Unagi (1997) The Eel

Directed by Shohei Imamura

Starring Kji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu

Wonderful drama from one of Japans unsung great directors. Golden Palm winner at Cannes in 1997, the film starts off with a fairly brutal crime of passion leading to Takuro spending 8 years in jail. On release hes given two years probation, moves to a small town and sets up a barber shop. 

What follows is his struggle to fit back into society, meeting with a woman whose life he saves when she tries to kill herself, she looks similar to the wife he murdered and this creates a huge gap that he finds hard to bridge.

The Eel is a representation and symbol of his repressed guilt, he talks to the eel and for a while its his only outlet for his feelings, he is burdened, crippled indeed by the self loathing and guilt he feels for what he did in the name of love.

A definite recommendation but not if you like to be spoonfed.

Cheers Trev

BBFC rated 18.

Region 1 & 3 ntsc DVD's available.