A Snake Of June review

In a rainy Japanese city, psychiatric counsellor Rinko (Asuka Kurosawa) is about to embark on a terrifying journey of sexual awakening. First a mysterious package containing photos of her masturbating arrives in the post. Then things get really crazy, as a stranger blackmails her into wearing a miniskirt, buying a remote-control vibrator and wandering through the streets while he pleasures her from a distance.

Shot in blue-tinted monochrome, this is full of director Shinya Tsukamoto's trademark weirdness: from a mechanical penis to a secret underworld in which businessmen watch live sex shows through periscope-style visors. Whether it's a "feminist" movie as some have claimed is a moot point, yet regardless of the sexual politics, this porno/sci-fi/horror hybrid guarantees Tsukamoto's continuing reputation as one of Japan's most original filmmakers. A disturbing, erotic, bizarre adventure, it'll hopefully encourage some brave investor to fund the long-awaited Tetsuo 3.