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Released by: Kino Lorber
Released on: November 6th, 2007.
Director: Masaru Konuma
Cast: Asami Ogawa, Michio Hin
Year: 1977
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Erotic Diary Of An Office Lady - Movie Review:
Asami (played by Asami Ogawa, of Star Of David: Beauty Hunting, in her debut role) looks every bit the part of your average, every day working class woman. Toiling away at the office, day in, day out, she certainly doesn't leave much of an impression on most of her co-workers. What most of them don't realize, however, is that Asami is into some pretty kinky stuff and she's got some very voyeuristic tendencies. When she's not sitting diligently at her desk, she's sleeping with her boss - but when he refuses to leave his wife for Asami, she tires of their affair.
Asami's father would love nothing more than for her to settle down with the man he's chosen for her and give in to the marriage he's trying to plan, but her groom-to-be makes her sick, she's simply not interested in him at all. When she meets a chicken salesman, she unexpectedly falls in love with him, but neither her father nor her boss is particularly excited about this prospect of true love...
Very loosely plotted, Erotic Diary Of An Office Lady is essentially a series of sex scenes strung together by a very slim storyline. What makes the film interesting is the sadness that permeates the picture. Asami is, in some ways at least, a fairly tragic character and while her sex appeal is undeniable, it's also fairly obvious that she wants to be loved despite her rather wanton ways. Like many of Masaru Konuma's other Nikkatsu produced Roman-Porno pictures (Woman In A Box: Virgin Sacrifice and Woman In A Box 2, for example), there's enough character development to make it smarter than your average sex film.
Asami Ogawa does an excellent job in the lead, playing both the meek, subservient worker and the sexually promiscuous minx with equal parts pathos and sensual grace and she puts forth a fine effort here. With much of the film revolving around her and her journey, it's to her credit that she makes Asami as interesting as she is.
Konuma does his typically excellent job of capturing the sex scenes in a rather unorthodox manner. From the first scene, where a woman is fondled in an elevator, to a later scene where the love making is framed by baby chicks, this is an interesting looking movie from start to finish though it's hard not to notice how much of the film is given a cold look, one which nicely reflects much of what the film's lead is going through.
Erotic Diary Of An Office Lady - DVD Review:
Erotic Diary Of An Office Lady arrives on DVD in a very solid 2.35.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that presents the film in its original aspect ratio. Color reproduction looks nice and accurate as do flesh tones. Detail is strong and there are no major problems with print damage or noticeable debris. Some grain is present, which is to be expected, but otherwise the film looks very good.
The Japanese language Dolby Digital Mono track on the DVD sounds fine. There are no problems with hiss or distortion and the performers are always audible. The score sounds good but doesn't ever get overly loud and the levels are all properly balanced.
The only extra features on the DVD are the film's original Japanese theatrical trailer (2:07, anamorphic widescreen) complete with English subtitles ('Stuffy office buildings make these women wet!'), and an interesting if overly concise biography of director Masaru Konuma. Animated menus and chapter selection are also included.
Erotic Diary Of An Office Lady - The Final Word:
More extras would have been welcome but the movie is enjoyably trashy art-sleaze hybrid with some memorable set pieces and gorgeous camera work. Not the best of the Roman-Porno's on the market but certainly worth seeing by those with an interest in the genre.
