Reviewed by Carol Sullivan
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rating: Unrated
Director: Takashi Miike
Starring: Billy Drago, Youki Kudoh, Toshie Negishi
On DVD: September 26, 2006
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
From Amazon.com
Standard Edition
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From Takashi Miike, the twisted and talented filmmaker that brought us shockers like Gozu and Audition comes the movie, Imprint. One of the 2006 Masters of Horror shorts, the film was so violent and controversial that it was banned from cable broadcast in the United States. Just hearing that made me want to see this film more than ever...
The movie begins as a journalist named Christopher (Billy Drago, The Hills Have Eyes) arrives on a small Japanese island. This island of sin is one large brothel and the prostitutes are eager to please. But Christopher is looking for a specific one named Kimomo; desperately in love with her, he had promised that he would return to take her home to the US.
But when he cannot find his love, he agrees to spend the evening with another woman that intrigues him with her disinterest in her potential client. Once they are alone, Christopher sees this young woman's deformity; the right side of her face is contorted, much like a Joker's face. She will tell Christopher of his Kimomo's last days; her final hours of horrible incest, abuse and murder...
Now, folks, Imprint impressed me so much, it took me two days to pull my act together enough to write this review. The film is simply arresting on every sensory level.
Though the story, written by Shimako Iwai, is one of depravity and agony, the movie is just flat beautiful. (Ms. Iwai, the writer, also has a cameo in the film; she plays the part of the torturer frighteningly well...)
I was also wowed by the make up and special effects in this movie; such amazing attention was paid to every detail. The deformed prostitute is, on one side, a beautiful geisha-type, while the other half of her face is horrible and twisted. It is a great visual clue and gives the viewer the sense that she has two-sides to her personality.
Imprint is a powerfully unsettling film and is an impressive addition to Takashi Miike's repertoire of shocking movies. While not for the overly-sensitive viewer, Imprint is Asian Horror at its finest.
Overall Rating: 4
MORE: Film Info, Stills & Trailer | DVD Info
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Last Updated ( Monday, 08 March 2010 12:15 )
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