Movie Review: S&M Hunter Begins (1985, Pink Eiga VOD)

Directed by Shuji Kataoka

Starring Shiro Shimomoto, Hiromi Saotome and Yutaka Ikejima

Run Time: 60 minutes

A mild-mannered Japanese businessman makes the mistake of picking up a school-girl prostitute in a bar, not knowing she is a member of a vicious all-girl street gang. After engaging in sex, the girl demands more money from him and when he refuses he is attacked by the gang in a dark alley. He barely escapes alive and loses an eye to the gang’s tow-chain wielding leader. Staggering through the streets, he is rescued by a mysterious stranger who takes him under his wing.

This enigmatic character imparts the secrets of the Sadist upon him, proclaiming there are three different kinds of people in the world- Those who’s pleasure is derived from the infliction of pain (the sadist), those who submit to that pain for their own pleasure (the masochist), and those who deny they are either of the two.

What follows is a Rocky Balboa style montage sequence, where the businessman is taught all of the deranged tricks and pleasures of the Sadist trade, transforming him into.....The S&M Hunter. After completing his training within the hidden walls of the torture Dojo, The S&M Hunter hits the streets. Armed with his trusty bondage-ropes he is on the prowl and looking for the street gang who took his eye from him. Driven by vengeance and lust, he will stop at nothing to settle the score.

I’ve seen quite a few of these old-school Japanese soft-core porn flicks in my time and for the most part, although usually pretty one-dimensional, they are fun and light-hearted entertainment. This little gem though takes it to a whole other level. Not only is it dark and demented in nature but it also happens to be one of the most unintentionally funny Asian movies I've ever seen. The only thing I can liken it to would be a sort of anti-superhero, comic book style story. The meek zero of a man transformed into a dangerous sexual predator looking to take out the bad guys, (or, bad girls in this instance). The mere fact that this film has you cheering for a sadistic rapist as its hero makes this a

really unique viewing experience.

The comedy aspect doesn't so much manifest itself in the physical sense like a lot of other Asian movies but rather hits the funny bone via the script, or in this instance, the subtitles. Some of the shit these guys say is just priceless and in particular the scene where the S&M Hunter and his Sensei are trying to get a bound girl to shit in a salad bowl as part of the training program was so funny I thought for a minute there I was gonna pee my pants.

Along with the comedic awesomeness there were also some pretty righteous s&m/bondage scenes, (if that's something that intrigues you then this movie is gonna be right up your alley).  And the “rope-work” was all skillfully done, not that I'd know anything about that though.

Firing his ropes out like some kind of perverted Spiderman, The S&M Hunter was a thoroughly enjoyable viewing experience. Really funny and more then a little bit crazy. If you are a fan of retro Asian smut then I highly recommend you head over to pinkeiga.com and check this one out, as the only place you can view it is on their website via Video On Demand.