“A sensual, sensationalist work like nothing that has ever previously been seen”
– Anton Bitel / Little White Lies

“A continually astonishing piece of work – by the end you may feel somewhat dazed and bewildered.”
– Ian Berriman / SFX Magazine

“As an example of Japanese ’60s weirdness it has yet to be topped”
– Kim Newman / Empire Magazine

“Certainly clutches your attention”
– Nora Sayre / The New York Times 8.11.1974

“Modern-day provocateurs such as Takashi Miike (Audition) and Shinya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo) have [Masumura] to thank.”
– Steve Rose / The Guardian

“Often considered Masumura’s last great masterpiece — The most explicit in terms of its sexual content and its violence, the film centers on a blind sculptor (Eiji Funakoshi), who, along with his mother (Noriko Sengoku), kidnaps a model (Mako Midori, who gives one of the most viscerally compelling, physically demanding performances I’ve ever seen) so that he can pioneer a new form of ‘sensation’ based art. With shades of The Collector, La Captive, and even Boxing Helena, Masumura pushes the boundaries of believability—and taste—to explore the dangerous yet alluring power of giving into sensual pleasure above all else.” – Marya E. Gates / RogerEbert.com