Aroused by Gymnopedies

This entry in Nikkatsu’s “Roman Porno” redux series—from Isao Yukisada, director of the sentimental terminal illness blockbuster Crying Out Love in the Center of the World—is as cerebral and emotionally resonant as it is evocative, unexpectedly incorporating the classic Erik Satie piano pieces referred to in the title. Yukisada observes a bizarre day in the life of Shinji (Itsuji Itao), an indie soft-porn director and film professor whose somber and laconic mood speaks to some deep-seated demons. When his lead actress (Izumi Okamura) quits, the production stalls and Shinji wanders from one misjudged sexual encounter to the next. Shinji attracts desirable and vulnerable women wherever he goes, toying with them like a skillful filmmaker manipulates the audience. This all builds to a shocking and hilarious crescendo of rampant sexual desire and wild catharsis. North American Premiere.