"BANNED FROM CABLE BROADCAST" boasts the blurb on the box of this episode from Showtime's "Masters of Horror" series. This time though, it ain't some sales ploy. Directed by Japanese horror maven Takashi Miike, "Imprint" is one of most disturbing movies I've seen in a long, long time, and it's easy to see why Showtime chose not to air it. Fortunately, Anchor Bay has no such qualms, because although the movie is definitely for the stout-hearted, it's incredibly well-made, and in it's own sick way, beautiful to look at.

Billy Drago plays Christopher, an American returning to an unnamed Asian island to reclaim his lost love, a prostitute he met years earlier. He's way too late, and learns from another mysterious and beautiful-but-scarred prostitute (Youki Kudoh) that she's dead. Distraught, he begs to know what happened. Through flashbacks, the woman tells him of the horrific events surrounding the death of his love. But this woman telling the story isn't what she seems, and as Christopher keeps pushing her to slowly unveil the truth about what happened, the film takes some dark turns rarely ventured by any modern horror director. It's hard to describe how unnerving "Imprint" is without giving too much way, since it contains more than its share of twisted and ugly surprises. I will say that it includes one of the most disturbing, prolonged torture sequences I've ever seen. I think even a lot of jaded horror fans may find themselves wanting to turn away from the screen. Also pretty grueling are the backroom abortions performed by one of the major characters...we're subjected to repeated shots of discarded fetuses tossed into a stream. Still, as tough as some scenes are to take, it's a darkly fascinating story, beautifully shot and very well-acted (even by Drago, who's never really impressed me much until now). The film falters a bit when it reveals it's final revelation (mainly due to some goofy creature effects that look like outtakes from "Basket Case"), but for those who are up for it, "Imprint" is a disturbingly rewarding experience.

Anchor Bay has done a great job with the transfers of these episodes, and "Imprint" is no exception. Presented in 1.77:1 widescreen, belying its TV origins, it sports accurate black tones & a blemish-free picture. The audio is rendered in 5.1 Dolby Digital & 2.0 Dolby Surround. In short, "Imprint" looks and sounds as good as any feature film you'd care to mention.

This disc features a ton of extras, which actually run longer than the film itself, that fans will love. Having not yet seen any of director Miike's other work, I appreciated the massive amount of background assorted features provided about his career, both through text and interviews. It makes me definitely want to check out his other films. There are two extensive making-of featurettes, one about the film's production in general (featuring comments by Miike, the cast, original author Shimako Iwai and exec-producer Mick Garris), and one that focuses on the make-up effects. Less interesting is the audio commentary, which is by two writers who had nothing to do with the movie. Rounding about the features are trailers, galleries, and DVD-ROM content which includes screenplay & a screen saver (I didn't check those out...let's just hope the latter isn't of a discarded fetus).

Unlike the sometimes overly tongue-in-cheek "Tales from the Crypt," the "Masters of Horror" series is undiluted, full-blooded horror, as depicted by several directors who've become synonymous with the genre. The quality of the episodes has also remained remarkably consistent, playing more like mini-movies than a TV show. "Imprint" is one of the better, and more brutal, entries, one that adventurous horror fans should check out.