Imprint (2006) User Reviews (103)

a tale of a prostitute and her, uh, 'sister, and also a daring allegory on heaven & hell (more-so the latter)

[Quinoa1984 · 8/10 · 4 November 2006]

It's not exactly as surprising really that the Showtime network decided not to pick up director Takashi Miike's entry into the Masters of Horror, Imprint, but rather why they chose him in the first place. Didn't they think after seeing Ichi the Killer and Audition and Gozu, among probably a dozen others I can't think of, that he would deliver something to the highest X-rated for violence &/or sex caliber? I'm guessing then they either decided to take a calculated risk, or maybe Mick Garris was such a huge fan of his he must've known what he was getting. Maybe no one did. Certainly not me, and I've already dug into a good few of Miike's movies. This one definitely ranks up there as one of the most shocking of the lot of the works he's made, matter of fact probably ever will. It's how really that the director approaches the subject matter, and how its presented, that really makes it so effective in the realm of real horror. This isn't for kids, make that perfectly clear; indeed I'd say if you've ever really been close to babies, or have had them, you might really feel disgusted by a few of the key scenes in Imprint.

At first Miike seems to be dealing with something that is intriguing, though in a familiar style. It's a Rashomon-style tale of the truth behind a grisly matter, in this case the death of a prostitute, Komomo (Michie Ito, pretty heart-wrenching when she gets time to be). Her one-true-love, Christopher (Billy Drago, in a performance that's somewhat like David Carradine but in a slightly different, not-as-magnificent key), is there to find her on an island run amock with prostitutes. He goes to pieces over the news, which he hears from a woman (Youki Kudoh, the most effective and shattering performance of the film) who has a scarred face. He then hears a 'story' of what happened to her, but through the woman's story as opposed to exactly Komomo's. The woman has to tell her own story, which starts off rough from when her mother sends her away as a child from their river-side house to the ring of 'whores' she becomes apart of, and where she meets Komomo. But this story, of which the first real rush of horror comes in following an interrogation/torture of Komomo, is only the first one, and not necessarily the 'truth'.

What comes out as the truth soon enough turns into something that not only did I not expect, but had me cringing and with eyebrows raised, but once or twice sort of laughing too. This isn't a very funny effort really, and unlike Visitor Q Miike doesn't combine satire with the more disturbing, bone-chilling elements. It's a straight-up no-holds barred look at the darkest side of human corruption and exploitation, with the surprises that come up really too hard to believe at times. For example when we finally do see the woman's ultimate 'secret', it borders on being a laughable, un-Godly sight gag. But it's dealt with in the utmost serious way, and meant as allegory- which it is without a doubt the case- is very powerful. What ends up being the most horrific, and horrific to a point that will make those in the US who seek out the DVD covering their eyes and feeling ripped to shreds, is stuff that isn't completely abstracted like with the ideas of 'the soul being in heaven or the body being in hell'.

It's in seeing how the woman came to be, from birth, and how seeing what she saw- her mother's 'occupation'- along with her certain 'ailment' involving her sibling, combine together into something that is much more potent than monsters or savage lunatic psychos. For Christopher, this is something that brings him to the brink of his own cognizance, and what his love for Komomo really meant. Seeing how Komomo had her final days on Earth is pretty staggering, but for the viewer its not exploitive in the sense that it's just shock-value for shock-value's sake (though I'm sure many would argue that, especially over notorious scenes in other Miike films). It's there for a purpose, and made purposeful through the style that is very unlike how typical TV mini-movies are shot. Sometimes we get the bloody, creepy shots, and sometimes not, adding to what horror is or isn't seen as part of the effect. In the end, all of it adds up to something that I might want to try to forget soon, but I probably won't be able to.

In short, if you're already a fan of Miike's, this should be like the treat of the season, with a mix of the director's bravura film-making technique (some shots are pretty incredible, like the tilt from the water to that tree, in tint of green, or the detail in how he shoots 'things' moving in backgrounds, and long-shots), and the no-punches-pulled sensibility of the subject matter. In this case a world of maybe the purest hell on earth with only the dire hopes and undermined will of getting to a heaven. It's one of the director's very best, albeit shortest, works in his very prolific career. A-

Miike proves again to be a "Master of Horror"

[kuuzo · 7/10 · 15 July 2006]

Takashi Miike of "Audition" and "Ichi the Killer" fame directed this 13th episode of the Showtime series "Masters of Horror" - apparently it was never aired in the USA because the Showtime people were horrified at the episode, and probably with good reason. I like to think that Miike intentionally parodies "Memoirs of a Geisha", and "the last samurai" with this one. He combines the two in the story of a broken down American man who goes back to Japan to find the whore he fell in love with years before - the parallels with the serious movie "The Last Samurai" are unmistakable. The outlandish and over the top crazy costumes mimic the audacity of the costuming in "Memoirs of a Geisha", and the fact that this was done in English rather than Japanese only strengthens the parallels between "Imprint" and MoaG - and yet again Youki Kudoh (who was in Moag) makes an appearance, this time as a deformed prostitute. There are great lines such as "There is nothing on this island but demons and whores", and others less fit for print, but instant classics nonetheless. There are the classic Miike elements - violence, rogue abortions, murder, and incest, and a torture scene only outdone by Audtion. I couldn't give it a full 10 because Miike doesn't seem to work well with just a 1 hour window, and the plot doesn't make for a solid and clean short story, but fans of Miike should try to get their hands on this one, it is worth a look.

