Oshima's last film to date is only the fourth of his that I've watched - following IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES (1976), EMPIRE OF PASSION (1978) and, more recently while in Hollywood, DEATH BY HANGING (1968) - and it's arguably one of his strongest and most compelling efforts, proving that his considerable talent didn't dissipate with the passage of time.
As is the director's fashion and, indeed, the title itself would suggest, the film treats the controversial issue of homosexuality in a school for samurai during the 1900s. Thankfully, though, there's no graphic display of sexuality here - as was the case with the pornographic REALM; what we do get, however, is an exquisitely photographed recreation of the period (utilizing red and blue filters for maximum effect), set to a simple but evocative score from Ryuichi Sakamoto.
The cast is surprisingly headed by Takeshi Kitano under his acting nom-de-plume of "Beat" Takeshi and, as always, he delivers a quietly impressive performance; the fight scenes, while not particularly spectacular apart from a couple of bloody beheadings, create the required tension and certainly keep one watching. The latter stages of the film, which involves a hunt for the serial killer of homosexual samurai(!), provide a welcome touch of mystery and lead to an unexpected but wholly satisfying conclusion.
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