Joshuu sasori: Dai-41 zakkyo-bô (1972)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Shunya Ito

Writer:

Tooru Shinohara (comic)

Release Date:

30 December 1972 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Crime

Plot:

Matsu, known to the prisoners as Scorpian, is locked away in the bowels of the prison as revenge for...

Plot Keywords:

Warden | Punishment | Escape | Brutal | Humiliation

Cast

Meiko Kaji	...	Matsu (Sasori)
Fumio Watanabe	...	Inspector Goda
Kayoko Shiraishi	...	Oba
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Yuki Arasa		(as Yuki Aresa)
Hiroko Isayama
Yukie Kagawa	...	Haru
Hosei Komatsu
Gôzô Sôma		(as Gôzô Sôma)

Also Known As:

Female Convict Scorpion Jailhouse 41 (USA)
Scorpion: Female Prisoner Cage #41 (USA) (video catalogue title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:18 (SPIO/JK)

Company:

Toei Company

Movie Connections:

Followed by Shin joshuu sasori: 701-gô (1976)

Visually exciting...

I was fortunate to see this film on the big screen and I was very impressed with the cinematography. There isn't much character development, but the simmering hatred between Scorpion and a rival inmate creates significant tension. Those who enjoy Eastwood's "man with no name" films, other unusual Japanese films from the same time period (Black Tight Killers, Ecstasy of the Angels, etc.) will find this interesting... my only caveats have to do with the rape scenes, which for some reason often find their way into offbeat Japanese films. Some of the scenes aren't entirely fulfilling... at times I wished for more (unbelievably) violence so the characters are more fully able to avenge themselves. Some of the editing is a little awkward, but there are a few scenes that have breathtaking cinematography... particularly in the hut toward the end of the film where the camera focuses on Scorpion as the contents of the hut rotate around her... and the amazing transition "dream" scene on the bus. Great stuff... I thoroughly enjoyed it. Will be buying on DVD....

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I wrote that review in 2001, but thought I'd add a comment four years later. This film has worked it's way into my subconscious and has become one of my all-time favorites. Not only do I own the U.S. DVD, but the Japanese Region 2 as well (the print quality is much higher... no English subtitles, though). I have since seen all four of the Sasori films, and this film (Joshuu sasori: Dai-41 zakkyo-bô), the second in the series, is the best one.