A Living Hell

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 10 April 2008]

In the Nineteenth Century, in Japan, the American journalist Christopher (Billy Drago) is traveling through the country searching Komomo (Michie), the missing love of his life that he had abandoned years ago promising to come back to her later. He arrives in a shadowy island inhabited by whores and caftans, where he has an encounter with a deformed prostitute that tells that his beloved Komomo had passed away. He drinks sake with her and later he asks the woman to tell the story of her life. The prostitute discloses a dark and cruel story about her life and the sad fate of Komomo.

The macabre "Imprint" is another disturbing and brutal movie of Takashi Miike. Using magnificent camera-work and impressive make-up in an awesome atmosphere, "Imprint" approaches gruesome and gore theme like abortion, fetus, incest, torture, perversions and abuse along 63 minutes running time of pure and sick horror with many twists. I confess that I felt uncomfortable and disturbed with the sadistic sequence of the torture of Komomo. Takashi Miike really honors the title of this series, being a Master of Horror. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Marcas do Terror" ("Marks of the Terror")

Miikes Imprint....

[ViewandReview · 15 April 2006]

OK just a quick little comment from me. This short film, imprint is based on a Japanese book. I haven't read the book but it seems like a good thing for Miike to direct as it includes familiar Miike themes such as prostitution, hints of pedophilia and torture. The story is quite good, told in flashbacks mainly it is about a beautiful prostitute who died. The story is revealed nicely and keeps you guessing and misleads you to maintain the intrigue.

Their are some very disturbing scenes such as some torture and abortion bits. Its shot quite nicely with some nice lighting and camera movement. The story ends up surprising you and disgusting you at the same time.

This is the best Miike film for a while, graphic, intense, shocking, true horror.

Its easy to see why it didn't play on showtime.

WOW!!! What a great film.

[ssmith-90 · 10/10 · 10 June 2006]

Imprint lives up to its name. This movie will not scar you but it will definitely leave and impression. I would consider this film a work of art on so many levels. The art direction is just amazing. How can such disturbing scenes look so beautiful.

If you are a fan of horror and want to see something you have never seen before, something truly shocking, then give this film a try. Granted it does take about 20 minutes to start coming together and the lead actor comes off a bit cheesy but once it gets started it never lets up to until the end. Takashi Miike is a genius. He can make your jaw hit the floor and just when you think you can pick it up again he stomps it back down. A lot of his films are not as bad as people make them out to be but this one definitely lives up to what I have read about it. Truly Creepy!!!!

Masters of Horror... Great, Banning an episode...Lame.

[happyslacker · 7/10 · 7 November 2006]

I spend way too many hours reading reviews on movies (and shows) on this site. Yet, I am addicted to it and thus continue on. Normally, I feel that good, bad or indifferent, any review is a good review as long as the reviewer actually watched the film. This short film was pretty good in my opinion, and enough has been written about it where I don't feel I can contribute any more on that level. however, I am disappointed that more of us are not outraged that Showtime commissioned Miike to make a show, then ban it. Showtime is a paid premium network (read ADULT) I could understand if it were broadcast television, which has strict guidelines because children shouldn't see graphic stuff like this. But as an adult in an adult situation, I am absolutely anti censorship and think it is total BS that Showtime could lame out... Nobody should watch any of the Masters of Horror series at all if you can't handle disturbing imagery!!! For the sake of movie fans that are responsible adults, let us make our own decisions regarding censorship, I am absolutely certain that plenty of people out there who are unfamiliar with Miike films shut off this story before the half way point, nice, neat and tidy self censoring. Thank you for not bowing to the interests of lame corporate sponsors.

Disturbing, passionate and gruesome!

[Coventry · 9/10 · 5 August 2006]

