1/3 Lover (1993) User Reviews (2)

Just drags on way too long

[Musicianmagic · 5/10 · 10 December 2023]

This is a Hong Kong Cat III movie. For those that don't know what that means. It means a lot of either violence or sex to push the envelope as far as Hong Kong law allowed at the time but sometimes with an excellent story. In this case it's for the sex but a very weak story.

Have to mention that the star of this movie is Rena Murakami from Japan. She was best known for starring in Sex and Zen, a classic Cat III movie. She also previously was in several (JAV) Japanese adult videos (Junko Kanô who is also in the cast was in several JAV movies in the 1980's) in the late 1980's. There is quite a bit of nudity and several sex scenes in this movie but not very explicit if that is what you are looking for. It goes as far as the law allowed at the time. They also are not very erotic.

The story is of Mona who married a very old, horny man with a bad heart condition for his money. But she also has some kind of debt which is never made completely clear, to a police detective. In the intro of the movie, Mona is pursued by a cop who is trying to apprehend Mona for the detective but Mona gets his gun and kills the cop. The old man's adopted (from a friend that died) son/nephew Wai is in love with Mona as well. Mona's cousin May comes to live with them and of course thinks she's in love with Wai. The rest of the story kind of meanders around so it can lead to the next sex scene. That is until the last 15 minutes. Then we get a sex scene that leads to a little action and the movie's finale. I don't want to give it away or there would be no need to watch this movie! The last 15 minutes were very good but the one hour and ten minutes to get there are not. It just seemed to drag on way too long.

The acting was alright. Nothing great but not awful. It just needed a better script or just more story. There are so many excellent Hong Kong Cat III movies but this is not one of them.

Why were men wearing ponytails in the 80s and 90s?

[J_Charles · 13 January 2012]

Rena Murakami from "Sex and Zen" parades around in the nude for much of this movie. My version had poor audio and no subtitles so it was hard to follow the story, but I'm guessing that Rena, who commits a murder in self-defence. Somehow this leads to us seeing her household that includes her super old, super horny husband who is bed ridden and needs full time nursing (although with his healthy libido you wonder what could be ailing him), a young man who's got the hots for her, Rena's younger cousin who's got the hots for him, and a few servants who keep getting naked together.

The comic relief provided by the old man and the sexed up servants contrasts with the performances by Rena and the rest who seem to be trying to play it straight. The sex scenes are mostly played for comedic effect although watching Rena's beautiful lithe form writhing on an old man who's bound and screaming for her to release him so that he can fondle her is a bit unsettling - the eroticism of Rena being wiped out by the old man's protestations - leaving me feeling rather un-jovial and only a little turned on despite the beautiful female form before me.

There's a later sex scene between the cousin and the young man that takes place outdoors in the fog. I don't know this actress's name but I actually found her body to be even more appealing that Rena's. Too bad the fog and her co-star got in the way. For those of you who were around in the 80s and 90s you can watch this guy and wonder, why did pony-tails on men ever become popular? Anyways, Rena and the young man eventually become a couple and have a few outdoor sex scenes as well before the grand finale.

5/10