Masters of Horror: Imprint
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When Showtime declared that Asian director Takashi Miike's addition to Masters of Horror was too intense for air, I was intrigued. I personally thought that Argento's Jenifer was pushing the lines on what Showtime would show, and this was completely yanked from the air. Wow! I couldn't wait. Popping in the film though, I quickly realized that Showtime made the right call. Sweet Lord, was this some intense viewing.

A traveling American (Billy Drago, disappointing all Drago fans in this one) is looking for the love of his life. Years ago, on a trip to Asia, our American Christopher fell in love with a sweet young whore and promised to bring her to the states with him on his return. After years of searching different brothels for her he comes upon a disfigured whore that knows his lost love Komomo. Unfortunately she took her life before Christopher finds her. Or did she? What unfolds is different flashed back stories from the disfigured girl that dives deeper and deeper into the horrific truth. Uh, horrific truth and lots of confusion.

This movie has some very intense moments easily causing some squirming in your seat. We are given a horrific tortuous beating that seemed waaay too realistic, incest, bloody fetuses and more. Yeah!!! You can never have too many bloody fetuses in a film! (Sarcasm you freaks). What makes this an actual good entry into the Masters of Horror is not really the story (more on that in a moment), but with all this horrific moments shoved in front of our eyes it is still oddly beautiful. Miike has an eye for every scene, making even a fetus floating down a river seem tranquil and pleasant. You sit back and realize what you are actually looking at and snap out of your appreciation of the scenery, and feel dirty for enjoying the scene seconds ago. He has a gift of making the most despicable human actions seem beautiful. Kudos Miike.

Unfortunately the story left me slightly cold. It started quite interesting enough with the deformed whore diving into the back story of her life and the meeting of Komomo, but after the second flashback it lost it's effect. Moments later we get into Brain Damage territory that had me screaming Basket Case!! What was horrific quickly became comical. Lastly we are left with an ending that had me rewind twice to try and figure out what the hell I just watched. Is it too sophisticated for me to grasp? I didn't think so, but bottom line was I had no clue what happened.

Watching Imprint was like watching Browning's Freaks for the first time. Moments of claustrophobia and delirium are what you find yourself surrounded in. Was it the craziness that was on the screen that causes this, or the horrible acting and confusing ass storyline? There is a little something to ponder while you watch this addition. Even though the film was horrific and beautiful, this was not enough to make this a complete winner. This left me only being able to give this a mid-range 3 cans.

Added:  Monday, September 25, 2006
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