Miike's made for cable masterpiece - Imprint

Masters of Horror is a made for cable series featuring individual one hour short films by various notable genre directors. Takashi Miike was included, but apparently when it was reviewed it was determined that it could not be aired because of the content. This is a hypocritical move for a show that is about horror. It shows that there is a divide between the popular concept of horror films and what Miike's film is, which is influenced and builds on the rich and deep history of unnatural tales and culture of Japan. We can show murder, dismemberment, rape, and other gruesome forms of violence on tv, but there is always some sort of catholic distinction of good and evil. Miike shows us that horror can derive from common, ordinary things like love and friendships can turn to despicable acts of violence. They are flip sides to the same coin. Imprint is a ghost story made manifest, taking place in 18th century Japan. Billy Drago stars as an American journalist named Christopher, who returns to Japan in search for Komomo, a prostitute he had loved and promised to come back to bring her to the US. He has searched long and hard for her, but her whereabouts are unknown. He is taken to an island that is surrounded by a misty fog, and bodies litter the water. Prostitutes inhabit the island, and demons are rumored to roam about in the night. Christopher, not finding his woman, takes shelter for the evening, staying at one of the brothels, where he spends the night with a prostitute whose face is half contorted. He tells her of his search, and she mentions that she knew Komomo, who was part of the brothel several months ago, but had committed suicide. Christopher is in a rage, upset that his love could not wait for his return, and demands to know what happened to her. She tells him that Komomo was an innocent, childlike woman who was the most popular of the prostitutes in terms of receiving clients, and this brought about jealousy amongst her peers. Her heritage (she claimed to be from a wealthy family) was derided by the others. Komomo and the prostitute became friends as both were picked on by the group. One day the madam's ring was stolen, and the only evidence was a hair pin left behind. Madam storms the ladies' quarters, demanding to know who took it. One of the women blamed Komomo, and the rest are quick to agree. Komomo pleads that she didn't do it, and her friend realizes that she has been framed. Komomo is tortured in one of the most breath taking and awful spectacles on screen -- she is burned with incense sticks, her nails pierced with pins, her gums pierced as well. The violence has a point - to show the depths of cruelty that the others had for her, and her subsequent drive to suicide. Her friend finds her hanging from the rafters the following morning. Christopher is aghast, and attempts to leave, but the prostitute convinces him to stay the rest of the night -- it is too dangerous to go outside. Sleepy, he asks the prostitute to tell him her story. She is the daughter of poor parents, the mother a midwife and the father suffering from lung disease. She was born with the deformity, and teased by others. Under the guidance of a local priest, she learns about good and evil, heaven and hell. She was sold into a brothel, and eventually came to the island. She says that she was the one who killed Komomo, to end her misery and suffering, he one true act as a friend which would sent Komono to heaven, but the prostitute to hell. Christopher is unconvinced; a whore never speaks the complete truth, and in fact, there were gaps in her story. She finally admits she stole the ring and planted the evidence. And casually slips a mention about her sister. Sister? She starts to act strange, spamsing and screaming. A hand with a face in it appears from the side of her head -- it turns out it is her twin sister, the demon who drove her to do these things. Her parents were brother and sister, cast out of society by their sins, and her mother performed abortions to make money. When she gave birth, she dumped the baby in the river. But the baby was alive days later, and the mother finds her and decides to raise her. She reveals that she was sexually assaulted by her father and the priest, and sold into the brothel. Christopher is revealed to have had a relationship with his own sister, who died young, and that his relationship to Komomo was similar. Confronted with this, and the twin manifesting itself from her head, he shoots her. The prostitute turns into Komomo, then dies. Christopher is imprisoned and left to his insane visions and rants.

Written by the same screenwriter who did Audition, Imprint is an outstanding tale of deception, cruelty and violence, a nightmare world where poverty and suffering make life impossible and women to lead lives that lead to self destruction. The unflinching and graphic nature of Komomo's torture scene will send many to eject their dvds, but it is less horrifying than something from other contemporary horror films, like Haute Tension, which I find to be a movie of bad taste in content and execution. It is hard to watch, but the point is that cruelty amongst people for the lightest of reasons can be more horrific than any type of genre horror we have been accustomed to seeing. However, the sexual scenes are treated with great care and discretion - filmed behind thinly veiled screens or done off camera. Incest and abortion are probably two of the items that lead to the banning of the film, and that is a result of our cultural taboos, not Japan's. Billy Drago is fine in his role, effectively coming across as a drained, half insane man in search for the one light in his life. The prostitute is played by Youki Kudoh, who is better known for starring in Mystery Train, was in Memoirs of a Geisha, and shows that she is a fine actress who deserves more featured roles. The cinematography, like all of Miike's film works, is outstanding, one of the finest and most elegant in the business. A great bonus feature on the dvd is a 45 minute interview with Miike, who talks about his creative process, and in so doing reveals how much film buffs and critics miss the point to much of his works. It is also interesting to note that the author of the story the movie is based on appears in the film as the primary torturer of Komomo. Now of course this film is not for everyone, whose who hate the squeamish should not even come near this. But as a fan of good storytelling and good filmmaking this gets my highest recommendation. I consider this to be a summation of Miike's works to date, and at the peak of his abilities. For those who think he is just a gore hound, check out Bird People of China, the Negotiator, or Zebra Man, all outstanding films, and without the graphic violence or horror - just good stories. Outstanding!!!