Intentions of Murder is one of the great films, not just of Japanese cinema, but of all cinema history. A serious DVD publisher, such as the Criterion Collection should release it and show the world why the Japanese New Wave was so important (it would already be a good Criterion release, they already release Imamura's The Pornographers). Shohei Imamura presents to us a film similar to his earlier effort, The Insect Woman, but in my opinion, Intentions of Murder is superior, although not as metaphorically saturated. However, both pictures could be fairly classified as feminist films. Intentions of Murder's heroine is the society beaten, Sadako, who returns to her family after a recess, afterwards learning from her mother-in-law that the family is cursed by its ancestors. She is in an unloving relationship with her husband, Riichi (a librarian), and the two have a young son, Masaru. Riichi's treatment of Sadako is more similar to how one treats an animal then a wife. He constantly calls her "bakamono" (fool, stupid person), and makes her slave in the house, even though they are not officially married. I do understand that a traditional Japanese marriage requires the wife to uphold her home and her husband, but Sadako's treatment is suffocating, in conjunction to living with Riichi's mother, who obviously hates her. Obviously, Riichi is cheating on Sadako with his librarian colleague who admits that Riichi has been with her for longer than he has been living with Sadako, and also wants to raise his child, Masaru. If Sadako's life isn't tragic enough, she is attacked and raped by a man in the film's introduction. After the initial rape, Sadako is intent on committing suicide, but does not follow through. Her rapist visits her repeatedly, soon admitting that he loves her and wants to remove her from her troubled life. He convinces her to leave with him to Tokyo after a violent struggle on the train, reminiscent of Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt. It is during the struggle on the train that Sadako learns of the stranger's critical heart disease. He suffers an agonizing heart attack on the train, only to be saved by the ampule in his pocket. Sadako stays with him for a day in a cheap hotel room, in the meantime beginning a full blown affair with the rapist/trumpeter, then returns to her husband and son. The rest of the duration of the film consists of all the above mentioned characters finding ways to torture each other. The film focuses on Sadako's newfound strength through her sexual awareness, allowing her to quietly stand up to her husband and her environment. Shohei Imamura once again masterfully attempts to discover the condition of his countrymen (and women). If any cinephile wants to create a list of the great suspense films, Intentions of Murder should be included on this list. It could also be classified as a dramatic film, but to place it in the genre of suspense/thriller would not be a misinterpretation. However, similar to many of the works of the Japanese New Wave, this film has never received a North American release. But if it did, I believe it would be immediately be recognized as a true cinematic classic.