The Eel: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1997
Director: Shôhei Imamura
Writers: Shôhei Imamura, Daisuke Tengan, Motofumi Tomikawa
Cast: Kôji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Mitsuko Baishô, Akira Emoto, Fujio Tokita, Shô Aikawa, Ken Kobayashi, Sabu Kawahara, Etsuko Ichihara, Tomorowô Taguchi, Chiho Terada

Release Date: April 14th, 2025 (UK), April 15th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 134 Minutes 25 Seconds (Director's Cut), 116 Minutes 38 Seconds (Theatrical Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"After serving time in prison for murdering his unfaithful wife, Yamashita (Koji Yakusho, Perfect Days, Cure) is released on parole, accompanied only by his pet eel. Hoping to stay out of trouble, he takes over a rural barber shop that quickly becomes a gathering point for the eccentric locals. However, the discovery of a woman’s failed suicide starts a chain reaction that brings back past demons - and not just his own." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Director's Cut), 4/5 (Theatrical Cut)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Eel (Director's Cut) was transferred in High-Definition by Shochiku Co. Ltd. and supplied to Radiance Films as a High-Definition digital file.

The Eel (Theatrical Cut) as presented on this disc was assembled by Radiance Films using the high-definition master of the Director's Cut as supplied by Shochiku Co. Ltd. Where necessary and in order to present a complete and accurate version of the Theatrical Cut, this version briefly incorporates interstitial footage taken from a pre-existing standard definition version, which was the only available source from this version of the film. As a result, there are occasional moments where the resolution of the picture fluctuates."

The Eel comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.8 GB

Feature: 23 GB (Director's Cut), 18.5 GB (Theatrical Cut)

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, and black levels are strong. That said, there do not appear to be any issues related to digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5

Each version comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. Both audio tracks are in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a video essay by Tom Mes on the year 1997 as a turning point in Japanese cinema (13 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles for Japanese film clips), an interview with film critic Tony Rayns (27 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Daisuke Tengan, son of director Shôhei Imamura (18 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 20-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an archival interview with Shôhei Imamura conducted by Max Tessier, an archival essay titled The Long Way Back to Normality written by Andrea Grunert, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Shôhei Imamura directed The Eel. He’s known for Pigs and Battleships, The Insect Woman, Intentions of Murder, The Pornographers, Vengeance Is Mine, The Ballad of Narayama, Zegen, and Black Rain.

The Eel is a character-driven melodrama that revolves around a mild-mannered salaryman named Takuro Yamashita whose life is shattered when he discovers his wife's infidelity. Consumed by rage, he grabs a knife, stabs her lover in the back, and then repeatedly stabs her to death. He’s sent to prison for eight years for killing his wife, and when he emerges, he’s clearly a different person. His main companion is an eel who he frequently talks to, and though he initially struggles to connect with others, over time he forms a close bond with a colorful group of characters.

Despite opening with a dramatic moment that hits you hard, most of the narrative is relatively calm moments where characters interact and enjoy spending time with each other. Though there are occasional moments where the serenity is disrupted, most of the narrative has a lighthearted tone. That said, the most surprising aspect of The Eel is how effectively it mixes humor and poignant moments.

An inner turmoil befalls Takuro, the protagonist, like so many of Shôhei Imamura's protagonists. He’s a man who speaks few words and locks his emotions inside where they fester. Though he remains guarded throughout, he does slightly open up with a woman named Keiko, who he saves from an attempted suicide. Keiko, like Takuro, has her own complicated past, which she tries to outrun. Other themes explored in The Eel include loneliness and Takuro’s lack of remorse, his refusal to visit his wife's grave and make amends.

The cast are excellent in their roles, especially Kôji Yakusho (Cure), who portrays Takuro, and Misa Shimizu (Shall We Dance?), who portrays Keiko. In a film that is overflowing with colorful characters, these two characters are the counterbalance, and they both deliver exemplary, pensive performances that perfectly capture their characters' state of mind.

The cast are excellent in their roles, especially Kôji Yakusho (Cure), who portrays Takuro, and Misa Shimizu (Shall We Dance?), who portrays Keiko. In a film that is overflowing with colorful characters, these two characters are the counterbalance, and they both deliver exemplary, pensive performances that perfectly capture their characters' state of mind. Another performance of note is Tomorowô Taguchi (Tetsuo: The Iron Man), who portrays the short-fused loan shark Eiji Dojima.

Though the visuals let the performances be the focal point, there are a few striking moments visually. The most notable of these is the scene where Takuro methodically bludgeons his wife to death, and then he calmly walks into the police station and turns himself in. Other visually striking moments include the scene where Takuro, who had been fishing, discovers Keiko’s comatose body; a scene where a man who's blackmailing Takuro tries to rape Keiko; and a scene where Takuro reaches his breaking point and lets out his rage.

Though this release offers two versions of the film, the clear winner is the director’s cut. That said, The Eel is a film where more is better; not only are things more fleshed out, but the narrative's rhythm is superior. Other strengths of the narrative are how it uses flashbacks to flesh out Keiko’s backstory and its cathartic finale in which Takuro is finally able to move on from his past. Shôhei Imamura was a filmmaker who made so many films that can be qualified as masterpieces, and yet even his films that fall just below this mark are extraordinary. Ultimately, though The Eel falls into the latter category, it is still an extraordinary film about the human condition.

The Eel gets an exceptional release from Radiance Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and insightful extras, highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer