Muscle (1989) User Reviews

Sato switches teams for an interesting journey

[fertilecelluloid · 6/10 · 1 July 2008]

I agree with another of this film's IMDb reviewers that it will be best enjoyed if you are gay; since I'm not, the erotic aspect left me cold. Still, this is a well made, serious foray into gay, S/M subculture by filmmaker Hisayasu Sato. When a photographer of muscle-bound men beds down with the man of his dreams, he enters a world of pleasure and pain that culminates in him chopping off his lover's arm with a samurai sword. The photographer is imprisoned for this act, but when he is released twelve months later, his sexual obsession with the (now) one-armed man returns. The film focuses on his obsessive search for the man, but takes a couple of detours along the way -- primarily, into the life of a couple who practice S/M. This is Sato all the way, from the drab, industrial locations to the subdued flesh tones. The climax packs a bunch, and is consistent with Sato's bleak world view. A sex scene between the two men that occurs early in the proceedings features extremely realistic cutting. Not a film I want to see again, but worth a look for the cinematically adventurous.

Was good until the last 20 minutes

[Musicianmagic · 5/10 · 26 December 2023]

This is another of Hisayasu Satõ's gay themed pink films. It has several gay sex scenes that are better left to others to say whether they are erotic or not. It also has one straight, man and woman sex scene but they don't even get naked.

The story and characters are interesting. Especially that the main one keeps the other man's arm he cut off preserved in a jar. But the last 20 minutes of the film gets very avant-garde. It just lost me completely. I also didn't like the main character so didn't really care of his quest.

The cast was good so can't complain about the acting. Was a bit surprised that other than a few bodybuilders flexing during the opening credits, there was no muscles after that. You'd think based on the movie title there should be.

Maybe I'm just not the target audience. Unfortunately, I just can't recommend this movie.

I Love You to Death

[Nodriesrespect · 8/10 · 28 September 2007]

Like Sato's best-known and probably most widely seen pink film, THE BEDROOM aka AN ARIA ON GAZES, this movie deals with obsessions, both sexual and otherwise (but mostly sexual), only now from a gay point of view and relatively straightforward and accessible unlike the convoluted BEDROOM. The male editor and photographer of a muscle magazine (which his boss readily admits is 'a good excuse for looking at hard bodies') falls in love with a beautiful young man who performs in a fascinating experimental play. Their relationship starts off tenderly but soon turns sour when the younger man reveals sadistic tendencies his partner cannot contend with. Following a particularly grueling sex session involving involuntary bloodletting, the photographer lops off his boyfriend's arm with a samurai sword ! After a year in prison, he's still obsessing over his lost love (whose arm he's still keeping in a jar by his bed !) and tries to track him down. Considering he's a one-armed hustler, this is not as easy as you might think. The final masked ball sequence where the lovers are reunited is both incredibly shocking and bizarrely touching in a very Japanese way. You'll understand once you see the film, and indeed you should as this is a true masterpiece of warped cinema, consistently diverting audience expectations, stunningly shot in hauntingly beautiful widescreen compositions. Whether you're gay or not (though, granted, it'll work better for you if you are) the sex scenes are incredibly hot stuff, even though they're a lot less explicit than they seem at first glance. Sato's a true master of suggestion in this respect. References to the work of Pier Paolo Passolini (TEOREMA and SALO especially) could've made the film end up looking pretentious and awkward yet it's anything but. Get hold of your copy today ! This is a must-own modern classic.

a gay BDSM horror story

[jaybob · 8/10 · 26 June 2007]

I am always interested in Japanese films to begin with.

I saw this film advertised in a catalog & the price was very reasonable, so I bought it.

I played it right away when it came & I was both astonished & pleased,.

This is not a pleasant story to watch as one of the leads is very much disabled,But does not play a patsy for the other man.

There fighting is like a ballet, beautifully choreographed..

The film is only an hour long,(including credits) yet it tells a full story, that with other filmmakers would be twice as long.

If this film were rated it would be a definite NC-!7 as it is not for children of any age.

Since this movie is not for all tastes I cannot give it a higher rating

Rating: *** (out of 4) 85 points (out of 100) IMDb 8 (out of 10)