Wow! If you're about to watch "Imprint", you should prepare for sixty of the most intense and horrific minutes of your life, as Takashi Miike's contribution to the "Masters of Horror"-franchise is, in one word, perplexing! I have yet to see the director's acclaimed masterpiece "Audition" but, until then, this is definitely my most favorite piece of his work! The themes and style here are totally different to, say, "Itchi the Killer" or "Fudoh", but it's disturbing and terrifying on entirely different levels. The story is macabre and definitely has an Asian folklore feel to it, but the torture sequences and perverted sub themes are typically Takashi Miike; meaning very explicit, shocking and on the verge of sickening. It's also a real pleasure to see the hugely underrated actor Billy Drago star in a glorious horror project again! He also appeared in the recent (and surprisingly great "The Hills Have Eyes"-remake), so here's to hoping that this charismatic actor is in the middle of making a successful comeback! Drago plays a mysterious American who travels through Japan all by himself to find the lost love of his life. He arrives on a crazy island where only prostitutes and their pimps live and discovers that the woman he loved passed away. Her sad story is told to him by a deformed whore who also has a lot of other peculiar revelations to share, each one more morbid and repellent than the other. "Imprint" was banned in the States for some obvious reasons, notably the incredibly unsettling torture scene in which a poor girl's fingers and gums are used as a pin-cushion! I'm used to a lot, but this particular part was really hard to watch. Other deeply shocking moments of the story include a brutal and detailed abortion sequence and the overall nihilistic attitude towards unborn humans. This short movie is beautifully made, with sublime camera-work and masterful make-up effects. Miike's directing is solid as a rock and proves that he truly deserves to be called a "Master of Horror". "Imprint" is often hard to watch but impossible to forget. Highly recommended!

An Elegantly Gruesome Fable Handicapped by a Few Misfires

[starstattootoo · 7/10 · 17 March 2007]

To repeat the warning, this review is primarily about the spoilers.

The 'Masters of Horror' anthology on Showtime has been wildly uneven in both of its seasons. For every triumphant blend of dread and disgust ('Cigarette Burns' by John Carpenter), there has been one or two incredibly silly or boring entries ('Deer Woman' and 'Chocolate' come to mind). The excitement of the first-season inclusion of Takashi Miike, a newly discovered legend known in America primarily for his cringe-inducing horror movies, was quickly tempered by his disappearance from the website and the television schedule.

After seeing the unrated cut on DVD, I can see why Showtime--not exactly a network that shies away from shock value or graphic images--declined to air it. If you are person with a premium cable package, these are not images you want to come across as you flip through the channels. I think it is entirely appropriate to release on DVD, especially in the age of Netflix, because this is material that should be sought out and chosen, not stumbled across.

There is an elegance and lyric poetry to some of the most gruesome images in 'Imprint'. The fetuses that float along with the current call to mind that air-blown plastic sack from 'American Beauty,' and of course Miike's image of 'trash' being swept along was much more unnerving. A romantic film would have shown a fallen leaf caught in the current in exactly the same way. Horror is much more disturbing when it is presented as something lovely.

Another scene of beauty mixed with profoundly disturbing actions was Komomo's torture sequence. If you were able to keep your eyes open as the camera zoomed in on each fingernail showing a contained burst of blood from a stabbing needle, you might have noticed the mesmerizing motion of redness that crept out like a drop of ink in water. When the madam was finished shoving needles all through her, Komomo hung from the ceiling in a freakishly graceful folding circle, like a Chinese acrobat from Cirque du Soleil, spinning in a suspended hoop, the light catching her as she slowly swayed, looking like a dreamcatcher ornament.

The elegance of its concept, the beauty of its visuals - the great elements here were hampered by a few bad decisions. First, this should have been in Japanese with subtitles. Americans can handle subtitles on television--like those in 'Lost' or 'Heroes'--and to make this an English-language piece cast with actors who did not know any English, from a director who is not fluent, made the entire piece seem like bad acting with all of the misplaced emphases and mangled pronunciations. This movie was best when no one spoke. If the English was a jab at 'Memoirs of a Geisha', it hurt 'Imprint' more than helped it. Plus, subtitles would have made who said what instantly clear. I spent a great deal of time rewinding to try to catch what one person or another mumbled.

The other misfire is the parasitic twin sister. The 'X-Files' has done this sort of makeup and special effects better (remember the killer parasitic twin in the freak-show retirement village?). I could not get past how ridiculous it looked for this perfectly disturbed, disheveled enigmatic Japanese whore to have a red rubber Muppet stuck to her head. Its mouth did not move in sync with its voice. The eyes and teeth looked like a Garbage Pail Kids card. There was no glistening wetness to soften the molded-latex look. I could not latch onto any sense of how horrifying or symbolic the sister was, and I tried very, very hard.

One good decision was that Miike apparently used his own crew. In the credits at the beginning of almost every other installment of the anthology, the same people are listed as production designers, makeup artists, and other crew. Consequently, the genre-inappropriate scenery, lighting, and visuals undermined the tone in almost every one. Only a handful of the 'Masters of Horror' episodes set the appropriate mood visually. The rest seemed garishly noontime bright, set in cheesy-fake backlot 'suburbia,' and many of the elements that were meant to be creepy or scary just came off as hokey. The production design consistently looked like a Sandra Bullock romantic comedy, not a no-holds-barred horror vignette. 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' which also lacked the luxury of a feature-film budget, set mood and tone very well, so it can be done. Thank god Miike kept his team intact, and kept control over costumes, makeup, lighting, and set design.

I wonder if the Red Head Muppet was some American's doing. "Hey, Takashi, we love the sister-emerging-from-her-scalp thing, and we've got a great puppeteer who will make it look better than 'Gremlins', just take it to the next level--people will be going 'ew, what is that?' It will be awesome!"

