_Understanding the Obsession_, a psychological examination of the main character's sexual compulsions in Oshima's "In the Realm of the Senses".

Japanese Cinema 3/26/02 In the Realm of the Senses: Understanding the Obsession When Oshima Nagisa decided to take on the historical story of the prostitute Sada's eventually murderous affair with the husband of a brothel owner he chose to present a story of an event embroiled with passion, obsession, deception and gratuitous amounts of sex. With the choice that many consider daring and that was certainly avant-garde of pulling no punches in the portrayal of the …

…gawk at and still feel respectable afterwards. "In the Realm of the Senses" may not rank itself as a masterpiece of Japanese cinema, but it is certainly a cinematic hallmark of just how deep the denial of human sexuality and all it encompasses is in both Asia and the Occident , and to the analytical and patient viewer it will always provide a fascinating glimpse into art's ability to portray life in a frighteningly real state.