Arrow Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Four filmmakers from completely different backgrounds bring their radically personal takes to the stories of Japan’s celebrated master of the macabre, Edogawa Rampo (Horrors of Malformed Men, Blind Beast). In “Mars’s Canal”, by music video director and visual artist Suguru Takeuchi, a lone man encounters the other side of his psyche beyond the reflective surface of a circular pond set in a desolate landscape. Japanese New Wave auteur and longtime director of the Ultraman series Akio Jissoji (This Transient Life, Mandala) harnesses his distinctive stylistic sheen in his story of a mad mirror maker, “Mirror Hell”. “Caterpillar” sees the singular vision of cult director Hisayasu Sato (The Bedroom, Naked Blood) at its most grotesque, in his portrait of a wounded war veteran who returns from the frontline as little more than a bloody torso, helpless to defend himself against the increasingly perverted caprices of an embittered wife. Finally, a famous actor is subjected to the obsessive attentions of her limo driver in “Crawling Bugs”, the directorial debut of internationally acclaimed manga artist Atsushi Kaneko (Bambi and Her Pink Gun). Produced by the same team behind Ichi the Killer and Uzumaki, and with a cast featuring some of Japan’s top stars, including Tadanobu Asano (Maboroshi, Silence) and Ryuhei Matsuda (Blue Spring, Gohatto), Rampo Noir is a stylistic tour-de-force that vividly evokes the “erotic grotesque” worlds created by Japan’s pioneering proponent of horror and mystery fiction. (134 Mins)

 

Views: I had never heard of Rampo Noir, nor did I have any idea what I was about to watch, until Arrow Video released their gorgeously restored Blu-ray of the film in the run up to it's 20th birthday. Made in 2005 at the height of the J-horror craze, Rampo Noir offers fans of the genre something a little different – or perhaps something a lot different - depending on what your threshold is when it comes to horror. Based on the works by renowned Japanese author Edogawa Ranpo, who was born as Taro Hirai but founded his new pen name in admiration of Edgar Allan Poe, this collection of stories is delivered as an arthouse anthology in many regards – albeit wrought with horror, torture, murder, and obsession among other things! While experimental in some ways, the films of Rampo Noir certainly keep your attention – although I can totally understand how it wouldn't for many as it's slow-burning pace may be tough throughout it's lengthy running time. But what classic of the J-horror genre isn't slow-burning? One of the main things that keeps you glued here, is the stunning visuals of offer for the most of it's running time captured by talented cinematographer Akiko Ashizawa; the same eye behind films such as Retribution (2006), Tokyo Sonata (2008), Real (2013), Creepy (2016), and much more. While he manages to give each film it's own look, obviously helped by the different styles of the directors involved, Ashizawa still delivers visuals in his own unique way that makes every other scene on screen embed itself into your memory. It's really quite beautiful for the most part...

 

The four stories are called Mars Canal, Mirror Hell, Caterpillar, and Crawling Bugs and while each of them seemed to be loosely connected, they are all quite separate tales. And while I can't yet settle on which one I preferred most – perhaps Caterpillar came across as the most disturbing given the set-up – each story has it's own appealing value. For example, the first film (Mars Canal) is completely silent. At first I was reaching for my volume button but had no joy. It was only when I switched the Blu-ray audio to the commentary included, did I realise it was meant to be. But what a short! Without the sound, you become even more engrossed at the brutality and visuals offered up on screen; tightly directed by Suguru Takeuchi in what would be his feature film (indirectly) directional debut. Akio Jissoji is behind Mirror Hell, a Sherlock Holmes-esque tale of mysterious deaths caused by an arcane mirror maker. While it offers and great premise and is a bit more structured than the first, it definitely comes across as the tamest of the lot. Caterpillar, however, is at the other end of the scale. Directed by Hisayasu Sato, it tells the disturbing tale of a war veteran whose return home sees him held captive by his wife, dismembered and tortured for her own pleasure, and left like a human caterpillar for her own pleasure. It's bizarre visual exploration helps fuel the unsettling theme of the film, and proves to be one of the most memorable of the stories – even when you don't want it to be. The last of the anthology, Crawling Bugs from director Atsushi Kaneko, takes viewers on a sharp turn with it's theatrical style, dark humour, and surrealism as it tells the story of a chauffeur whose obsession with a stage actress goes a little too far.

 

Perhaps one of it's biggest draws is that of it's main star and biggest name, Tadanobu Asano, the Japanese actor who rose to fame as Kakihara in Ichi The Killer (2001), before going on to star in films such as Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman (2003), Survive Style 5+ (2004), Tokyo Zombie (2005), Battleship (2012), 47 Ronin (2013), Mortal Kombat (2021), the award-winning series Shogun (2024), and starred as Hogun in Marvel's Thor (2011) and it's many sequels. I mean, if that's not enough of a reason to see Rampo Noir then I don't know what is! Starring in all films except for Caterpillar, Asano appears as one of only two actors in Mars Canal – buck naked I might add – and in Mirror Hell interestingly plays Ranpo's fictional detective, Kogoro Akechi. But in Crawling Bugs, the famed actor goes the extra mile as the private limo driver with a few problems. It's totally nuts, but just shows the scope of his acting abilities – and that last show, oh boy! But, of course, Asano is joined by a great cast who all deliver fantastic and brave performances, including Mikako Ichikawa; a model-turned-actress who has also starred in Blue (2002), Cutie Honey (2004), Memories Of Matsuko (2006) and Shin Godzilla (2016) among others. Yumi Yoshiyuki,who is best known for her work in the Pink movie genre, also stars as does Ryuhei Matsuda who made his debut in the brilliant Gohatto (1999) before starring in films such as Cutie Honey (2004), Izo (2004), Demon Pond (2005) and more. Hiroki Narimiya, from Azumi (2003) makes an appearance as does Yuko Daike; starlet of films such as Kids Return (1996), Hana-Bi (1997), Dolls (2002), Zatoichi (2003), and the first two Ju-On: The Curse (2000) movies...

 

Different, engrossing, slow, and beautifully executed, Rampo Noir is most definitely a very different type of Japanese horror movie. And while it may lack the ghostly white-faced children and women that became so expected in the genre at this time, it still manages to send out a number of chills that will stay with you for some time and more in a phycological sense than anything. Each of the directors involved do a fine job in offering their own unique take on horror and adaptation on Ranpo's works, and the abundance of extras available on the Arrow Blu-ray release just confirm they're celebration – from the audio commentary to cast and crew interviews, and it's greatly received greeting on stage to the extensive and feature-length making of, it's clear that this was an important project to all and I, for one, am very glad to see it get the love it deserves via this new Blu-ray release!

 

Overall: While it may seem overly arty for the mainstream audience, Rampo Noir is a visually stunning entry to the J-horror catalogue with enough disturbing moments to please horror fans!

 

Arrow Video Blu-ray Extras: Audio Commentary by Jasper Sharp & Alexander Zahlten, Cast & Crew Interviews, Stage Greeting, Making of Documentary, Image Gallery​