Tokyo décadence

Original title: Topâzu

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A submissive hooker goes about her trade, suffering abuse at the hands of Japanese salarymen and Yakuza types. She's unhappy about her work, and is apparently trying to find some sort of app... Read allA submissive hooker goes about her trade, suffering abuse at the hands of Japanese salarymen and Yakuza types. She's unhappy about her work, and is apparently trying to find some sort of appeasement for the fact that her lover has married.A submissive hooker goes about her trade, suffering abuse at the hands of Japanese salarymen and Yakuza types. She's unhappy about her work, and is apparently trying to find some sort of appeasement for the fact that her lover has married.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

3.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win total

User reviews24

Featured review

Decent enough art house movie

This review is for the 1:49 (109 minute) version of the film in Japanese with English subtitles. I believe this is the 'uncut' version. I was quite worried before watching this film about what I was letting myself in for after having read some of the reviews. I feared it might be something like some of Pasolini's films. I needn't have worried. Admittedly you might not want to show it to your maiden aunt.

It's a sort of art house version of Showgirls (1995). The hallucination scenes reminds me a bit of the Mandrax infused scenes in Celine and Julie go boating (1974). So as a bit of trivia I'm guessing that is the drug Ai takes.

It's supposedly a warts and all look at the life of a Tokyo prostitute, Ai, who specialises in S & M set at the time of the economic bubble. Obviously this could just be a flimsy excuse for a lot of gratuitous footage under the guise of Art. I'm inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt. It's never going to be a great film, but at least it does pass the Bechdel test.

Films with a similar idea that spring to mind are Klute (1971) and Strella (2009). Both of which seemed like a more realistic portrayal, particularly Strella.I may be being a little unfair since some of it could have got lost in translation.

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Trailer 1:26

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The film was originally banned in the Canadian province of Ontario when released there in 1994. Numerous protests from people caused the censor board to pass the film uncut with a 'Restricted' rating.

Quotes
Ai: I've discovered that I have no talent - none whatsoever.

Alternate versions
23 minutes, which included more nudity and explicit sex, were cut from the US version to prevent an X rating. Some of the scenes cut were:
The scene at the beginning is longer.
The scene with Mr. Satoh before he talks to his girlfriend is longer, including the scene showing him actually inserting the vibrator into Ai after she came out of the shower.
Ai licking both Mr. Satoh and his girlfriend as they are having sex.
Before Ai arrives to Mr. Satoh's room, they are slow-motion scenes showing Yakuza storming into Mr. Satoh's room, yelling at him for being a failure and restrains him. Despite his pleas, the Yakuza tie his girlfriend up and hooks her up with drugs, with him watching and being helpless to help her. The Yakuza then take turns sadistically raping and beating her.
Shortly after the guy says 'Let her go' referring to Ai, the scene returns to Satoh's bedroom where the Yakuza slashes the right side of her face with a tanto knife to show who's the boss, explaining why later her face is bandaged when she returns the ring to Ai. The scene then goes back to the lobby showing Ai running into the elevator scared. Miyuki, who was waiting for her, meets up with her after she gets out of the elevator. Seeing her terrified, Miyuki asks her what was wrong. Ai shakes her head saying everything was all right, it's just he wasn't home that's all. They then go to the young client's room.
The scene where the young client asks to be strangled is longer, showing Ai and Miyuki walking into his room being addressed as Mistress and Mistress Ai.
The masochism scene with Saki is longer.