Imprint 

In the 1800s, an American returns to Japan to find the prostitute he fell in love with, but instead learns of the psychical and existential horror that befell her after he left.

Director:

Takashi Miike

Writers:

Mick Garris (creator), Daisuke Tengan (teleplay)

Stars:

Billy Drago, Shihô Harumi, Michié

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Drago	...	Christopher
Shihô Harumi	...	Laborer #1 (as Shihou Harumi)
Michié	...	Komomo (as Michie)
Magy	...	Laborer #2
Shin'ichi Tokuhara	...	Laborer #3 (as Shinichi Tokuhara)
Takao Handa	...	Yoshi, Laborer #4
Hiroshi Kuze	...	Boatman
Miyuki Konno	...	Dead Woman
Yutaka Matsuzaki	...	Gate Keeper #1
Hiroshi Fujita	...	Gate Keeper #2
Sachiko Matsuura	...	Shamisen Player
Noriko Eguchi	...	Whore #1
Megumu Takada	...	Whore #2
Yuno	...	Whore #3
Miho Harita	...	Whore #4

Storyline

In the Nineteenth Century, in Japan, the American journalist Christopher is traveling through the country searching Komomo, 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.

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Plot Keywords:

prostitute | japan | journalist | island | sake | 

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 April 2006 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Ashiocho, Tochigi, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

IDT Entertainment, Industry Entertainment, Kadokawa Herald Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

63 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This episode was originally going to be shown on Showtime in January 2006, but the station banned it shortly before the broadcast. It debuted in America on DVD on September 26, 2006.

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Quotes

The Woman: This island isn't in the human world; demons and whores are the only ones living here.

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Connections

Featured in Hagan Reviews: The Screwfly Solution

User Reviews

Miikes Imprint....

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.