is a
1978
Events January
* January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213.
* January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd government).
* January 6 – ...
Japanese film in
Nikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio, founded in 1912 during the silent film era. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literal ...
's
''Roman porno'' series, directed by
Kōyū Ohara and starring
Naomi Tani
is a Japanese pink film actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's '' Roman Porno'' films with an S&M theme during the 1970s.
Life and career Early
Born October 20, 1948, in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka, Naomi Tani moved to Tokyo ...
.
Synopsis
Akiko is the heir to a yakuza clan. Hitoshi, who has been kicked out of the rival Hono Clan after attempting to seduce Akiko, kidnaps her at the behest of Hanamura. Hanamura has formed a new gang and intends to use Akiko as a hostage to take over her clan's territory. During the torture and abuse sessions which follow, Akiko comes to enjoy the treatment and forsakes her gangland empire.
Cast
*
Naomi Tani
is a Japanese pink film actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's '' Roman Porno'' films with an S&M theme during the 1970s.
Life and career Early
Born October 20, 1948, in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka, Naomi Tani moved to Tokyo ...
: Akiko
* Nami Aoki: Machiko
* Hirokazu Inoue: Saiji
* Hitoshi Takagi: Hitoshi Hanamura
* Kenji Fuji: Gorō
Background
''Rope Hell'' was based on
Oniroku Dan's novel .
Like much of
Oniroku Dan's works, ''Rope Hell'' uses the theme of a character who is changed through S&M sessions.
At the same time that he was creating such dark torture-fests as ''Rope Hell'',
Kōyū Ohara was also directing the bright and upbeat ''Pink Tush Girl'' films, which were popular with women as well as men.
Ohara had previously worked with
Naomi Tani
is a Japanese pink film actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's '' Roman Porno'' films with an S&M theme during the 1970s.
Life and career Early
Born October 20, 1948, in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka, Naomi Tani moved to Tokyo ...
in ''
Fascination: Portrait of a Lady'' (1977), and had teamed her with her on-screen tormentor in ''Rope Hell'', Hirokazu Inoue in ''
Fairy in a Cage
''aka'' ''Woman In a Cage'' is a 1977 Japanese pink film in Nikkatsu's ''Roman porno'' series, directed by Kōyū Ohara and starring Naomi Tani.
Synopsis
During the latter part of World War II, Judge Murayama, head of the Japanese military p ...
'' (also 1977).
Both of these films had also based on Dan's writings.
Critical appraisal
Allmovie judges ''Rope Hell'' to be an inferior film compared to ''
Fairy in a Cage
''aka'' ''Woman In a Cage'' is a 1977 Japanese pink film in Nikkatsu's ''Roman porno'' series, directed by Kōyū Ohara and starring Naomi Tani.
Synopsis
During the latter part of World War II, Judge Murayama, head of the Japanese military p ...
''.
In their ''Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films'', the Weissers also write that ''Rope Hell'' is not up to the quality of Ohara and Tani's previous work together, but comment positively on Ohara's visuals.
The Weissers judge Oniroku Dan's story to be more objectionable than some of his others, with the message that a woman will choose submission and reject self-expression if given the choice, to be clearer than in his other scripts.
Availability
''Rope Hell'' was released theatrically in Japan on June 24, 1978. It was released to home video in VHS format in Japan on February 6, 1998.
Bibliography
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Notes
{{Kōyū Ohara
1978 films
Films directed by Kōyū Ohara
1970s Japanese-language films
Nikkatsu films
Nikkatsu Roman Porno
1970s Japanese films