Director: Yasuzo Masumura
Year: 1969
Country: Japan
Alternate Titles: Môjû; The Warehouse
Genre: Psychological Thriller; Exploitation
Plot:
After being kidnapped from her appointment, a model finds herself in the clutches of a blind artist and his mother who are looking to use her as the muse for a new art exhibition he’s preparing to make, but the longer they remain together the more their obsession and desire spill over into a dark madness.
Review:
This was a highly impressive psychological character study. Among the more enjoyable features here are the escalating tension and psychological revelations that emerge as the film carries on. With the film focusing heavily on the slow introduction of the girl to the strange world he has created with the impeccably designed studio layout offering the chance for a surrealist experience of the featureless but recognizable sculptures detailing the female form in various poses, it creates the kind of abstract setting that allows the unfolding psychological explorations to continue unabated. The surrealist atmosphere carries on with the way they carry out the early stages of the relationship where the constant pawing and groping of her nude body in the name of getting a feel for what to do with the sculpture he’s going to create while in the presence of his mother adds immeasurably to the kind of nightmarish scenario present here.
The second half here, as the film begins to explore the twisted and perverse desires of both the further this goes on. Not only is the frantic escape attempt doomed to fail but the aftermath results in a brutal rape that keeps her compliant to his whims, but the feverish and direct desire to finish the painting but being held up by the sudden realization that her actions have been intended to seduce him against his mother. This intermingling of storylines creates a highly unnerving and suspenseful setup that just combines together with the setting and atmosphere to make for a highly impressive and surreal setup that may or may not appeal to all out there. Those who aren’t interested or intrigued by the film, especially with the absurd antics and heavy nudity on display, can feel outright bizarre and unappealing as this carries on which doesn’t hold this back overall but does lower it somewhat.
Overview: ****/5
A strange and bizarre genre effort that has some really intriguing aspects as well as a host of problems relating to its highly unconventional tone and approach that will clearly not be for everyone out there. Those who are more adventurous and open with their cinematic tastes, as well as exploitation connoisseurs and fans of the creative crew, will be the most interested in this one while any viewer turned off by the style or approach of this one should heed caution.
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