‘Kamikaze Hearts’ (1986) Review – Honest and Heartbreaking

Kamikaze Hearts (1986)

Directed By: Juliet Bashore

Starring: Sharon Mitchell, Tigr, Sparky Vasc, Jon Martin

Plot Summary: Juliet Bashore’s quasi-documentary plunge into the 1980s porn industry takes an unsparing look at issues of misogyny, drug abuse, and exploitation via the story of two women – the naive newcomer Tigr and her partner, the magnetic, imperious porn veteran Sharon Mitchell – caught in a toxic romance. By turns mesmerizing and unsettling, Kamikaze Hearts is both a fascinating record of pre-gentrification San Francisco’s X-rated underground and an intense, searing love story.

For over three decades, Kamikaze Hearts seems to have gone largely unnoticed, collecting dust in the annals of cult-filmdom. Though it wasn’t a huge hit at the time, thanks to Kino Lorber this groundbreaking film is finally getting a second life with a new 2K restoration. Having now seen it for myself, I was extremely pleased it’s been finally unearthed for a new audience.

From the very first moments, Juliet Bashore’s film has a punk-rock DYI feeling that drives every grimy square inch of this magnum opus. What’s so incredible is just how utterly ahead of its time Kamikaze Hearts was. In a very frank way, it takes a non-judgmental look at adult-film and sex work through a female lens and starring women in the leads. In fact, outside of this year’s Pleasure, I can’t think of another female directed, female starring movie about the adult-film industry (though, if there are others, I’d love to track them down).

It’s rare yet completely vital to have this kind of perspective on a business, especially one that feels like it’s built almost exclusively on sexism and exploitation. It’s worth noting that many of the actors have actually made adult-films including its lead, Sharon Mitchell. In fact, she has had over 400 acting credits on IMDb. Having real adult actors working on this film, coupled the cinéma vérité style, really helps give it this gritty and real feeling. At a certain point, it really feels like you completely forget this is a movie and not a straight-up documentary feature.

Amazingly, despite the heaps of sexuality and nudity, the film never feels cheap, and because it’s female directed and lead, we never get a gross male-gaze. Bashore never lets its core themes and messages be diluted, and that is a real miracle. When you strip back the adult-film sub-plot, it’s one of the more sincere unconventional love stories but told with a leather-studded punk attitude. This is what Alex Cox’s Sid and Nancy should have been. Unlike the latter, Bashore not only truly understands the scene, she frames the couple in a way that is honest and heartbreaking. In Kamikaze Hearts, she captures what feels like a real and raw look at a relationship that is intense and ultimately toxic. Speaking of which, the finale scene in which Mitchell actually shoots up is harrowing, sad, but is some of the most truthful pieces of cinema I’ve seen in a long time. I do take comfort in knowing that Sharon Mitchell is still thriving to this day. In fact, she recently made a cameo in the film New York Ninjas and I’m happy this new restoration is putting a much-deserved spotlight on Mitchell and her work.

While Kamikaze Hearts is by no means the first film to blur the lines between fantasy and reality, it gives you an unflinching look into the adult film industry and from a woman’s perspective. Again, this is something that we rarely get even today. At the same time, the film is a frank and chilling look at a relationship torn apart by addiction and ego. It’s not a movie I would probably watch a lot, but I am certainly glad to have experienced it for myself.

Kamikaze Hearts is currently playing in select theaters in a new 2K restoration. The film is also available on all major VOD/Digital platforms. The film will be available on Blu-Ray through Kino Classics on August 9th, 2022.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEzGEO890cQ]