Fairy in a Cage – Impulse Pictures (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1977
Director: Kôyû Ohara
Writers: Oniroku Dan, Seiji Matsuoka
Cast: Naomi Tani, Tatsuya Hamaguchi, Minoru Ôkôchi, Ichirô Kijima, Rei Okamoto, Reika Maki, Hirokazu Inoue, Hiroshi Gojô, Kazuo Satake, Ken Mizoguchi, Tessen Nakahira, Ryôichi Satô

Release Date: March 12th, 2013
Approximate Running Time: 70 Minutes 24 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $19.95

"During World War II, the tyrannical Judge Murayama uses his military power to imprison and torture innocent people. Suspected of helping an anti-government movement, the lovely Namiji Kikushima (Naomi Tani) is captured, along with a local kabuki actor. Helpless and unable to escape, the two are subjected to a grueling series of tortures including rope bondage and physical assault. As the Judge and his evil assistant Kayo revel in their perverse fetishes, a new military recruit they’ve hired named Taoka may be the key to prisoners’ freedom. He loves Namiji and will do what he can to help her, even if it means betrayal to organize an escape!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “a brand-new high-definition transfer taken from the original 35mm camera negative.”

Fairy in a Cage comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 16.8 GB

Feature: 16.3 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity is solid, black levels are strong, and compression is very good.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; there are no issues with background hiss or distortion, dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced.

Extras:

The only extras for this release are a leaflet and liner notes about Jasper Sharp's Fairy in a Cage.

Summary:

Kôyû Ohara directed Fairy in a Cage. He is also known for making Zoom Up: Murder Site, Female Convict 101: Sucks, Sins of Sister Lucia, and Nun's Diary: Confession.

A sadistic judge exploits his power by imprisoning and torturing women.

Naomi Tani is one of the more known actresses who worked in Japanese pink films. When Nikkatsu went from mainstream to their romantic pornography films, she would become one of their biggest stars. After appearing in notable films like Flower and Snake '74 and Wife to Be Sacrificed (both of which were directed by Masaru Konuma), at the end of the 1970s she would retire at the height of her fame. Fairy in a Cage and Flower and Snake '74 were adapted from Oniroku Dan's novels. Both of them are stories about sadomasochism and submission.

Without Naomi Tani, Fairy in a Cage would be a much different film; few, if any, actresses who worked in Nikkatsu’s romantic pornography films had her range. She delivers an utterly convincing portrayal of a character who goes through hell and back. Another performance of note is Kazuo Satake (Zoom Up: Murder Site), who portrays a military recruit who goes from hating his job as a torturer to enjoying it too much.

When compared to other Nikkatsu romantic pornography films, Fairy in a Cage has one of the stronger narratives. Its well-executed narrative does a superb job building to a bleak ending that serves as a perfect coda. Fairy in a Cage is a film deeply rooted in S&M, there are moments where ropes, hot candle wax, and whips are used on characters. When it comes to carnal moments, they are meticulous for maximum impact. Another area where Fairy in a Cage excels is the use of classical music, which perfectly contrasts the brutal imagery. Ultimately, Fairy in a Cage is an exemplary S&M film, making it a must-see for fans of Nikkatsu romantic pornography films.

Fairy in a Cage gets a solid audio/video presentation; recommended despite its lack of contextual extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer