The Cruel History of Prisoners (1976)

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The Cruel History of Prisoners (1976)

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This film just fascinates me. I like to picture a meeting in a conference room at Shin Toho Studios in late 1975 or maybe early 1976. A number of Japanese men in suits, looking the part of serious businessmen, sit around a table and discuss what kind of movies they are going to make. Suddenly, someone suggests an anthology film about vaginal mutilation. There is some hesitation but the vote in unanimous. CRUELTY OF THE FEMALE INQUISITION (Zankyaku Onna Keishi) is given the go ahead and Shinya Yamamoto is brought on board as director.

When I said anthology film I wasn't kidding. CRUELTY OF THE FEMALE INQUISITION is a series of shortish episodes that take place at various points in Japanese history. The only thing they have in common is that at the end a vagina is ripped, torn, burned etc.

The first story takes place during the Meiji Period (1868-1912). A general comes home from war only to find his daughter having an affair with some young lad. She must be punished! So they stick some bamboo rod in her.

Second story is about a farmer who comes home from work to find his wife doing it with a priest. So he takes the huge scissors he used for work and stabs her in the crotch. Repeatedly.

The remaining stories concern an ukiyo-e artist's exploits, a princess having her vagina torn apart by a bunch of horny ninjas and a female convict having her labia roasted during interrogation.

Maybe this film is kinda messed up.

If you have seen Teruo Ishii's JOY OF TORTURE then you can probably picture how this film works structurally. I should also say that since this is a Japanese film and was made in the 70ies you never actually see any close ups of the genital mutilation. It's all very effectively suggested and sold through the actresses' performances.

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The Cruel History of Prisoners (1976)

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The Cruel History of Prisoners (1976)

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