Name: Mian ju
Genre: Drama
Released: 1974-06-12
Duration: 1 h 45 min
Rating: 6
Cast: Chin Han, Tina Chin-Fei, Ti Ai

This lurid, ultra-stylish expose on the 1970's Hong Kong modeling circuit, is something to behold. Chin Han plays the handsome guy from the small village, who comes to Hong Kong to seek his fortune, only to find himself at a job interview, where he is asked by a beautiful woman, to remove his clothing. Being an ambitious sort, the man complies, and soon finds himself caught up in a very strange reality. Treated like a slab of meat by powerful women, who demand more than he can give, Han ultimately disappoints everyone in his life, and moves from place to place, and bed to bed. Older women, young women, even a miserable old woman with no legs (!) expect not only sex from this guy, but also love, devotion, and total submission. Soon, Han finds himself alone, and is forced to move in with a sexually confused man, who he finds out too late, is Han's only true friend.

"Sex For Sale" broke new ground for Hong Kong cinema, in it's frank look at the darker side of sexuality. "Shaw Brothers" studio, the producers of classic, countless Kung fu films, also put forth some sexy films like this, and the result is quite fascinating. Shot with some impressive production values, as was typical for Shaw Brothers films, "Sex For Sale" features amazing, candy colored sets, cutting edge 70's fashion, and beautiful people. The sex scenes are very tasteful, and the raunchy jazz score makes them seem even sexier. This is a depressing film to be sure, but worth the trouble it will take to track down. What makes the film unique is that there is no "good guy" to root for. The main character isn't very sympathetic, and he does some unsavory things to get ahead and to survive, and he seems to have no control over his own sex-drive. But he is gullible; and sometimes just plain stupid, and that makes him somehow innocent. And that makes the viewer care about him. This is a smart film and it's jaded look at the 1970's swinging scene is fascinating. Reminiscent of films like "Midnight Cowboy" but i think it more closely resembles "American Gigolo."

Mandarin-language cinema across Mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore explores historical reflection, cultural identity, and personal sacrifice, often expressed through poetic visuals and sweeping narratives. In Mainland China, this takes the form of allegory and large-scale epics that reflect on national history. Taiwan emphasizes intimate modernist realism, generational change, and the search for identity. Singapore contributes stories of migration, multiculturalism, and the negotiation of tradition in a globalized city.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

A man that's down on his luck gets work as a male model. The people around him are interested in more than professional reasons and his naivety gets him into sexual situations he doesn't fully understand.

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Chin Han and Eva Lin in Sex for Sale (1974)

Sex for Sale

Photos2

Top Cast20

User reviews2

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed