Tokyo Decadence (1992)

Wonderfully offbeat film!

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

"Ai" (Miho Nikaido) is a 22-year old is a 22-year old prostitute who makes a living in the S&M market in which anything goes. For example, in the first scene she is bound, gagged and blindfolded while her client injects a hallucinogenic drug of some sort into her bare leg. What happens next is somewhat unclear and like the rest of the film is left for the viewer to figure out. Other scenes involve similar kinds of deviant sexual practices in which she is sometimes the receiver of punishment and other times the giver--but in all cases it is quite apparent that she doesn't relish either role. As a matter of fact, she tells one of her clients named "Mr. Ishioka" (Tenmei Kano) that she doesn't believe she is good at anything. This lack of self-confidence permeates her persona and causes her to lead a life in which she is always a victim. At least, that is how it seemed to me. Likewise, I believe this film also suggests that a large proportion of the men in Japan feel similarly humiliated in the eyes of the rest of the world possibly due to their conduct during World War 2. Hence the reason that the characters act in such a manner. Now having said that I must admit that my interpretation of this film might be incorrect and others may have discovered a completely different meaning. Or perhaps the film consists of nothing more than one repulsive scene after another and has no real meaning at all. In any case, I felt that almost all of the scenes were unnecessarily vulgar and obscene and wonder if perhaps the director (Ryû Murakami) lacked the ability to present his underlying theme any other way. Regardless, I found the movie to be rather long and boring and I have rated it accordingly. Below average.

I've never been to Tokyo, but this movie makes me feel as if I had. The city comes across as very modern, wealthy, but beneath it all soulless and materialistic. Prostitution is just a fact of life here.Ai, the main character, is a nice person who deserves something better than being a call girl. But for now, this is the best she can do.Her employer caters to the worst type of clients--the ones who get into S&M, bondage, domination, and other things that would never appear in a mainstream movie. This film is NOT for everyone.WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER! The best line in the entire movie is from one of the other hookers. She says that the Japanese are a very wealthy people, but not a proud one. This lack of self-respect and self-esteem explains the bizarre, often degrading behavior of their clients.Those who enjoy this movie should also check out Lizzie Borden's movie Working Girls. It's another matter-of-fact view of the sex trade.

I bought and viewed this film after reading reviews on the net and I must have got the cut version (117 mins ?)The fist half of the film sets up the scene quite well then the second half just loses the plot big time as the heroine goes bats for no apparent reason ! When she is the roll - playing call girl She agrees to everything that happens and then just whimpers all the way through leading us to think that her occupation has driven her to the edge to the extent that she meets basket case opera singers in the park for no reason ! This could have been good. The S & M scenes are realistic (not too much)but the threadbare storyline ruins it All in all vaguely unsatisfiying

A call girl who works for the S&M service went through 6 sessions of bizarre sexual adventure. She was abused physically and mentally by the clients. I think this movie is great because it gives you a view of Japanese sexual culture in the 90's. Overworked men seek excitment in perverted sexual endeavors. Women's status in a society can be seen through the degrading sexual practice. A great film for adults. However, if you are looking for sex go watch "In the realm of senses".