Oh, and the perfect details? All of the rotten teeth on display, and the dwarf who was missing a chunk of her nose. That's how you take a potentially boring expository sequences from sleep-inducing to fascinatingly nauseating. Any time a director can skillfully build the tension between I-don't-want-to-look-at-that and Dear-lord-I-can't-look-away, he has control over the audience's emotions.

very good though seems like a sumnation of miike's work!!!

[schism101 · 8/10 · 1 August 2006]

IMPRINT is Takashi Miike's entry into the cable TV series MASTERS OF HORROR, and the one entry to be banned from transmission (in the US that is). Its certainly an impressive entry. The story follows an American man as he travels to Japan to find the prostitute who he fell in love with and whom he made a promise to, to take back to America and marry. He meets another prostitute who recounts the story of the women he is looking for and what happened to her fate. Told in flashback the story takes a rashomon-like approach as the womens story becomes steadily unreliable, until she reveals the true side to her tale. Cue scenes of torture, abortion and also hints of incest and child abuse and general weirdness, that those familiar to Miike will expect. Its a generally well made, and beautifully filmed tale, though at times it felt like a sumnation of the best bits of Miikes work, mainly the excessive extreme films, such as ICHI, DEAD OR ALIVE and AUDITION. Though Miike is always an interesting director to watch and his entry into this otherwise excellent series, stands out as one of the best. In some ways you can see why it was banned from television!

Miike fans... Don't get your hopes up!

[arghzombie · 6/10 · 27 March 2007]

Of all of the first Master of Horror series, this was the one that I was looking forward to the most and also the one that I was most disappointed with (isn't always the way!). Miike fans will note that many of his trademark scenes from his previous films were kind of redone for English Speaking audiences in this one, which is in itself worth seeing, I guess (especially in regard to the cringe factor). Far too many film concepts there for a one hour film though. My biggest beef was with male lead, Billy Drago. He severely over-acted what was already an annoyingly repetitive script... By the end of the movie, the mere sound of his voice was enough to ruin the scene. Otherwise, the story line was pretty ordinary. It seemed to be a little unsure of what it was trying to achieve. Too weird to be a standard plot yet it seemed to tie off too many loose ends to be credited as just plain weird! The dialogue seemed to have lost quite a lot in translation also. In conclusion, this is worth a look if your a die fan fan of Miike's work but one of the lesser films in the series, unfortunately.

Just because it's violent...

[FatherStack87 · 4/10 · 11 August 2020]

Doesn't mean it's any good.

This is, in my opinion, the worst episode of Masters of Horror by far. The episodes vary on degrees of quality, but this is the only one that I genuinely didn't like.

Billy Drago, who was a very interesting character actor, is terribly miscast here. He over-acts his balls off in this.

The violence is just a long, drawn out torture scene. Yes, it's violent, but it doesn't necessarily make it good. Cigarette Burns is also very violent, but the story is interesting and the acting is good, so it all works. In this, nothing works.

Strikingly grotesque and terribly beautiful

[fertilecelluloid · 8/10 · 20 August 2006]

There's much to like about "Imprint", and I reject criticism that it doesn't know what it wants to be. It is, in fact, a sexually charged piece of ero-gro and easily Miike's best work since "Ichi The Killer". There are strong parallels with "Ichi" here right down to the grotesque make-up on the beaten girl and the central torture sequence (needles shoved into fingernails, gums and armpits). "Imprint" is so much more, though, and is a giddy visual feast with extraordinary location lensing and exquisite production design. Weakest link, for my money, is Billy Drago, who is merely passable as an American visitor to Japan who is searching for his lost love. Drago radiates little personality and fails to breathe life into his character due to his limited emotional range. Feeling like something Hideshi Hino might have written crossed with "Hanzo 2: The Snare", this sixty minute effort is both strikingly grotesque and terribly beautiful. Meriting special mention is a parade of aborted fetuses and related visual paraphernalia that recall Fruit Chan's brilliant "Dumplings". Although final revelation is a little undercooked and unnecessary, the effects are sure-footed and Miike delivers horror that is disturbingly, gleefully stark, as it should be.

Takashi Miike's "Banned" MASTERS OF HORROR Entry...

[EVOL666 · 7/10 · 20 December 2006]

For a fan of gore and sleazy themes - Takashi Miike's MASTERS OF HORROR entry, IMPRINT, is chock-full of a lot of the stuff that I dig in films. Miike has never been one that's scared to tread on "rough" territory, and this short film is another bit of proof that he doesn't look to be "selling-out" any time soon. That said - there were still enough problems with IMPRINT for me to give it an excellent rating.

