Plot: What’s it about?
This film tells the story of two teenagers who both face sexual abuse, but manage to come together and fall in love, even if the nature of their world doesn’t allow for true happiness. As a young woman is being brutally raped by several attackers, a young man watches from a distance, but does nothing to try to stop what he sees. But when she wakes up soon after, he introduces himself and the two begin to form a friendship, even if an unexpected one. She soon reveals this was the second time she has been raped and before long, she thinks it will happen again and she doesn’t want that, no matter what. After more talking and such, he invites her into his apartment and there, he opens up and reveals a dark secret about himself. He confesses that he has murdered a few people and might do so again, should he have to endure more sexual orgies, which he was forced to attend. But instead of rejecting each other, the two form a broken relationship and try to become closer, even if their world is a dark and unpromising one. But when the dark elements confront them once again, how will this new couple defend themselves?
This is a very unusual, dark piece of cinema, but I was very impressed in the end. I am not sure how popular or unpopular this film is, but I could find very little information about it, so I assume is rather low profile in the scheme of things. I don’t understand why though, as it seems like people always want offbeat, dark movies and if Go, Go Second Time Virgin is anything, dark and offbeat would be definite aspects. The normal elements of characters and storylines and such are tossed out here, instead we follow an off kilter series of events, with little resolution or advancement in the least. I can’t be sure what the intended response was to be for the audience, but I think most people would be turned off by this type of cinema, which is understandable. But for those viewers who seek a fresh and unflinching film experience, Go, Go Second Time Virgin is a wise choice, even if a tad on the harsh side of the scope. In the end, this is recommended to those interested, but even within those viewers, nothing is certain. I think this is a great piece of cinema and well worth a look, but I have a feeling most mainstream movie lovers would disagree, so you’ll have to be the judge.
This film was directed by Koji Wakamatsu, who has a resume loaded with offbeat cinematic efforts. I haven’t seen all of his works, but have seen a few and though not all are this obvious, they all seem to have dark undercurrents. So if you need your cinema to be neat and tidy, Wakamatsu’s films won’t be required viewing material in your case. If you like harsher films with dark elements, then his resume is packed with titles to look into and hopefully, more will see release on our beloved format over time. Wakamatsu paints a very eerie and sometimes unsettling picture with Go, Go Second Time Virgin, but in the end, it is a memorable and very well made creation. Other films by Wakamatsu include Bitches’ Game, The Embryo Hunts In Secret, The Love Robots, Virgin Sex Torture, Violated Angels, Sex-Jack, and Ecstasy Of The Angels, among others. The main players here are Mimi Kozakura and Michio Akiyama, both of whom turn in fine performances in this most unusual cinematic endeavor.
Video: How does it look?
Go, Go Second Time Virgin is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I am very pleased with this treatment, as the anamorphic transfer handles the material well, though some age related issues are present. The source print shows some pops and debris here and there, but not as much as you’d expect from a movie of this age and low profile status. The black & white image looks very good here, the black levels are well balanced and detail levels seems high, very impressive work indeed. The print could be a little cleaner, but given the nature of the film, I couldn’t be happier with Image’s terrific treatment found on this disc.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc uses the original Japanese mono track, which is more than up to the task, since the movie isn’t too reliant on dynamic audio. The eerie music comes across just fine, while the sound effects are crisp and distinct also, no complaints in those areas at all. The vocals, both singing and speaking are also sharp as can be, no volume or clarity issues surface in the least. This edition uses burnt in English subtitles which are good to have, but since they are white, they can sometimes be hard to read. I wish yellow subtitles were used, but in the end, it is a small price to pay for such a solid overall release.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The sole supplement here is a fifty minute interview with director Koji Wakamatsu, which turns out to be very informative and worthwhile. Wakamatsu speaks on all sorts of topics and goes very in depth, so don’t assume this is a fluff piece by means, because it is far from fluff, I assure you. As Wakamatsu speaks, an English language speaker translates and that seems to work well, as subtitles might have fallen behind from time to time. This is a terrific interview and adds a lot of value to this disc, kudos to Image for tacking on here.
