Intentions of Murder (Akai satsui, 1964)

"Intentions of Murder" is one of the first films of Imamura, filmed in the decade of the '60s (when it was still better known by his former aide prestigious collaborations like Yasujiro Ozu) than is currently recognized, one of the major directors of japanese cinema.
He has spoken often of his humanism and his film is almost a treatise on anthropology and the truth is that there are serious grounds to confirm this. May not exist in your country a filmmaker who has ever devoted so hard to study human nature, from the foundation of it. Imamura is a researcher, a searcher of emotions, an entomologist of people. This huge interest can be summarized in one of its most celebrated: "I am passionate about human beings, almost devoured with passion I feel for them." Although this passion never left him, it is also true that his early works a clearer focus research on the anthropological, from a more detailed account (including a greater length) to its own definition in the title: "Chronicle of Japan Entomological"; "The Pornographers: Introduction to Anthropology" and "Insect Woman", to name a few.

All of the above take more concrete sense, finds its best expression in "Akai Satsui" its misleading title, but this has little to do with a thriller because, above all, this is a new inquiry into human nature , a real drama without melo, without any concessions. And this includes new categories such as the portrait of the working classes more humble and disadvantaged, digging deeper, the world of women, women viewed from a progressive perspective when almost frowned upon to talk about feminism.

This is to include all previous budgets, one of the most genuine movies, more features Imamura film. Her heroine, Sadako, is a woman who, though subject to all their families, kept alive the gene of nonconformity and even rebellion. It is strong and is not intimidated easily, faces and seeks solutions to their problems and bad life.

To make matters worse, the movie, from beginning to end violence, it also contains priceless moments (to highlight two extraordinary sequences in the train, a dream and a real) that are humourous, of terrible blackness, including its final resolution.


7/10