Love Hotel is a mid-80s Japanese drama which deals with desperation, regret, and trying to reset the past. It’s set around a rather problematic premise/ storyline regarding a man who attempts to rape & kill a prostitute, then re-meets her two years later. The film is lightly edged with erotic & moments of doubt/ edge- but largely it’s bitter-sweet, at points fairly glum character study… not sleazed exploitation, or a violent pink film its plot may suggest. Here from Third Window Films as part of their Director's Company Collection, which focuses on the legendary 1980s Japanese production company is a recent Blu-Ray of the film, taking in a new scan of the film, a commentary, and a few new & archive extras.

Love Hotel ( aka Rabu Hoteru) is from 1985 and was directed by Morioka, Iwate, Japan-born Shinji Sômai. Between the early 1980’s and the early 2000’s, he has thirteen features to his name. These take in Yakuza satire Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981) which regards a teen delinquent taking over her father's clan. Raw coming-of-age drama Typhoon Club (1985),  Natsu No Niwa: The Friends (1994 )comedy drama regarding the friendship between an old man & three boys,  and alcoholic-centred road movie Umbrella Flower (2000).

The film opens with the shade-wearing, suited, and clearly troubled Tetsuro Muraki(Minori Terada)- he’s lying on a bed in a Love Hotel, with brief flashbacks to his recent past where things go wrong in his world, as he loses his business & his wife is raped by yakuza.  Turning up at the room shortly is young prostitute Nami Tsuchiya(Noriko Hayami)- Tetsuro says he wants her for two hours and paying well over her rate….but he has a surprise for her, he handcuffs her. Then rips off her clothes- clearly going to rape her, then he says murder her & himself. He forces a vibrator into her, and as she is bucking with passion he panics briefly cutting her, before running out of the room.

We then flash forward two years- both Tetsuro & Nami have changed their jobs/ situation, he’s working as a night-time taxi driver living in a small messy apartment with his ex-wife popping in every so often. And she is working as a Costume Coordinator- living in an apartment on her own, but she having an affair with a married man.

One night on the job, Tetsuro notices Nami- waiting for a little then giving her a lift, before revealing who he is.  Initially & understandable their interactions are very awkward/ difficult- but as things move on it seems like they could be heading for the Love Hotel again- for better or worse.

Both leads are well realised in their parts, though Nami has the best character arc/ moments in the script- including a wonderful captivating/ heartbreaking phone call that she takes towards the later part of the film. 

This locked region B  release features a clean & well-defined scan- with good clarity both in day & nighttime shots. We get a few extras- the new things here are a commentary track, and a visual essay regarding director Shinji Sômai's work for The Directors Company. The track is with author/ commentator Jasper Sharp, and this is very well researched/detailed,  and his knowledge is certainly startling. He begins by talking about how this film was released within the Roman Porno genre- he talks about how it fits, and how it doesn’t fit within the genre. He discusses the lead characters' names appearing in a few Roman porno/pink/ horror films. He gives us a bio of the director, and we find out he started his career as an assistant director. We find out the Directors Company released only one other film from within the Roman porno genre- Bumpkin Soap (1985) aka The Excitement of the Do Re Mi Fa Girl which was apparently a very strange film, as was probably the reason no more films were made in the genre by the company. He talks about the early sexual violence scene in the film, and how it is intrinsic to the plot. He discusses the emotional gulf between female and male characters in Shinji Sômai films, and his use of long takes in all of his films.  Later on, he discusses notable Roman Porno films. He talks about the film's blend of cold detachment & a heightened sense of realism. How the director often uses a blend of blue neon, red, and pouring rain. It’s a decent enough track, though Sharpe does sometimes go off on quite lengthy tangents about other films.

The other new extra here is Shinji Somai at the Director’s Company( 14.22) which is a Video essay by Josh Slater-Williams- this was most interesting, as he discusses Love Hotel & the other three films the director did for the Director’s Company- connecting themes, and how different they are.

Lastly, we have around eleven archive interviews with Minori Terada and assistant director Koji Enokido. With the finished release  featuring an insert by Jasper Sharp

Love Hotel is very much a film where its title or basic plot line is misleading- as this isn’t a smutty male fantasy-fed film. Instead, it’s an interesting drama/character study which makes some worthwhile points.  Great to see Third Window Films putting this out- with the excellent/worthwhile extras.