Original Title: Nippon konchûki

Directed by: Shohei Imamura

This review contains a Kitty Carnage Warning!

Synopsis: The story of Tome Matsuki (Sachiko Hidari), a poor Japanese girl who looks out for her own best interests even if it means making some immoral choices.

Kitty Carnage Warning! Tome takes a job as a maid in a brothel. One of the prostitutes enters the kitchen where two women, Take and Hanako, are cooking and tells them that one of the clients wants a virgin. They tell her the “virgins” are in the refrigerator. She pulls a test tube out of the refrigerator which contains some blood (the blood being the “proof” of virginity). She realizes it is frozen and tries to warm it up but this doesn’t work. So the prostitute offers her own blood, having Toke draw it with a hypodermic needle. But they stop when they notice she is becoming pale. The prostitute says it’s not enough yet and urges them to continue. Hanako then suggests using the cat’s blood instead. She pounces down at the unseen feline saying, “Come back, you little beast!” then finally lifts the poor animal up by the scruff. “Here’s a real virgin!” she announces.

Hanako sets the tabby and white cat down roughly on the table, turning her over on her back. They hold the cat down while Take inserts the needle, causing the cat to meow loudly. We don’t assume they really stuck the cat with a needle, but the treatment of the poor cat actor was undeniably rough.

Final Mewsings: Cats should think twice about living in brothels.

Relevant Links:

To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on Facebook and Twitter.