Unholy Desire
Unholy Desire or Intentions of Murder (赤い殺意, Akai Satsui, literally "Red Murderous Intent") is a 1964 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura.[1][2] This film embodies many of the central interests in Imamura's career including strong, lower-class women who survive in spite of their oppressive surroundings, and an earthy, humorous approach to sex.[3]
| Unholy Desire / Intentions of Murder | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover to Unholy Desire (1964) | |
| Directed by | Shohei Imamura |
| Produced by | Masayuki Takagi |
| Written by | Shinji Fujiwara (story) Keiji Hasebe Shohei Imamura |
| Starring | Masumi Harukawa Kō Nishimura Shigeru Tsuyuguchi Yūko Kusunoki Ranko Akagi |
| Music by | Toshirō Mayuzumi |
| Cinematography | Shinsaku Himeda (as Masahisa Himeda) |
| Edited by | Matsuo Tanji |
| Distributed by | Nikkatsu Corporation, Toho Company Ltd. (USA) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 150 min. |
| Language | Japanese |
Plot
The film tells the story of a dull, plump housewife living in poverty with a common-law husband. After being raped by a thief, she is repeatedly accosted by him as he falls madly in love with her. Stuck between her adulterous, unloving husband and the rapist she struggles to find happiness.[4][5]
Cast
- Masumi Harukawa - Sadako Takahashi
- Kō Nishimura - Koichi Takahashi
- Shigeru Tsuyuguchi - Hiraoka
- Yūko Kusunoki - Yoshiko Masuda
- Ranko Akagi - Tadae Takahashi
- Tomio Aoki
- Yoshi Katō - Seizo Takahashi
- Tanie Kitabayashi - Kinu Takahashi
- Seiji Miyaguchi - Genji Miyata
- Shoichi Ozawa - Kazuyuki Tamaru
Reception
Jeva Lange says "Intentions of Murder is one of the oddest yet most rewarding pieces in Imamura's considerable repertoire."[6]
See also
References
External links
- Unholy Desire at IMDb
- Intentions of Murder. film review at midnighteye.com
- "赤い殺意 (Akai Satsui)" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
- Intentions of Murder: Eros and Civilization an essay by James Quandt at the Criterion Collection