Tenshi No Harawata: Akai Inga on AllMovie

This stylish fourth installment in the series which began with Jokousei Tenshi No Harawata (1978) is flamboyantly directed by Toshiharu Ikeda. The plot, based on the work of dark fantasy illustrator Takashi Ishii, deals with a woman fired from her department-store job for moonlighting at an adult bookshop. Against her better judgment, the depressed and lonely clerk finds herself becoming involved with one of the porno customers. Needless to say, this turns out to be a grave error. Ikeda, who went on to make the horrifying Shiryo No Wana (1988) from an Ishii script, paints his scenes more than he directs them, resulting in a dazzlingly visual film. Jun Izumi and Masahiko Abe co-star in this popular shocker, which brings to mind the work of cult Italian filmmaker Dario Argento with its brilliant colors and startling bursts of violence within a standard thriller framework. Tenshi No Harawata: Akai Memai (1988) was next.