After being assaulted by a burglar, housewife Sadako finds herself deeply conflicted in Shohei Imamura’s psychologically arresting and sensuously shot portrait of fear and desire. In Masumi Harukawa’s earthy performance, Sadako, surrounded by questionable models of masculinity, vacillates between responding to her attacker’s advances and entertaining thoughts of murder. Imamura’s film sticks with its fascinating protagonist instead of pathologizing her, and rolls out flashbacks, voiceover musings, and the director’s signature close-ups of human bodies grappling in struggle or lust.

Playing as part of our Bong Joon Ho retrospective, January 7-14. See showtimes & get tickets.