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 EM
EMBALMING
aka
Enbamingu
1999
Japan
Color
Unrated
95 mins.
Director:
Shinji Aoyoma
Cast: Reiko
Takashima, Yutaka Matsushige, Toshio Shiba, Hitomi Miwa, Kojiro
Hongo, Masatoshi Matsuo,
Seijun
Suzuki
ArtsMagic DVD version
DVD
extra features:
• Trailers
• New 5.1 Surround Audio
• Commentary Track
• Deleted scenes and outtakes
•
Short Films
•
Music Video
•
Two making of BB Docu's
::
Menu Screen Shots ::
::
Screen Captures By Kyonsi.com ::
Kyonsi
EM Film Facts |
The
actors in EM EMBALMING have a fairly impressive combined
filmography between them, a few are in popular films
like One Missed Call, Charisma, Ring, Rasen (The Spiral),
Pulse, Tomie: Replay, Yokai Monsters 3: Along with Ghosts,
Shadow of the Wraith, and more. I also must mention
several Gamera and Godzilla films over the years. This
cast has some impressive Japanese horror under their
belts.
Notes compiled By Allen F. (Kyonsi)
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Nothing
like Other Asian Crime-Horror....
Review:
Allen F.
EM-Embalming
is a complex story of grotesque morbidity. Starting with a highly
interesting introduction and lesson of sorts in the history
of the embalming process. The Japanese must not practice as
much embalming upon death as we do here in the US, that is made
a bit evident throughout this gory and sometimes cringe inducing
horror crime-drama.
EM tells
the story of embalmer Miyako and her experience with the preservation
and reconstruction of a dead youth named Yoshiki. The death
is somewhat a mystery and under investigation by Detective Hiraoka.
He calls in Miyako for her input and help in this matter as
the dead boys family is of politics and wants the body preserved
and returned to its natural state. That’s understandable
as his heads more than a bit popped open.
Into the story also comes Rika the strange girlfriend
of Yoshiki. The film continues thru the entertaining “so
bad its good” embalming procedure and offers the viewer
a look into the process of embalming. The embalming of Yoshiki
causes some problems with the local and politically powerful
quack faith healer Chief Jion. Seemingly not a man to be trusted
from the get go. Jion sends his oddly dressed henchmen for Miyako
and in conversation at the temple orders her to stop the emabalming
procedure as its evil and all humans are too “return to
the earth” upon death. Meanwhile the EM facility gets
broken into via chemical weapons and the head of the embalmed
Yoshiki is stolen, just the head that is. I always like a film
that’s direct in matters like dismemberment and corpse
snatching.
EM then
turns into a full on crime drama CSI Japanese EM Style. This
case gets even stranger as we find out about hidden secrets,
black market organ dealers, embalmers that do side work, quadruple
personalities, and the way some people look at the EM procedure.
There is also some plot line about an acupuncture like procedure
that may strangely help the mentally ill. There’s a lot
going on in this film. There is even a sickly bit of unknown
incest happening in a certain circle. Just who has that damned
head and why did they take it? To stop a funeral or for a morbid
trophy. Perhaps the mobile organ thief operator took it and
has it with the rest of the corpses in his semi truck, and is
he a key characters father back from hiding from a dark past?
Time may or may not tell. I will not.
EM works at a slow dramatic pace but has a bit
of a more upbeat ending . The B-Movie effects are watchable.
Who wouldn’t love a film that has a maniac organ thief
in a mobile organ removal truck, that’s a bit unique.
So pick up EM embalming today for cinema favorites like chainsaw
dismemberment, chemical sleeping gas, head thievery, corrupt
politicians, quack faith healers with henchmen. A ripping good
look into the late 1990’s gore films of Japan.
EM is nothing
like other Asian crime-horror as it dwells into a topic that
films rarely venture into EMBALMING. The film may leave you
fixed in a static condition somewhat like Yoshiki.
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