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I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Aya Sugimoto is one of the most beautiful Japanese actresses I have laid eyes on. And, she gives a daring and courageous performance, prepared to do whatever her director, Takashi Ishii, desires to bring an authenticity and dramatic depth towards a female character treated with the utmost hostility, sexual degradation, rape and bonafide humiliation through some shocking acts of indecent behavior towards her by a powerful 95 year old Yakuza king whose stoic, deeply serious lieutenant assists in continuing the success of a underground establishment, known as The Coliseum, where they service a secret society of the most wealthy and elite with sex & torture shows. Sugimoto portrays a popular tango dancer, Shizuko Tôyama, whose weak, alcoholic husband, a president of a business going under, has sold her to the elderly Yakuza boss to pay off serious debts. Her husband regrets this decision and plans to bring her home, but discovers that Shizuko seems to be enjoying the depraved and violently sexual conduct performed in front of a costumed crowd. The film before Shizuko is kidnapped, displays how her marriage is quietly dying and that she has been having recurring S&M fantasies. So, in a dark sense of irony, what she had often dreamed is coming true. Her kickboxing female bodyguard, Kyôko Nojima(Misaki), is also kidnapped and sexually molested and mistreated. While the old man and his lieutenant look on from a room through a wide screen at the shows presented for their "entertainment", Shizuko is put through a rigorous and highly exhausting series of "performances", her life in possible danger if she doesn't cooperate. Any attempts to escape seem futile. The ending opens a possibility that the torture shows and those behind them may not be what they seem.The film seems built to shock, but is incredibly well made and probably the most artistic representation of S&M mistreatment ever made. Or, one of the best. While Ishii doesn't exactly wallow in the fine details, there's enough indecency and deviant behavior to satisfy the kind of crowd yearning for so. The acting by the cast, especially from Sugimoto who is superb, is quite good. But, prepare for a lot of startlingly unpleasant sequences involving Shizuko, including a disturbing "reinactment" of Christ's crucifixion between two thieves, and our heroine's decision to make love with the very old Yakuza sleaze bag who uses his tongue to caress throughout her rope-bound body. A definite signature of torture in this film is how Shizuko, and Nojima, are often bound tightly to wood by rope...you can actually hear the sound and see the expressions of pain which really sell these scenes which are certain to make a few wary viewers squirm. There is a LOT of nudity, and Sugimoto often is featured naked, her fantastic physique put to the test often. It takes a committed performer to put herself through what this role demands.

The first of director Takashi Ishii's own versions of this tale of BDSM and honour, following the very first in 1974. Here we have a much more sexy tale, a lot of the edge has been smoothed away. We still have an enema scene of sorts here but it is by no means as central to the lead character's degradation as it was in the first films. So, whilst this film will appear totally unacceptable to the average film-goer, it is much easier and less uncomfortable to fans of extreme Japanese cinema. In some ways this may be a more transgressive movie because we do come extremely close here to an acceptance, possibly an enjoyment and even an empowerment as a result of the pain, suffering and ultimate 'showing of the real face'. Having said all that for those partial to the sight of female bodies in exquisite bondage, this is the movie for you. Pubic hair is also, unusually, on view and this is certainly the greatest film ever made featuring extreme bondage and ballroom dancing. The men come off very badly, as usual, spending all their time in power games whilst they hand the power straight to the ladies.

Takashi (ANGEL GUTS series, EVIL DEAD TRAP) Ishii has succeeded in making an extremely sexy and interesting film. Apparently an adaptation of some Japanese S&M novel (I don't have time to read anymore - too much sleaze to watch...) which has been made into film several times - FLOWER AND SNAKE has more sexy rope-bondage and humiliation action than you can shake your dong at...and get this...even has a pretty decent storyline.Shizuko is a famous Japanese tango dancer whose husband sells her out to the Yakuza. Seems the 95 year old Yakuza leader has a thing for the beautiful rug-cutter, and will do anything necessary to possess her. The leader's henchmen hatch a plan with the begrudging help of Shizuko's husband - who agree to cancel his debt if he gives up his wife. Kidnapped, along with her sexy female bodyguard and her driver, Shizuko and crew are taken to a place called The Coliseum, where rape and snuff torture shows are played out for high-class clientelle. The driver is killed early on (no big deal - I'm here for the rope-bondage, not a sausage party...) and Shizuko and her hot bodyguard are repeatedly bound, raped, and humiliated for the pleasure of the ancient Yakuza boss for pretty much the rest of the film. There is more to the "story" then that, but I don't wanna give away too much - plus honestly - who cares? I'm on this one to see smokin' Japanese chicks get brutally molested...But seriously, FLOWER AND SNAKE starts off pretty tame and really gets going after the first half-hour or so. The bondage and humiliation scenes are more sexy than "rough" as Shizuko and her bodyguard are bound with ropes and contorted into a bunch of wood-inducing positions. There's lots of protracted close-ups on various female body parts, tons of nekkidness, and one of the highlights: an "intersting" dildo mask double-penetration rape sequence that ends in a forced golden-shower. There's even a decent amount of full-frontal for a Japanese feature (guess they're starting to relax their "no-bush on film" laws...) and tons of tits-n'-ass. I pray for the day that Japan starts allowing film-makers to "show-all" - cuz if FLOWER AND SNAKE would have been a little more explicit - it would have gotten an 11. That being said, I'm surprised at how "tasteful" and professional the film is for the subject matter. It really doesn't come off as a fetish film, though 70% of the films run-time is basically watching chicks being bound and humiliated. Ishii somehow deftly weaves a story of obsession, betrayal, despair, and strength out of a bunch of nudie shots. The ending leaves a bit to be desired (as most Japanese films these days do...) and knocks it down just a bit for me. Overall, I would recommend FLOWER AND SNAKE for sleaze fans who would like to see something a little more "artistically" sexy than your average fetish film - but still wanna see some goods. 8.5/10 (would have been 20/10 if there would have been some explicit snatch shots...)

Remind me of Nicholas Cage's 8mm about smurf films and Stanley Kubrik's wild and last Eyes Wide Shut(mind my spelling if some are wrong). Other than that, too complicated and obsessed for sex, nude, violence, to comprehend what it's trying to say, like many other Japanese flicks. Maybe it's not about understanding what the movie is trying to say, but just movie as it is. Well, at least the actress is pretty, seems a little old for all that bold numerous nude shots. I wonder how much she, the character, suffered 'and' enjoyed the whole ordeal. She DID enjoyed it, I think!!! I probably will not watch it again nor buy a DVD. But, it was good strange flick. I enjoy change of scenery time to time. Ciao^^