Billy Drago plays Christopher, an American searching for his lost love in 1800s Japan. His wanderings bring him to an island full of brothels where he hopes to find Komomo - his lovely young hooker that he had promised to bring back to the States. Unable to locate her, he decides to spend the night in the company of a seemingly sweet but facially disfigured prostitute who claims to have known Komomo. Deep into his sake and seeking a bit of rest, Christopher implores the whore to tell him a story about her life. The hooker agrees, and begins to weave horrid and gruesome tales about her upbringing - and of the fate of Komomo...

The controversy of the film being pulled from the MASTERS OF HORROR line-up is pretty well deserved, as there are definitely a few scenes that I could see the suits at Showtime getting all sweaty about. The scenes of strong torture along with the themes of abortion and implied pedophilia probably caused quite a stir in the board-room. That said, IMPRINT is still flawed to the point that I can't give it an excellent rating. Drago is a bit wooden and his "emotional displays" come off as forced. The real "resolution" to the film (which plays out a bit like Frank Henenlotter's BASKET CASE) feels out of place and was an unwanted bit of unintentional humor in an otherwise dark and twisted film. Whoever thought up the make-up FX for the last scenes involving the disfigured whore and her "sister" should be shot. Unfortunately, these elements dropped the overall production down by several points in my book, which is a shame as I liked the rest of the film so much. Strong torture, a plethora of aborted fetuses, twisted pedophilia and incest themes - the bulk of the film really is a sleaze-lover's delight, but the prostitute's "revelation" just killed it for me. Otherwise, a solid entry that is definitely worth a look - I'm sure some won't have as big a problem with the ending as I did...7.5/10

Miike and the rubber duckies...

[DiscoViolento · 3/10 · 28 September 2007]

There has always been something that has been bothering me about this director and I never really understood why until I saw this episode. Because "Imprint" is really a good summary of Miike's flaws.

See, if there's one thing this director knows, it's torture. He knows it and does it very well. Even the build-up is nice and if you can get past his weird view on women (which is pretty obvious in most of his movies), you have a really scary story developing in front of you. Because people can be cruel. And Miike likes to tell you just how cruel they can be.

...And then comes the rubber ducks.

There are two ways to ruin a perfectly good story about human cruelty. One is by adding too many elements of confusion. The other is to place a talking piece of latex on top of someone's head.

Miike manages to do both. I could forgive the lack of conclusion since the torture scenes are brutal and very well made. But no, I can't forgive the talking hand that adds an unwanted element of "tales from the crypt" to the story. It worked in "Ichi the killer" as it is not the most serious movie around, but he should have kept his hands away from the play dough for this one.

sadly, he doesn't. and this episode of Masters of Horror turns into the worst executed one.

Aired in Britain Last night - I can see why it was banned!

[WeepAndYouWeepAlone · 8 April 2006]

The final entry of the series, Takeshi Miike's Imprint was banned from American TV. Mick Garris claimed it was the "most disturbing film iv ever seen". I wouldn't go THAT far! I can see why it was banned - Miike is still refusing to back down and STILL has a total disregard for limitations on what he is allowed to show on film (i think this is the first time iv seen an abortion in a movie). The story follows an American who has travelled to Japan to find the love of his life, Komomo, and take her back to America with him. While there, he meets a woman working as a whore, who used to work with Komomo and has to break the news about her death. The whore (i cant remember her name, so i'll have to refer to her as "the whore") tells how she has been outcast as a "freak" all her life because of the deformities on her face, and the film is shown in the stories she tells, of their life as whores and how Komomo died. The twists come when we find out the whore isn't telling the truth, and we see different versions of the story, and what really happened is slowly revealed, along with the true extent of the whores deformities. This is the first English language piece Miike has directed, as far as I'm aware. The broken English kind of gets in the way - as do the moments of bad dialogue - but apart from that, this is what Miike does best - his trademark style of disturbing and bizarre imagery and dark humour, which i can NOT get enough of! This is not one of his best, but is quite a horrific little film. Miike retains some of usual themes (its nice to see his obsession for torture with needles is still there! VERY nasty scene!) and the haunting atmosphere throughout and some of the events are very reminiscent of Gozu - probably his best film!

This final entry has left the series hanging on a high note, it is 1 of the best ones in the series (along with John Carpenters f**ked up entry and Lucky McGees episode) i cant wait for Season two, baby - BRING IT!

A perfect example of Takashi Miike's extraordinary talent.

[samuel_walker2002 · 10/10 · 1 March 2009]

