Shohei Imamura-Unagi ('The Eel') (1997)

In a jealous rage, Takuro Yamashita brutally murdered his beautiful wife after catching her making love to another man. Without hesitating, he delicately covered her lifeless body and turned himself in to the local authorities. After an eight-year prison sentence, he chose to start a new life as a barber in a small town offering perfect isolation from his fears. The agonizing pain of his wife's infidelity has left him unforgiving and without remorse. For years now, his only solace has been through an eel he kept as a pet in prison and, as of late, in a small tank at the barbershop. As a favor to the town's priest, Takuro has reluctantly agreed to help a young woman (Keiki) with a troubled past by offering her a job as his assistant. Beautiful, sincere and uncompromisingly dedicated, it would appear that Keiki is just what Takuro needs in his life. However, when he least expects it, Keiki's past will collide with Takuro's. And, if he isn't careful, Takuro's past will come back to haunt him forever. New Yorker Video




White-collar worker Yamashita finds out that his wife has a lover visiting her when he's away, suddenly returns home and kills her. After eight years in prison, he returns to live in a small village, opens a barber shop (he was trained as a barber in prison) and talks almost to no-one except for the eel he "befriended" in prison. One day he finds the unconscious body of Keiko, who attempted suicide and reminds him of his wife. She starts to work at his shop, but he doesn't let her become close to him. (http://imdb.com/title/tt0120408/plotsummary)




This is a film about human sexuality. It is not pleasant. Takuro Yamashita, played very effectively by Koji Yakusho, gets an anonymous letter telling him that his young, pretty wife is entertaining another man while he is out fishing at night, this after she lovingly prepares and packs his supper. He goes fishing but returns home early in time to catch them in medias res. In a cold rage he knifes his wife to death. He bicycles to the police station and turns himself in. Eight years later he gets out of prison. This is where our story begins.(amazon.com)




Yamashita, now embittered toward others, and especially women, is on parole. He sets up a barber shop in a small town. He keeps a pet eel because he feels that the eel "listens" to him when he talks. One day he discovers a woman (Keiko Hattari, played by the beautiful Misa Shimizu) in some nearby bushes who has taken an overdose in a suicide attempt. He brings help and she is saved. She then enters his life as his assistant. Her presence challenges the emotional isolation he is seeking and forces him to face not only his future but his past. (amazon.com)




The eel itself (a wet "snake") symbolizes sexuality. When this sexuality is confined it is under control. When it is let loose it is dark and deep and mysterious. Director Shohei Imamura's technique is plodding at times, and striking at others. His women are aggressive sexually even though, in the Japanese "princess" style, they may look younger than spring time. His men can be brutal. Their emotions, confined by society as the eel is confined by its tank, sometimes burst out violently.(amazon.com)




For many viewers the pace of this film will be too slow, and for others the sexuality depicted will offend.Yakusho's face suggests the very depth and mystery that Imamura is aiming at. Also disappointing is how little we really see of Misa Shimizu's expressions. Chiho Terada, who plays the murdered wife, is also very pretty and completely convincing, but we see little of her. Her expression just before dying, a combination of shamelessness and resignation, funereal acceptance even, was unforgettable.(amazon.com)