I have an extremely high tolerance for weird films and have seen many movies that the average person would never watch due to the oddness of the films. However, these weird pictures tend to fall into two categories: those which are weird but ultimately fun and those which are just weird and are not enjoyable in the least. In the former category, I'd put the films of Minoru Kawasaki. Such oddball films as "Rug Cop" (about a crime-fighting detective whose partner is a sentient wig) and "Executive Koala" (about a giant koala working in corporate Japan) are a hoot...as are a few of Takashi Miike's (such as "Happiness of the Katakuris" and "Zebraman" are a lot of fun). But then there are the odd films which are simply a chore to finish...such as a few of Miike's violent films ("Ichi the Killer"), David Lynch's "Eraserhead", Jodorowsky's "El Topo", and "R100" from Hitoshi Matsumoto. These latter films are just plain unpleasant and you wonder why they were made in the first place. And, finishing the film was NOT easy!
The film begins with a goofy premise but as the film progresses, it gets weirder and weirder...and totally confusing. A Japanese man has agreed to join a club for masochists. However, there is no nudity in the film and the club is odd in many ways. First, none of the activities take place in the club but in the real world. Second, once you join you cannot quit for the first year you are a member. Soon, leather-clad dominatrices come out of no where and begin abusing the heck out of the guy....smashing his food, beating him up in his company bathroom and even beating him on the street. There is no sexual element to it...just violent beatings. Later, when one of the women from this club dies, the hellish fury of the club is unleashed on the man and the ending is a long and violent confrontation....ending with an ending that will likely give you a headache!
To say I didn't enjoy watching the movie is an understatement.... I hated it. While the film didn't merit a 1 because it was competently made, the script is such that I cannot imagine many people enjoying it. Strange....just not good and strange is the best way to describe it.
The film begins with a goofy premise but as the film progresses, it gets weirder and weirder...and totally confusing. A Japanese man has agreed to join a club for masochists. However, there is no nudity in the film and the club is odd in many ways. First, none of the activities take place in the club but in the real world. Second, once you join you cannot quit for the first year you are a member. Soon, leather-clad dominatrices come out of no where and begin abusing the heck out of the guy....smashing his food, beating him up in his company bathroom and even beating him on the street. There is no sexual element to it...just violent beatings. Later, when one of the women from this club dies, the hellish fury of the club is unleashed on the man and the ending is a long and violent confrontation....ending with an ending that will likely give you a headache!
To say I didn't enjoy watching the movie is an understatement.... I hated it. While the film didn't merit a 1 because it was competently made, the script is such that I cannot imagine many people enjoying it. Strange....just not good and strange is the best way to describe it.