Whilst I'd be the first to admit that some scenes in this film were hard to watch, it in no way detracts from the masterful story-telling that is the foundation of Takashi Miike's work. As well as being terrifying to the extreme, Imprint is also sad, moving and above all fascinating as each time the prostitute, played by Youki Kudoh, retells her story, a little more of the truth is revealed. Kudoh's performance is simply amazing and any other actress would have probably ruined the film. Billy Drago also turns in a fantastic performance in his role of Christopher, a hapless man searching Japan for his lost love Kimomo. The imagery in this film is unique to say the least, with historical accuracy taking a back seat to unique and striking visuals, such as the bright red hair of all the prostitutes as well as the vibrant blue hair of the nameless prostitute played by Kudoh. Such hair colours where not available to Japanese women in the time frame the film is set in (1900's?). However, this definitely works to the film's advantage, creating a surreal and fantastic environment where a story such as this one doesn't seem so unbelievable. Also, if you love a movie with a big twist, this one is for you. There are several twists throughout, but the big one towards the end is a killer (literally). Whilst riddled with extreme blood and gore, this aspect of the film is for once a necessary and important part of the film, explaining how this young woman became the person that she is. I highly recommend this movie, but if you're squeamish or find extreme torture unbearable to watch then I advise you to run a mile from this one. Also, look out for the dwarf who's nose is falling apart from syphilis. His bizarre behavior during the torture scene is perhaps the most disturbing part of the whole film. 10 stars!!!

Not as fantastic as I thought it would be

[jdollak · 6/10 · 8 August 2006]

I FINALLY have gotten a copy of the last episode of the first season of Masters of Horror.

Imprint is directed by Takashi Miike, who has an extensive catalog of films, however, I've only seen Audition. I was fairly engrossed by it, although it seemed to move too far in the wrong direction near the end. The change in direction made the ending entirely uninteresting to me.

Imprint has been raised to an almost mythic stature with horror fans watching the MOH series. It was "banned" in the US. I don't think this is true. I suspect that very few things are actually banned in the US (at least in a horror movie way) but they are simply not picked up for distribution. This mostly just means that Showtime doesn't feel it is worth the risk to put it on TV.

An American is working his way through Japan, looking for Komomo, a prostitute he had met a long time ago. He made a promise to this lady that he would bring her back to America when he returned. He meets another prostitute, a deformed lady, who explains how she knew Komono. She tells a few variations of both her background and Komomo's story, blurring the distinction of what is true and false regarding both stories.

The gore is.... interesting. It is very high quality, but during certain passages, it seems almost comical. The abortion scenes are hardly the most difficult to take. There are a number of aborted babies, and they look much more formed than I would expect. It is the sort of gore that doesn't reach TV in general, though, and it would probably disturb younger viewers (who shouldn't be watching Masters of Horror to begin with). The sequence that is far, far stronger, and far more difficult to watch is a torture sequence, which has large pins inserted under nails and into the gums.

In truth, the episode feels sub-par. While the direction is interesting, and the story has the potential to be excellent, it suffers from two problems. First, even though the story is generally moving forward, I still didn't end feeling like anything had been explained. Second, the audio/acting is having serious problems. There are far too many lines that are said either way too quiet or way too loud, and the fact that the actors/actresses are dealing with a script in English make this very difficult to understand. I had to constantly rewind to understand lines, and sometimes that still didn't help. Subtitles would have really helped. I don't feel like I need this episode. When it comes along on DVD, I actually don't think I'll buy it.

**** Addendum: After reading up on it, I'm next to positive that this has NOT been banned in the US. It just hasn't been picked up for distribution here.

Truly unforgettable. And a bit reprehensible too.

[sanjr1 · 8/10 · 28 September 2006]

This is gonna be real quick. Takashi Mikke's "Imprint" is the my second favorite episode of "Masters Of Horror" so far (Lucky Mcgee's "Sick Girl" is still my fave so far). But it is most assuredly the only episode that I couldn't shake for days afterward. The acting is pretty much average although Billy Drago's perf could have used a little moderation. His histrionics were a little over the top. But what really kicks this one into overdrive is the way over the top script & the special effects. Abortions, Savage torture & a nod to an old HBO "Tales From The Crypt" episode add up to a stunning potpourri of mayhem & bloodshed. Mikke simply will not let his vision be compromised no matter the cost. I would really hate to have a look into his psyche. Scary stuff going on in there for sure. Let me also warn you....the torture scenes are excruciating. By far the most unsettling ones I have ever seen. They also seem to go on forever. By design I would imagine. That's the part I found a bit reprehensible. That and the abortions taking place every few minutes or so. Maybe Mikke could have flashed on em' for a sec or two and then gone back to the narrative but nope, He lingers on these scenes until you have to look away. I just didn't see the need for that although I would never condemn the man for it. His vision is his vision. I just got a little unnerved by seeing scene after scene of fetuses floating down the river that's all. I can understand Showtimes reluctance to show this episode, Although I don't agree with it. It's pay cable people!! We are paying to see this & we should decide whether or not it's for us to watch. That being said...They would have caught a LOT of flack for this episode, It's that unsettling. I rated it 8 only because I found the acting subpar & the ending a bit ridiculous but make no mistake, You will be disturbed. If you aren't, Then you're a better viewer than I am. And I love this stuff.

Quite good, but a bit too short

[dixyfifi · 6/10 · 21 May 2006]

As a frequent viewer of Miike's production, I was waiting to see his first series episode designed for American/occidental market. Well, luckily, he stays true to himself and doesn't restraint his powerful, violent and destructed way to direct. That is for the good point.

