A Snake of June

Director - Shin'ya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Tokyo Fist)
Starring - Asuka Kurosawa (Silence, Cold Fish), Yuji Kotari (Koraku Zaru), and Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Release Date - 2002
Genre - Horror/Drama
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Last week I set out to watch the ten films of Shin'ya Tsukamoto that make up the Solid Metal Nightmares box set from Arrow Video.  This was something I started out really looking forward to but as each film moved on I found myself becoming a little burned out.  Not that these films are bad, because they are not, but because these are not the type of films I typically watch.  Regardless, I have five behind me now and 5 more to go.  The next one up is the 2002 erotic thriller title A Snake of June.  

     The film follows a beautiful young woman who is married to a below average looking man.  She has hidden sexual desires but does not explore those with her husband.  One day she receives a package containing photos of her masturbating and soon begins receiving calls from a man threatening to tell her husband unless she does as she is told.  She reluctantly agrees and soon finds herself entering a sexual awakening.
     I bought this set for the exclusive reason of finally watching Tetsuo: The Iron Man and Testuo II: Body Hammer but the other films, for the most part, were an added bonus.  Adventures of Electric Rod Boy is easily my favorite but A Snake of June really appealed to my exploitation side.  It was a great and I could see Mondo Macabro releasing it in their library.  I really enjoyed the sleazy and thrilling story with a great cast.  The acting in this one is pretty damn good.  I really enjoyed the characters that we were given.  I don't mind reading sub-titles.  Hell, I've been doing it for decades now but sometimes you miss certain things in the scene while taking the time to read.  However, the slow moving dialogue and pacing made for a much smoother viewing experience.  The story for this one is what you would expect to find in a late 80s or early 90s release that Vinegar Syndrome would put out.  A woman being forced out of her shell by a voyeur is sleazy bit Tsukamoto makes it tasteful.  It's not a softcore attempt at an erotic thriller.  Instead, if a tale about a woman in a loveless marriage forced to confront her sexual desires.  Finally, if you are wanting blood and gore then you need to check out another film.  However, if women exploring their sexuality is more your speed then you are in luck.  Overall, A Snake in June is another fantastic Tsukamoto films.  The horror crowd may not respect it but fans of sexploitation and erotic thrillers will truly appreciate it.  Check it out.