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“Arresting and provocative… An authentic shocker.” - New York Times Another film from Shohei Imamura often muttered in the same breath as ‘masterpiece', Intentions of Murder (aka Unholy Desire) mixes sordid drama with social criticism in a delicate topic for the 60s - rape. Sadako is merely a simple country girl stuck in a bad marriage until she is raped by a burglar. The shame of this act pushes her to consider suicide - as society would expect - however, a particularly delicious meal renews her vigour for life and sees her perform a drastic about-face. Not only that, but Sadako's fantasies of revenge take an unexpected turn when she and the rapist who had seemingly destroyed her become lovers. Eventually, Sadako grows strong, dominating the household that was once her master.
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D Shohei Imamura P Masayuki Takagi S Keiji Hasebe, Shohei Imamura WS Nikkatsu L Japanese w/English subtitles TD 35mm/b&w/1964/150mins