YUMENO KYUSAKU’S GIRL HELL (1977)

3 stars

88 Films. Blu Ray. 24th March

aka: Yumeno Kyûsaku no shôjo jigoku/Girl Hell/Raging Hell Fires/Teenage Girl Hell/The Woman from Mars

At an exclusive girls school — the sort where young ladies will grow up to be the wife of a noble family — the school inspector Tadazumi (Eimei Esumi) ispaying a visit. His daughter Aiko Tonomiya (Yûko Asuka) attends there and is about to graduate. She is the model student and appears to come from a very privileged background. The head of the school (Masakazu Kuwayama)has devoted his life to it.

Many of the girls there disparage one of the others as she is quite strange — so much so they call her Ms. Mars, as if she came from outer space. She is actually called Utae Amakawa (Asami Ogawa) and comes from a humble family. Despite their very different upbringings Aiko and Utae are friends (and rather more than friends it seems). Aiko stands up for her odd compatriot.

But all is not as it appears at this elite seat of education. The school inspector is bringing home courtesans for sex whilst his sickly wife languishes in bed, the headmaster uses his position of power to seduce and rape pupils and this being a Nikkatsu pink production we get soft core lesbian couplings and plentiful female nudity, plus teen pregnancy, a nasty self inflicted abortion, sadistic acts of cruelty and a story that tips into horror territory.

Somewhat odd, it’s not always entirely clear what is going on with some scenes being very surreal, especially in the closing minutes. There are supernatural leanings, with ghostly apparitions, dead cats and spooky laughing. The two lead girls are good in their roles, especially Yûko Asuka asAiko. I have to admit I watch these productions and wonder who the intended audience was and or is.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

3 stars

Audio Commentary with Anne McKnight and Jasper Sharp 

Planet Girl: Introduction by Kei Chiba author of Introduction to Nikkatsu Roman Porno (8 mins)

Life On Mars: Introduction By Ken Terawaki author of The Age of Roman Porno (14 mins)

Stills Gallery and Trailer