"In the Realm of Passion"
(Empire of Passion)
1978
Directed by Nagisa Oshima

Oshima follows up his notorious In the Realm of the Senses with the story of a peasant woman who, with the help of her lover, kills her husband. Their future hopes wither, however, when the injured party returns from the dead to haunt and endlessly torment them. This sad tale of two lovers consumed by the very passion that they seek is presented to the viewer amidst a somber landscape of embattled moods and emotions, tragic cruelty and overwhelming calm--and the forceful performances and superb photography of this gripping film are unified under Oshima's remarkable lyrical style. Empire of Passion earned him the award of Best Director at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival. Starring Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Tatsuya Fuji and Takuzo Kawatani. Japanese with yellow English subtitles.
110 minutes.