RAMPO NOIR (1999)
Directed by Akio Jissoji, Atsushi Kaneko, Hisayasu Sato, Suguru Takeuchi
Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Ryuhei Matsuda, Hiroki Narimiya, Yukiko Okamoto
Genre: Horror/Comedy/Thriller
Running Time: 134mins

Rating:

Rampo Noir is a collection of four short stories from four directors each centering around themes of obsession and violence. Based upon the writings of horror writer Edogawa Rampo, the films feature fan favourite Tadanobu Asano in tales that range from the abstract to the absurd diving head-first into complex, often perverse relationships and skin-crawlingly intense worlds. Prepare yourself, Rampo Noir is not for the light-hearted.

The universe of Rampo Noir is one of myster-horror filtered through a cinematic landscape tred by such luminaries as Lynch and Tsukamoto. A collection of surrealist nightmares, each is beautifully shot dripping with atmosphere unfolding with a measured, dream-like pace. Much like Tuskamoto's Gemini, Rampo Noir takes the viewer into a skewed vision of the world juxtaposing the beautiful with the repugnant, the vibrant with the dreary to create an engrossing spectacle filled with images that will live in your memory long after the credits roll.

Each short deals with explosive relationships that over the course of time strain to breaking point leading ultimately to obsession, destruction and insanity.

Mars Canal

Mars Canal is an abstract piece mostly devoid of sound with only jarring pops and buzzes to accentuate the fractured editing of the visuals on display. Purely as a work focusing on mood and atmosphere it is a well executed piece forcing us into a dreamscape of nightmarish, fragmented memories as an unnamed man (Asano) struggles to deal with recollections of murdering an unnamed woman. We are never given an insight into who each are, nor the relationship between attacker and victim, all we are given is the assumption that this cataclysmic event spiralled out of control during sex.

The vague, almost indecipherably ambiguous nature of this outing proves to be its biggest downfall. Even with such a short running time, the lack of details only serves to raise a wall to its audience. Leaving a nasty taste in the mouth, the practically motiveless nature of the attack leaves you with little to reflect upon other than that, what we are watching is nothing more than a murder scene played out with little depth or value.

And so, while effectively unsettling in a technical light, Mars Canal sits uncomfortably as an introductory piece. Far too abstract there is simply not enough to chew on while also being far from entertaining it exists purely as a one-time watch for curios of its technical merit and artistic choices. It's a shame that for all the iconic imagery the short carries with it that there it is so devoid of soul, a missed opportunity.

Thankfully though, Mars Canal is not indicative of the segments to follow.

Mirror Hell

Mirror Hell marks the more straight-forward entry of the series as we follow Detective Akechi's (Tadanobu Asano) investigation into a series of grisly murders, each bearing the same MO: female victims whose faces lay melted next to a smouldering mirror.

Mirror Hell is less-preoccupied with the "whodunnit" investigation, we are never in any doubt who is responsible, instead we are treated to sumptiously designed visuals using multiple reflections to make each shot beautifully composed and rich in layers and perspectives.

Aside from its exhuberent visual style however, Mirror Hell feels decidedly cold. Scratching beneath the surface its plot and characters never truly feel fully realised and the structure of relationships, power-play and its resulting jealousy lacks the complexity needed to really hit an emotional punch. As such it never extends any further than being a side-dish to the spectacle of the production.

However, this is no bad thing as Mirror Hell is full to the brim with ideas that push its theme as far as it can go. Realising the theory of what would be seen within a spherical mirror, while thematically skirting perilously close to misogyny during a particularly tense SM scene.

Mirror Hell is edgy stuff falling just short of greatness due to the at times predictable plotting.

Caterpillar

Caterpillar is the strongest of the four. With a complex disturbing relationship at its core the film examines dependence and obsession as an injured war veteran, Sunaga (played by Nao Omori) returns home, only to have his already incapacitating injuries worsened by his wife Tokiko (Yukiko Okamoto) who gradually rids him of his limbs forcing him into a totally dependent state, as her own personal caterpillar.

Providing us with a view into this very private affair is a voyeuristic, mysterious man played by Ryuhei Matsuda. An apprentice to Tokiko's Uncle, and guardian of his artwork he casually observes the body-horror admiring Sunaga's butchered body as a work of true art.

Caterpillar is a deeply horrific yet fascinating piece of work. Unconventional in structure, tone and narrative it is no less engrossing due to the very human core of Sunaga who grounds us as he is subjected to what at first appears to be nothing more than casual torture.

Credit must be given however, to Yukiko Okamoto as Sunaga's wife/torturer. Okamoto carries off her performance without descending into a role of pure evil, deep beneath the blood-letting and the carnal-gore is an aching heart. Obsessed, she is a woman who has found an outlet for her torment, an outlet that breaks her heart just as it does her husband's body, yet she can't stop.

There is an unusual beauty to its tragic closure, horrific as it is (and you will certainly need a cast iron stomach for this installment) there is a stillness apparent that almost feels like serenity after so much physical and mental anguish.

Powerfull stuff from director of Naked Blood (Hisayasu Sato) who shows remarkable control over style and tone to create a truly hypnotic work.

Insects

Insects is a blacker than black comedy continuing the anthology's themes of obsession and destruction as Asano's Masaki, a germaphobic driver for starlet Fuyu (Tamaki Ogawa) falls for his client and his feelings slowly spiral out of control. Left with a fast rotting corspe that is doing nothing for his fears of disease and infestation Masaki resorts to a bout of DIY taxidermy in order to preserve his trophy, his key to an immaculate fantasy world into which he frequently escapes.

Insects is a wild, absurd, disturbing short again playing strongly towards establishing atmosphere and mood instead of narrative message. However, while Insects may not be as fascinating nor as complex as Caterpiller, its rich vein of pitch-black humour makes it the most entertaining. Albeit as a pure guilty pleasure.

Its success surely is partly to do with Tadanobu Asano who truly delivers as Masaki completely shattering any notion of ego to portray the most off-kilter, manic character of the series. Out-geeking his portrayal in Party 7 he revels in the chance to plunge the depths of depravity, a nervous, twitching, fidgety wreck of a man sporting just a pair of hideous white briefs seeking redemption for his crimes it is the moments of levity that save this segment from being just pure grotesqueries. Don't be fooled however, while there are laughs this is still viscerally disturbing stuff, if the DIY taxidermy doesn't send you over the edge then the bile inducing punchline certainly will. Outrageous to the extreme it will no doubt cause more than a few.

Technically speaking Insects is a beautifully shot episode, director Atsushi Kaneko embues this base humoured outing with care and precision with a production design that calls upon a fusion of 30's fashion and noir cinema while Masaki's fantasy world is stunning realised full of vibrant colours and installations that call upon the imagery of Salvador Dali.

Great stuff.

Rampo Noir marks a fresh outlook on J-Horror taking inspiration from the works of hugely influential author Edogawa Rampo (the namesake of his biggest influence Edgar Allan Poe). Rampo Noir is a ferociously dark, beautifully repulsive collection of stories that is a welcome step-away from the overused, recycled imagery of long-haired vengeful spirits that has plagued asian horror since the boom of Sadako in 1999's smash "Ring".

While not particularly terrifying, Rampo Noir is not about big scares but more about creating multi-layered worlds for its audience to get lost in. Expertly sustaining a sense of perverse dread, this is a fiercely original showcase of four talented directors, despite some short-comings Rampo Noir remains essential viewing.