Empire of Passion

Empire of Passion
Film poster
Directed by Nagisa Oshima
Produced by Anatole Dauman
Written by Nagisa Oshima
Itoko Nakamura
Starring Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Tatsuya Fuji
Takahiro Tamura
Takuzo Kawatani
Akiko Koyama
Music by Toru Takemitsu
Cinematography Yoshio Miyajima
Edited by Keiichi Uraoka
Production
company
Oshima Nagisa Production
Distributed by Toho Towa
Release date
  • October 6, 1978 (1978-10-06) (Japan)
Running time
 108 minutes[1]
Country France
Japan
Language Japanese

Empire of Passion (愛の亡霊, Ai no Bōrei) is a 1978 French-Japanese film produced, written and directed by Nagisa Ōshima, based on a novel by Itoko Nakamura.[2][3] The film was a co-production between Oshima Prods. and Argos Films.[4] It was released in France as Fantom Amour.[5] Also released on DVD by Fox Lorber Films in 2000 under the title "In the Realm of Passion" (probably to more easily identify it as a type of indirect sequel to the 1976 film "In the Realm of the Senses" by the same director).

Plot

Set in Edo-period Japan, the plot revolves around a young man, Toyoji, who has an affair with an older woman, Seki. Toyoji is very jealous of Seki's husband and decides that they should kill him. One night, after the husband has had plenty of shōchū to drink and is in bed, they strangle him and dump his body down a well. To avert any suspicions, Seki pretends her husband has gone off to Tokyo to work. For three years Seki and Toyoji secretly see each other. Their relationship has moments of intense passion, but the young man starts to distance himself from Seki. Finally, suspicions in the village become very strong and people begin to gossip. To make matters worse, her husband's ghost begins to haunt her and the law arrives to investigate her husband's disappearance.

Cast

Release

The film was Japan's submission to the 51st Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.[6] The film was entered into the 1978 Cannes Film Festival, where Oshima won the award for Best Director.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Galbraith, Stuart (1994). Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. McFarland. p. 381.
  2. ↑ Galbraith, Stuart (1994). Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. McFarland. p. 381.
  3. ↑ "L' Empire de la passion". BFI Film & Television Database. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
  4. ↑ Galbraith, Stuart (1994). Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. McFarland. p. 381.
  5. ↑ Galbraith, Stuart (1994). Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. McFarland. p. 381.
  6. ↑ "List of Japanese films nominated for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film" (in Japanese). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
  7. ↑ "Festival de Cannes: Empire of Passion". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
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