The bad point, to me, is that he seems to have try to make a mix from his best scenes and some new ideas, condensed in one "single package". There are many good elements in this episode, but to much is to much (maybe one hour was just too short?).

I don't speak about the degree of violence (which was fairly high), but the efficiency of it. Out of the context, the torture scene of "imprint" is as powerful as the famous one from "Audition", for example, but what make the one from Audition so special, is certainly due to the quiet first hour of the film, and the contrast between the story and its end.

This time, the succession of powerful sequences is too condensed to give any scene a special status, and therefore the whole story looses itself onto a violent patchwork.

Anyway, this way to proceed is quite effective in some way: the over-exaggerated misfortune of the character is more comic (ok, a very dark humor), than dramatic. But once again, it was treated more efficiency in Visitor Q. The point of the episode isn't very clear either: is it supposed to be comic, nonsensical, oneiric, fantastic, gore or even erotic? Maybe all of the above, maybe it isn't supposed to be anything at all, but certainly, I is a Miike Takashi, and that's why I like his work so much: plurality.

To conclude, I would say that I liked it, but there was to much to say in a to short period, and therefore it results in a lack of contrast and a feeling of frustration.(mhh, if we could have stay longer in the mood of the final sequence...)

Typically whacked-out freaky stuff from Takashi Miike.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 8 June 2007]

I'd love to have seen the look on the faces of the TV execs who commissioned Imprint when they first clapped eyes on Takashi Miike's handiwork. Okay, this may have been made for cable and therefore it could afford to be a little more edgy than most TV horror, but I find it hard to imagine that they really expected anything like this! Part of the Masters of Horror series, Imprint is as twisted and bizarre as almost any of Miike's cinematic output, which means that viewers can expect imagery and themes that will definitely shock and disturb—it's no wonder that this particular episode was deemed too strong for broadcast, even on cable.

Directing an English speaking cast, Japanese bad-boy director Miike still manages to deliver a powerful piece of work, despite some poor central performances and a slightly confusing denouement. Billy Drago plays Christopher, a traveller searching for his long lost love, a prostitute named Komomo. After many years he is finally intending to make good on his promise to her: he will rescue her from her life as a whore and take her to America.

After much fruitless searching, he eventually arrives on a strange island that is home to many whores, where he meets a deformed courtesan (Youki Kudoh) who claims to have known Komomo. But the woman tells Christopher that Komomo is dead; she tragically committed suicide, in the mistaken belief that her love would never return for her.

Understandably distraught, Christopher begs for the disfigured woman to tell him the whole story, but the tale that he hears is more horrifying than he could ever have expected...

Anyone who is familiar with Miike's previous work will know what to expect; anyone else is in for a shock. With gore, sadistic violence, perversion and extreme freakishness of all sorts, Imprint doesn't hold back. Over the course of an hour the viewer gets to witness all sorts of deviant behaviour and sickness, including several abortions (complete with icky shots of dead foetuses), incest, wife beating, and torture (including the old Miike favourite—needles in nasty places).

Towards the end, Imprint goes completely bonkers, with bizarre revelations and a finale that suggests that Christopher is barking mad, making all that has gone before open to conjecture.

Slow at first, but definitely worth persevering with, Imprint proves that Miike is truly a 'master of horror' worth watching.

A bit too much for me at first, but I gave it another chance

[super marauder · 6/10 · 9 June 2013]

The story itself is about an American returning to an island in Japan to rescue his true love from a life of prostitution only to find out she's dead. He listens to the story from another prostitute to find out what happened.

I myself can't go into too much detail because the story is all over the place. I think it would have been better if for one thing if with the exception of the prostitute telling the story to Billy Drago it should have been in Japanese with subtitles. You can tell the rest of the cast didn't have a good grasp of English. Billy Drago is a much better actor than he is here because he really over acts. And there are too many images that are a little too disturbing for me, oddly it is not the famous torture scene. But I can see it as true horror is not monsters in the dark, but what people really do to each other. One more thing, the reveal at the end was really cheesy! So to some it up I gave it a 6 because there is a good story here somewhere. And I have to give a shout out to the actress who was being tortured because she really sold me on that! On the DVD extras she said she really enjoyed filming that and the only injury that she got was a headache from being hung upside down. So that took some of the edge off of this to remind this is a movie. The Godzilla movies aside, this is my first taste of J-horror and I think I'll be back for more.

Let down by gaping flaws

[As_Cold_As_Ice · 5/10 · 30 January 2007]

This is another typically weird Takashi Miike outing.

First, the acting. The Japanese characters aren't too bad (considering there is a good chance that they can barely speak English in real life), but their broken English can be hard to understand sometimes. However, Bill Drago as Chris has by far some of the worst acting I have ever seen. He seems to yell every line in a ridiculous manner every time he speaks, and towards the end, seems to have a vocabulary of ten words (which is the scripters fault, I'll accept), and he basically screws up this movie, and lowers my rating of it by quite a bit.

