Shogun’s Sadism: Inferno of Torture

Cinema De Bizarre

DVD-R

Shogun’s Sadism: Inferno of Torture (1969) Tokugawa irezumi-shi: Seme jigoku aka Hell's Tattooers is a further film within Teruo Ishii’s exploration of Japanese eroticism torture, there were some eight in all. Ishii was were known for his eroto-grosteque films and this work, though early, are significant and challenging.

In my mind Shogun’s Sadism: Inferno of Torture is the most stylish and sophisticated of his “Japanese torture” films; filled with stunning cinematography, superior use of texture, shadow and light and an atmospheric score which even mainstream films would be proud of. The camera angles and slow movement over the subjects creates quite a mesmerizing experience.

Inferno of Torture does up the fetish stakes on Shogun's Joys of Torture (1968), for example there is a stronger emphasis on whippings, rope work and submission. It continues the themes of financial exploitation with a further focus on the seductive quality of the Tattoo. Certainly in this Ishii film the Tattoo is the central motif.

The film opens with a bang, a number of female criminals on crucifixes are knifed to death while three men on the ground have their heads sawed off. The film itself, however, is of the “less is more” school of genre filmmaking and uses violence and torture in a refined and stylized manner. That being said the end where a woman is tied upside down between two bent saplings and the ropes are cut causing her to be split in half down the middle while flying up into the air is a sight to see.

The character development is solid with a range of interesting personalities each telling their stories, while the two rival tattoo artists are the nexus of the tale; subplots are intertwined until the climax is unveiled. This allows a fascinating complex web of themes to be explored and for a two hour film it certainly keep your attentions.

This is another unique film from Teruo Ishii which combines exploitation cinema with a refined style, superior cinematography and a reflective plot which explores the nuances of Japanese culture. There is something beautiful about the way he captures the fragility of existence in his films, the fine line between life and death, love and hate, beauty and decay. His whole approach to cinema reminds me of the Japanese Cherry Blossom, which while beautiful only lasts a fraction of a moment and represents that delicate beauty you cannot hold onto and symbolizes for the transient nature of all life.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No.2 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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