Director: Shôhei Imamura
Screenplay: Shôhei Imamura, Daisuke Tengan, Motofumi Tomikawa
Based on a Novel by: Akira Yoshimura
Starring: Kôji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Mitsuko Baishô, Akira Emoto, Fujio Tokita, Shô Aikawa, Makoto Satô
Country: Japan
Running Time: 134 min (Director’s Cut), 117 min (Theatrical Cut)
Year: 1997
BBFC Certificate: TBC
Despite the critical success of his 1989 film Black Rain, writer-director Shôhei Imamura took a lengthy filmmaking hiatus following its release, due to ill health and financial problems.
After eight years, Imamura’s son, Daisuke Tengan, managed to bring him back to the director’s chair though, by suggesting Imamura join him in adapting Akira Yoshimura’s novel ‘On Parole’ (a.k.a. ‘Kari-Shakuhō’) for the big screen.
The resulting film, The Eel (a.k.a. Unagi), proved to be a big success, aided by a historic second Palme d’Or win for the director. This helped rejuvenate Imamura’s career, though his age and health meant he only managed to direct two more films before passing away in 2006.
I’ve reviewed several of Imamura’s films for the site and enjoyed them a great deal but haven’t seen any of the final three he made following his post-Black Rain hiatus. As such, I was thrilled to hear Radiance Films would be releasing The Eel on Blu-ray and requested a screener so I could share my thoughts.
The Eel centres around Takuro Yamashita (Kôji Yakusho), a man who, after discovering his wife’s infidelity, kills her and is subsequently imprisoned. Following his release after eight years, Yamashita seeks a solitary existence, opening a barbershop in a quiet coastal town. His primary companion is an eel he kept as a pet during his incarceration.
Yamashita’s attempts at isolation are disrupted, however, when he encounters Keiko (Misa Shimizu), a woman who he saved from a suicide attempt and bears a striking resemblance to his deceased wife. Their lives become intertwined as Keiko begins working at his barbershop, forcing Yamashita to confront his past and navigate the complexities of human connection.
Making this more difficult, however, is the appearance of ex-con Takasaki (Emoto Akira), who knows of Yamashita’s past and disapproves of his relationship with Keiko. She’s having a hard time too, as her loan shark ex, Eiji Dojima (Tomorowo Taguchi), attempts to force his way back into her life so that he can extort money from Keiko’s dementia-suffering mother (Etsuko Ichihara).
The Eel was something of a game of two halves for me. It opens in an economic, shocking fashion, cleanly setting the scene with the murder of Yamashita’s wife. Then, the film settles down into a surprisingly quiet and gentle tale of a troubled man trying to regain a sense of self following intense trauma and a lengthy incarceration.
I found this first half to be highly effective but, once Dojima and Takasaki start meddling in affairs, things turn a little more melodramatic and it all ends a little neatly. Whilst the denouement isn’t all sunshine and roses, it does have a slightly corny air to it.
My disappointment in the final act might be partly down to expectations though. I was quite surprised by the tone of the film, being largely only familiar with Imamura’s earlier work. Whilst it shares a theme with much of the director’s back catalogue, in how, as Tengan puts it, the film is “a story about creating a pseudo-community, a pseudo-family”, the overall feel is quite different. The Eel has a curiously whimsical and light tone, despite the grim setup and further violence that occurs towards the end. The other titles I’ve seen from Imamura have been grittier and more shocking.
Being different is no criticism though and The Eel still manages to take a sensitive and intriguing look at mental health. Both Yamashita and Keiko are suffering due to mistakes made in the past. This helps bring them together. Yamashita is punishing himself for what he did by cutting himself off from others, or trying to, at least. The friendly community impose themselves on him, regardless.
The film also plays on Yamashita’s mental health by suggesting that some of the things we see are in his head. Some moments are clearly conjured up, when we hear the voice of the eel, for instance, or when he finds himself diving into the tank. Then you have some elements that are less clear, such as whether or not all the interactions with Takasaki ever happened, and whether the letter that revealed Yamashita’s wife’s infidelities ever existed.
Kôji Yakusho is excellent as Yamashita. He’s had a long and successful career and recently found great acclaim with his lead role in Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days. Like in that, Kôji delivers a subtle, nuanced performance that anchors the film.
So, after a shocking scene-setter, The Eel is a surprisingly gentle drama for Imamura, though it’s not without a dark edge. I thought the first half was more successful than the second but The Eel remains an engrossing and thought-provoking watch.
Film: 
The Eel is out on 24th March on region A&B Blu-Ray, released by Radiance Films. The transfer looks great. It’s a clean image with natural colours and textures. It’s a touch soft, but I imagine that’s down to the film stock it was shot on. I’ve used screengrabs throughout this review to give you an idea of how it looks. It sounds good too.
Though not widely advertised (including on the Radiance website, surprisingly), the release comes with both the theatrical cut and the rarely seen extended director’s cut. I opted for the latter when I watched the film. I didn’t have time to watch the theatrical cut to compare, unfortunately.
LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY FEATURES
– High-Definition digital transfer of both the Theatrical Cut and the rare Director’s Extended Cut
– Uncompressed mono PCM audio
– Interview with critic Tony Rayns (2024)
– Interview with screenwriter Daisuke Tengan (2024)
– Visual essay by Tom Mes on the year 1997 as a turning point in Japanese cinema (2024)
– Trailer
– Newly improved English subtitle translation
– Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
– Limited edition booklet featuring a newly translated archival interview with Imamura
– Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings
Tony Rayns begins his 27-minute interview by describing Imamura’s background before discussing The Eel. He explains how this and the rest of the director’s final three films are quite different in tone from his early work.
Tom Mes provides an essay that looks at the importance of 1997 in Japanese cinema. It’s an insightful piece.
Daisuke Tengan, Imamura’s son, who co-wrote the film, is also interviewed. He talks about how he feels his father’s films are structuralist examinations of Japanese society. He discusses the process behind writing The Eel, his involvement with it and the success it found on release.
I didn’t receive a copy of the booklet to comment on that, unfortunately.
So, it’s a strong release of a solid film. Imamura fans shouldn’t hesitate to pick it up.
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