The plot is somewhat interesting, and unfolds in the end into utter madness, which isn't necessarily a good thing. It also loses some focus towards the end, going into the scarred women's life story, rather than the woman Chris is looking for, and the thing that is revealed at the end is kind of stupid. The plot itself, though, is able to retain interest for an hour.

The gore isn't particularly gruesome, or plentiful, but at the same time, I can see why this wasn't allowed on American television. A torture scene towards the middle is particularly brutal (think Audition-type stuff), and painful to watch, but other than that, little else is shown.

Basically, this is an interesting movie, hampered by godawful acting by Drago, and a plot that wanders off course. Other than Audition, I still haven't seen anything from Miike that lives up to the ravings of his fans.

This Is a MUST SEE!!!

[sonjaba · 10/10 · 7 November 2006]

As an avid fan of the horror/gore film genre I must admit I was a bit skeptical when I caught wind of the Masters of Horror series. Think about it, the best minds in the horror film industry get together to make a television series on a major cable network. I almost felt betrayed. Here the people I grew up loving were now going to help perpetuate the corporate beast. Let me be the first to admit I could not have been more wrong. Not only does this series live up to the creator's reputations, in many cases it transcends them. The films help to legitimize the whole industry without being detrimental to the reputation horror movies have fought so hard to maintain. It is all the gore one could ask for intermingled with solid story lines, great cinematography and always f#@%ing cool and sometimes eminently creepy music. And if the shows on the series were not enough to satisfy even the most picky of horror film pallets, one of my favorites, Anchor Bay Entertainment, has released Imprint. Imprint was BANNED from TV in the USA, which is enough of reason for me to have wanted to pick it up. I anticipated run of the mil gore as dictated by the controversy surrounding the program, but once again I taste the bitterness of my own words. Don't get me wrong, this movie has one of the hands down, creepiest/gruesome scenes in a horror movie I have ever seen (and I've seen them all). But where most movies of this genre would stop there, Imprint avoids falling into the realm of mediocrity by using this scene as only the beginning of an onslaught on every one of our emotions. Ultimately, the film reminds us all we are human by dragging us through the emotional spectrum by our hair. The stage is set, and what follows is a journey for answers through an antediluvian world of perpetual shock and captivating characters. From the very first scene my eyes were glued to the tube (which became a problem as I really had to use the bathroom). This film was so good that I jeopardized the long-term vibrancy of my own prostate! I could talk for hours but I would hate to give away any of the suspense and surprises that unravel as this film is a road best traveled. I would highly recommend this and any other film in this series to anyone who was willing to listen.

Strange, wild, and worth it--if you can handle it...

[sorinapha · 6/10 · 18 November 2015]

After starting my out-of-sequence watch through of the Masters of Horror series with Jenifer (which was a bit of a disappointment), I decided to go all out and watch Imprint next. Having just seen Audition (1999) last night, I guess you could say I was feeling ambitious.

And just...wow.

Wow.

I would be lying if I didn't admit that I had to pause this a few times and come back to it. It was visceral and uncomfortable and wild, with a torture scene that, in my opinion, was a little harsher than the notorious acupuncture scene in Audition. The plot was surprisingly solid for an hour-long television episode (would-be television episode, I guess I should say), but then I think a great deal of that has to do with the fact that this was based on a preexisting written work; I would be interested in reading the source material sometime.

Billy Drago's performance was a bit lackluster, and it seemed clear that he was cast because of his looks and reputation rather than talent. That did take away from the outermost part of the frame tale, but all of the flashbacks were sound, and I was especially intrigued by Miike's use of colors. It was admittedly a bit ham-handed at times, but an interesting choice nonetheless.

I would rate this higher, but it does lack the cinematic finery of Miike's previous work, Audition, but scaled up on the shock value, which did feel out of balance and a little forced. However, despite its flaws, I liked it, and between this and Audition (1999), I nervously await the opportunity to see more of Miike's work.

This is too scary?

[timhayes-1 · 1/10 · 17 October 2006]

I gotta say, I've seen a lot of horror films in my day and many have claimed to be too scary for an audience but very few if any ever live up to the hype. Hostel for instance was supposed to be terrifying. I fell asleep. this entry in the popular TV series was actually banned from TV for being too intense. In a way I can see why they wouldn't want it on TV. The film features some very extreme scenes and some tough topics. Normally scenes of torture don't bother me too much ( unless it involves the eyes cause that just freaks me out) as I sat through Reservoir Dogs and various other films like Showgirls with no problems. The torture scene here just made me squirm. It was so long and so brutal that I just couldn't take it. I'm sorry but there's no real entertainment value to be found there. If it serves the plot great but otherwise I think you need to reevaluate that trip to the psychiatrist if you find entertainment in that. Throw in a hodgepodge that includes an actual on camera abortion, dead fetuses, syphilis, mutations, bad acting incest and pedophilia and the viewer is left with sensory overload more than terror. Although the thought that some have found this scary is terrifying. I gotta say avoid this one like the clap.