Those viewers familiar with Japanese director Koyu Ohara's zany sex farces of the early '70s are in for quite a shock if they see this appallingly misogynistic excursion into sexual sadism. A vicious rape-killer terrorizes a city, while pretty Tomoko (Erina Miyai) unwittingly derails the investigation by fingering the wrong suspect. The predictable plot line, however, is lowered into the dark recesses of Sadean cinema by some of the most grotesque murders this side of "Giallo a Venezia". One scene has the killer inserting a lightbulb into his female victim and kicking her stomach until it shatters inside her. This is the sort of material that gave extreme pinku eiga films their bad reputation, and while it would be nice to call it atypical, it was successful enough in Japan to result in half a dozen sequels including lovingly surreal "Zoom In: Rape Apartments" by Naosuke Kurosawa. I saw "Zoom Up: Rape Site" during its brief theatrical run in Osaka, in 1980. It certainly left the lasting impression on me.

Japanese cinema is celebrated for its refined minimalist dramas and avant-garde experimentation; it also introduced popular genres like jidaigeki (samurai epics), kaiju, and anime. Across both high art and mass entertainment, it often explores morality, impermanence, and the pressures of modern life.

Hidetoshi Nishijima and Tôko Miura in Drive My Car (2021)

The serial killer subgenre features stories involving serial killers - individuals who commit a series of murders over a period of time, often with a distinct modus operandi or pattern. These stories delve into the psychology of both the killer and the individuals or law enforcement officials attempting to apprehend them.

Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman in Seven (1995)

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

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)

The horror genre features stories that aim to elicit fear, suspense, and a sense of dread in its audience. Horror stories often explore themes related to the unknown, the supernatural, and the macabre, and they frequently evoke strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, terror, and unease.

A young couple, meeting for a tryst at the site of a brutal rape/murder, witness another murder and have to decide whether to turn the killer in.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

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

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Ran Masaki in Beautiful Teacher in Torture Hell (1985)

Hiromi Namino in Star of David: Beautiful Girl Hunter (1979)

Junko Mabuki in Female Teacher Rope Hell (1981)

Zoom Up: Murder Site

Photos4

Top Cast11

User reviews3

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed