"Stop, it's too much! Stop opening your hand in me!"
- Bondage babe #6

In these frightening times of American uber-conservatism, it's nice to know that sick entertainments such as "Behind Closed Doors" are still being produced (or in the case of this particular title, excreted). For those who have grown tired of the coy softcore porn of the "sexy anime" subgenre, this DVD is a shot of pure adrenaline. Extremely pornographic, mysoginistic and gleeful in its excess, this jaw dropping exercise in alpha male fantasy works on several levels. Not the least of which is an unintentional(?) streak of black humor that manages to deliver the goods while at the same time parody the genre as well. Director Shigenori Awai and screenwriter Hideo Ura have crafted a minor masterpiece of hedonistic anime that might not be art, but is certainly never boring. But be warned, women and typical action anime fans will want to look elsewhere. This mean little title is soaked in urine and blood and would make "Ilsa" in any of her various sick incarnations blush.

"Behind Closed Doors" begins with lovers Kenichi and Yasue having sex far removed from the typical way it is generally rendered in these productions. This is good old hardcore American porno with full-on nudity, penetration and climax. It even goes beyond the previously reviewed "Sacrilege" (review here) anime. If you'll recall that particular title was a visually pleasing mix of violence and sex that pushed the envelope a little further in sheer depravity. This film is the real "Sacrilege" and goes the extra mile to prove as much. After the hardcore sex, Kenishi receives word that he has won a prize. Though unsure about what exactly he has won or where exactly it is he needs to claim it, the couple decide to follow the electronic map (included with the notice) and drive through the night. They eventually find themselves at a gothic mansion where a sexy maid greets them. Since it's so late, the sultry domestic suggests that they stay the night and claim the prize in the morning. The lovers agree to stay - and naturally have even more unbridled sex. The next morning at breakfast the couple are introduced to the mistress of the house who invites them to stay even longer and explore the estate. The prize it seems is merely the McGuffin (the Hitchcockian term for irrelevant plot device) and is quickly forgotten. The girlfriend conveniently disappears and the mega-fertile Kenichi finds himself alone in a mansion of depraved women.

What follows is basically 90 minutes of extreme bondage, debasement and explicit sex as Kenichi goes from room to room encountering various horny, messed up females. Some are already tied up and ready for the whip; some are more coy about the process and need to be "taught." Each sequence becomes increasingly more lurid until our "hero" ultimately succumbs to his baser instincts. Extreme bondage, fun with bodily fluids and kinky practices of all kinds are explored until the inevitable conclusion.

Though plot matters little in an entertainment such as this, the shreds that are included actually give "Behind" a modicum of intrigue. This coupled with the fact that the extreme sadism is so over-the-top and comedic that it's a true guilty pleasure in every sense. Women (and most sane persons) will find it contemptible - and it is, but Anime 18 doesn't cater much to a female audience anyway. If Paul Morrisey had decided to make "Flesh for Frankenstein" an all-out porn film, his knack for absurdist humor and violence might have created something very similar. A bondage sequence toward the end, featuring the degradation of a mother and daughter on a wooden plank, is a fascinating piece of gonzo greatness. The comic book male fantasy dialogue and the graphic bravura exhibited here is... unforgettable. But for those less concerned with subversive comedy, there's plenty here for the all-out freak. Enemas, fun with urine, semen gushers, "vagina cams," hardcore beating and humiliation are the order of the day.

As a piece of anime "Behind" is rather unexceptional in its execution. The character renderings are rather flat and the backgrounds show little depth or imagination. The previously mentioned "Sacrilege" had a much more dynamic look and feel and was certainly far more filmic than this venture. But director Awai is clearly not in this for the "art." Told in chapter form (like several of the titles from this line) and in English (and optional Japanese), "Behind" is an audacious, fetishistic and genuinely funny piece of anime. But gentleman, please, make sure that your significant other is safely removed from the television screen. This is not a film Gloria Steinem would champion, let alone line a birdcage.

Technically, as if it matters, the image is extremely sharp with deep, vivid colors that greatly complement the design. The sound is also above average with a clear Dolby Digital mix that enhances the various screams and passive/aggressive protestations of the various "Behind" babes. The extras for most Anime 18 titles are the very similar. Included is an art gallery consisting of several screen shots from the film, the useless "Anime Art Form" short, a preview for "Behind" and several more trailers for other titles in this line. It does appear that Anime 18 is beginning to serve up far more graphic material than ever before. Many of the trailers appearing on this disc seem to be just as graphic (if not more so) than the reviewed title. Depending on what you are looking for, this may or may not be a good thing.

"Behind Closes Doors" is shocking anime porn that, for some, will come as a welcome antidote to the current conservative climate here in America. In fact, it would make a perfect double feature with the next Sate of the Union address.