Film (3/5)

The Nikkatsu Roman Porno films became a staple in the pink series during the second wave of pink films, or "eroductions" as they were once labeled, in the late 60's and early 70's and hold to high standards the qualities of numerous sex scenes and rough violent acts.  Director Hidehiro Itô had little to no experience into this specified genre of pink films with Nikkatsu, but he made a big impression with his first Nikkatsu pink film.  That film was only a small mark, yet none-the-less a mark, in history with Apartment Wife:  Lust for an Orgasm - one of the 20 sequels to the Nikkatsu studio's first pink film Apartment Wife:  Affair in the Afternoon and from what I've seen and experienced, I can speak from my heart (and both heads) that Itô has a good eye for the sex side of an "eroduction."

In the early 1980's, Nikkatsu and Itô branched out to explore a potential Japanese counterpart to the western's naughty and sexy nurses exploitation films that Roger Corman dabbled into very heavily in the late 1970s such as Night Call Nurses and Candy Stripe Nurses.  These films spoke to the perverse fantasies of men and Nikkatsu wanted to get in on that action and thus the Story of White Coat:  Indecent Acts was born in 1984. 

Though the film's plot has really nothing to do with the medical practice or field except for female nurses, Itô is just homing into the psyche (or even more graphically into the libido) of Japanese men.  The virginal Shinobu's dream was to be the best nurse she can be at her new hospital position.  Her only problem was Junior, an abrasive, alcoholic, and spoiled son of a wealthy hospital shareholder, the same hospital where Shinobu works.  Junior's goal is to have sex with Shinobu and he will stop at nothing to get into Shinobu's untouched panties.  The goal might seem simple, but two obstacles block Junior from his conquest; the horny nurses who want to ride Junior's quite large manhood and his servant Masaru who secretly falls for Shinobu.

What might seem to be a mindless and gratuitous film about hot, on-call nurses who are ready and willing to succumb themselves to the sexual pleasures of Junior's large member turns out to be something more layered.  Pink films naturally by standard genre definition are sexy and violent and while Itô's film speaks more to the obvious side of the soft-core genre, rape undertones play a big portion of the film's main plot.  Junior constantly tries to rape Shinobu while playing his cat and mouse game with her at the hospital.  Junior himself is even taken advantage of by the other hospital nurses who trick him and lust after him just like he tricks and lusts after Shinobu.

Virginity is so sacred for Shinobu that depression eventually overwhelms her due to Junior's constant sexual depravity for her.  Again, the film reaches another powerful layer and dives into the realm of mental health with the mental quality of Shinobu being scarred and tested by Junior's horniness for her.  Shinobu solely wants to be a good nurse and to do what is right., but Itô makes light of Shinobu's dream by turning Shinobu into the ultimate innocence or the "white whale" as I like to label it.  Shinobu desperately wants to live her passion and help those unable to help themselves; she even goes as far as disrobing and masturbating for man who suffers from impotence, but her undertaking of this task creates huge embarrassment for her which, again, plays upon Shinobu's streaming innocence.

Mina Asami portrays a good rape victim in Shinobu.  Seriously.  If that sounds too forward, then I'm in the wrong business.  While the other actors and actresses give an overboard performance, Asami makes Shinobu a likable protagonist, giving her hope, sorrow, defiance, and, of course, a little bit of lust and joy. 

Audio / Video (3.5/5)

Impulse Pictures presents Story of White Coat:  Indecent Acts in standard definition quality 16:9 [1.78:1] widescreen which in fact displays very nicely for a "eroduction."  This was due in part of Nikkatsu being a former mainstream theater production company and considered one of the top five major studios in Japan.  Though Nikkatsu's pink films were a modest budget, they were still the most expensive to make.  Little to none visible grains or gray screens disrupt the viewing and the detail and colors stand out perfectly.  You can even make out the color of Mina Asami's Cindy Crawford beauty mark that lies just at the side of her mouth.

The audio is nothing to complain about either with the Japanese 2.0 mono.  All pitches and tones are nicely balanced.  I don't speak a lick Japanese, but I could clearly hear the pronunciations of each actor.  The English subtitles keep right up with the dialogue with little to no delays.

Extras (0.5/5)

The expectation for extras on a pink film are most of the time scarce.  In my travels into the field of pink series, special features get no love.  All that loving is saved for the Japanese actors and actresses.  An original theatrical trailer is the only extra provided on Impulse Pictures disc.  There is also a nice little insert inside the DVD liner provided by Jasper Sharp, a Japanese film scholar, which gives a little more background on pink films and a history into the Nikkatsu studio and their venture into the Roman Porno films.

Overall

One of the better earlier pink films that I've experienced.  Usually, most of these types of films are hard to watch due to their rehash of story lines, but Story of White Coat:  Indecent Acts is quirky enough to keep you attentive and sexy enough to keep you wanting to watch more.  The simple, on the surface story is whimsical at best, but if you can look deeper you might see something more disturbing.  The "big" production helps this low budget soft-core film thrive in the technical side of the DVD, but the lack of extras will leave you hanging if you want more than just a good show.

RECOMMENDED.