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This film's prequel, Flower
and Snake (Hana
to Hebi) is already available in
Western venues, and this sequel is no doubt coming your way soon.
I'll simply refer you to my previous
comments regarding the origin,
history and notoriety of the Hana to Hebi
legacy. One point I will reiterate here is that this is purely
BDSM-fetish (s)exploitation, marketed mainstream and wholesale (first
in Japan and thereafter internationally) through a successful
strategy of casting a highly renowned cast.
I'll also speak my mind here.
There is a universally intuited demarcation
between human sexual titillation and sexual abuse/assault. Let's call
this universal intuition "normalcy". I personally agree
whole-heartedly with "normalcy" and have no interest
whatsoever in debating it.
This film and its prequel, however, strives
earnestly to expand "normalcy" to the extent of including
"sexual abuse/assault". Of course such "abuse/assault"
is packaged very seductively and is cast with sexy characters more
than willing to undergo such humiliation onscreen. But at its core,
this is another rape fantasy film in line with director Ishii's
earlier work in the Angel
Guts series. |
