Grotesque – The Torture Movie

A Japanese film in the torture porn, or so-called gorno, sub-genre – made popular by such releases as Saw and Hostel (pictured) – has been banned in the UK. A sadistic horror movie called Gurotesuku – Grotesque, in English – meaning it’s now illegal to release, sell or supply the movie. Film bosses have refused to give a certificate to it. The British Board of Film Classification has refused to give the DVD entitled Grotesque an 18 certificate, saying its tale of extreme torture featured unrelenting brutality and minimal narrative. It means the unclassified film cannot be legally supplied anywhere in Britain, with anyone doing so risking a heavy fine and imprisonment. The BBFC have banned the 2009 4Digital Media DVD.

David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said: “Unlike other recent ‘torture’ themed horror works, such as the Saw and Hostel series, Grotesque features minimal narrative or character development and presents the audience with little more than an unrelenting and escalating scenario of humiliation, brutality and sadism. The chief pleasure on offer seems to be in the spectacle of sadism (including sexual sadism) for its own sake”.

Grotesque (Gurotesuku) is a 2009 Japan horror film. Most of the film – written and directed by Koji Shiraishi. It focuses on the assault, humiliation and torture of a young couple (played by Tsugumi Nagasawa and Hiroaki Kawatsure). They are snatched off the street on their first date and wake up shackled and naked in a basement. Without even having the decency to explain why, a particularly sadistic madman (played by Osako Shigeo) proceeds to degrade, torture and mutilate them. Grotesque focuses on the sexual assault, humiliation and extreme torture of a male and female victim. All in the finest tradition of Japanese gore cinema.

The protagonist inflicts serious injuries on a restrained couple. The central character abducts, restrains, strips and masturbates both the man and the woman. After this he inflicts grave injuries on the restrained couple, including amputation, eye gouging, castration and evisceration. The torture becomes even more extreme, leading to the gory and violent death of both hostages.

Still, the film is nihilistic rather than misogynistic, as the maniac is as equal opportunities type guy, dividing his attention fairly between his male and female captive. It certainly does make for hard going at times, with the gore being all the more effective for Koji’s harsh and unremittingly dark approach, offering not even a glimmer of hope, and playing unpleasantly with the viewer by way of a nasty twist halfway through. The film is tense, not so much due to the viewer actually caring about the characters, but as a result of waiting to see what the psycho will do next, or just how far Koji is willing to push things. Clocking in at just 73 minutes, the film is the very epitome of a short, sharp shock, and builds to a bizarre, though highly entertaining and satisfying climax.

Indeed, as a three player piece, with really only one location, most of the money has quite clearly gone on the special effects, which are impressive and convincing. This is undoubtedly a good thing, as it gives viewers a chance to see how the torture porn genre really should be done, freed from the needless niceties of plot and good taste, and simply piling on the gruesome outrages.

The film ends with the killer choosing his next victims…

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