A nightmarish tale of guilt and retribution, mixing eroticism and horror, Nagisa Oshima's Empire of Passion marks the director's only true kaidan venture, one of immense passion and offbeat humour. It's a bizarre mix of genres but one Oshima handles well, making fantastic use of Yoshio Miyajima's photography and the compelling performances, taking a very simplistic story and structure and delivering it well. The film does tend to meander quite a lot, with long sections not benefitting the tone or atmosphere the rest of the film builds upon, but regardless, this is a rather savage and unrelenting experience even if the ghostly aspects of its story are relatively cheesy, detailing the emotional and physical downfall a murder has on the individual.
Review of Empire of Passion
