or intense to show. By choosing to display everything, In the Realm of the Senses trades nuance for bluntness. Whether it’s inserting a boiled egg during foreplay, having public sex during a parade, or the infamous final act of strangulation and mutilation, the film presents these moments without buildup or reflection. Its early scenes may be striking, but the repetition sets in quickly, and the film soon becomes emotionally flat and one-note. It’s hard to stay engaged when everything is laid bare from the start, leaving little space for the characters—or the audience—to evolve beyond discomfort.
The film’s unfiltered style also raises questions about the actors’ involvement. Both are exposed physically and emotionally, which at times makes the film feel more exploitative than insightful. By the end, you’re left wondering whether these characters truly love each other, or if their final act feels more like something imposed by the film itself, in its effort to keep pushing limits.
There’s a critique of societal repression buried in the narrative, but it often feels like an afterthought. Its blunt, relentless style ends up diluting what it’s trying to say. In the Realm of the Senses is a historically important film—but a strangely hollow experience.