Zoom Up: Rape Site is a Japanese exploitation film directed by Kōji Wakamatsu and released in 1979. The film is notorious for its graphic depictions of sexual violence and murder, and has been the subject of controversy since its release.
The film follows a young couple, Naomi and Goro, as they meet for a tryst at the site of a brutal rape and murder that took place several days prior. As they engage in a sexual encounter, they witness another murder taking place nearby and are forced to confront the killer. The killer is revealed to be a man named Tsutomu Tamaki, who is a former soldier and a Vietnam War veteran suffering from severe PTSD.
Despite the danger, Naomi and Goro decide to turn Tamaki in to the police. Tamaki is brought to trial, and Naomi and Goro are called as witnesses. However, during the trial, it is revealed that Naomi and Goro themselves had been involved in a consensual act of rape prior to witnessing Tamaki's crime. This revelation creates a moral dilemma for the couple, who must decide whether to confess their own crime and face punishment, or risk staying silent and allowing an innocent man to be punished for a crime he did not commit.
Zoom Up: Rape Site has been criticized for its controversial content and for exploiting the subject of rape for entertainment purposes. The film also contains elements of social commentary, particularly on the issue of war and its psychological effects on soldiers, as well as the ways in which society fails to address the trauma of those who have experienced violence. The film remains a controversial and polarizing work, highly debated in both Japanese and international film circles.