The Brutal Insanity of Love

The third entry in the unrelated series which began with Shiryo No Wana (1988), Toshiharu Ikeda's bloody horror film deals with a policewoman (Megumi Yokoyama) investigating the apparent suicide of a college coed. The prime suspects include the girl's professor, who may have been having an affair with her, and the professor's wife, who frequents lesbian bars. Gruesome axe murders and mutilations ensue, leading Yokoyama to a shocking discovery. Less grisly than its predecessors, this installment is perhaps the best-scripted of the three (all were written by Takashi Ishii), but all are arguably among the best Japanese horror films of the decade. Ishii is best known for the stylish Tenshi No Harawata series which began in 1978, one of which was also directed by Ikeda.