COLD FISH

(A.k.a. TSUMETAI NETTAIGYO)

Shamoto (Mitsuru Fukikoshi) runs a tropical fish shop on Japan’s rainy streets. He lives above it with his daughter Mitsuko (Hikari Kajiwara), and second wife Taeko (Megumi Kagurazaka). From the opening TV dinner scene alone, we know that theirs is not a happy lot.

Mitsuko is picked up shortly afterwards by a boyfriend. Shamoto uses this free time to get fresh with Taeko: she’s not interested. Their awkwardness is cut short by a telephone call to the fish shop – Mitsuko is being held at a grocery store, where she has been accused of shoplifting.

Shamoto drags Taeko there. Upon their arrival, they learn that the man who caught Mitsuko stealing was Yukio (Denden) – also the owner of a tropical fish store. Following a brief discussion, he drops the accusations against Mitsuko and invites Shamoto over to his shop some time.

In no time at all, Shamoto accepts Yukio’s offer – and takes his family along for the experience. Yukio’s shop is infinitely bigger than Shamoto’s and specialises in breeds of fish way beyond Shamoto’s means. Ferrari-driving Yukio seems insanely happy, and has lusty wife Aiko (Asuka Kurosawa) to keep his pecker up.

How the other half live, indeed ... it prompts a sullen Shamoto to recall of how Taeko and Mitsuko spend their time fighting behind the scenes of his little shithole shop. "Perhaps I should get some business cards", he muses.

The upshot of this meeting is that Yukio now feels he has a responsibility towards Mitsuko – and offers her a job at his place. Meek Shamoto can only look on in despair and agree, vaguely aware that jaded Aiko appears to have taken a shine to him ...

All of which you get before the opening titles!

From there, Mitsuko enters Yukio’s curious school of manners, learning how to become one of the several perfect sales assistants that he’s striving for. Yukio, meanwhile, calls Taeko to his office after she’s dropped Mitsuko off at her shop, and effectively rapes her. This is, quite literally, the morning after he’s met them.

But, such is his charismatic blend of aggressive arrogance and exuberant charm, both women appear to be totally hoodwinked by this man. Not so Shamoto, who shows clear signs of apprehension when Taeko returns from her afternoon assault with a huge smile on her face and informs him that Yukio wants to go into business with him.

Anyone with a wife and daughter or daughters will know that, despite whatever reservations you may have, if they both want something, you will ultimately concede. And, of course, Shamoto does.

It’s only afterwards that he learns what a psycho his new business partner is. But, once in, how do you get back out? Especially when the bloke you’re trying to back away from – who you’ve already witnessed kill (and been drawn into assisting – "we’re in this together" Yukio tells Shamoto) – has grown close to your family, effectively putting them at immediate risk?

To proceed any further into the synopsis would be shameful of me, as COLD FISH is a brilliant film that needs to be viewed with as little forewarning as possible for full effect. It’s a lengthy film – just under two-and-a-half-hours, in fact – but never drags. From the offset, it hooks you in and never lets up.

Director Sion Sono keeps the arty-fartiness to a minimum, adopting instead a candid documentary-style approach to much of the action that really lends it an authentically up-close edge. Even quieter scenes seem tense as a result.

The pace can be leisurely at times, but it’s all so perfectly measured that you could never accuse the film of being ‘slow’ – everything is so controlled, so deliberate: Sono is on a roll at present, and is making films of such sustained excellence, from one scene to the next, that the running time is never daunting; on the contrary, the film could’ve wallowed in these crazy situations a little longer for my liking.

And crazy situations do indeed rear their ugly heads.

Sono’s intimate epic – something of a niche of his, following LOVE EXPOSURE and NORIKO’S DINNER TABLE – is based loosely on a true story. The film reminds you of this with occasional onscreen text signifying dates and times of events. Which makes it all the wilder when you consider what happens. Again, no spoilers here ... but prepare to be shocked.

And, if you enjoy the first two hours of steadily increasing insanity – the mad set-pieces, tasteless but brilliant exchanges between Yukio and all who piss him off, and beautiful compositions – you will be sufficiently rewarded with one of the most riveting, grotesquely satisfying climaxes in recent memory.

Performances throughout are superb. It’s a real feel-bad film made with oodles of skill and style, and one which I can’t muster anything negative to say about. Even if you feel you’re not getting it after the first hour, please stick with it – films this cruel and demented are rarely this well-made.

The version of COLD FISH reviewed is Third Window’s 2-disc DVD.

The picture quality is generally good, in a 16x9 widescreen format which appears to be faithful to the original aspect ratio. There are no obvious framing issues. Depth and texture are well rendered, while colours pop up well. A subtle greyness to the picture, especially in darker scenes, is evident – but I’d wager that it’s inherent of how the film was shot. There are no problems with noise or edge enhancement.

Original Japanese audio is provided in both 2.0 and 5.1 mixes. Both sound excellent. The latter especially makes good use of its extra channels, providing more atmosphere with a natural-sounding and intelligent mix that remains appropriately balanced throughout. Optional English subtitles are easy to read and free from glaring errors.

The disc opens to an animated main menu page which benefits from being complemented by segments of the show’s sombre score. From there, an animated scene-selection menu allows access to the main feature via 20 chapters.

There are no extra features on disc one.

Over on disc two, a static menu opens proceedings and offers immediate access to some interesting bonus material.

First up is the film’s original trailer. This is a tense 2-minute affair that doesn’t look anywhere near as good as the remastered main feature.

An interview with co-writer Yoshiki Takahashi follows. This is a fairly interesting 50-minute English language interview conducted in Takahashi’s apartment by Norman England (American bit-part actor in the likes of TOKYO GORE POLICE and DEATH NOTE).

Jake Adelstein is the subject of the next featurette. He’s the author of "Tokyo Vice" and reported on the real-life case that inspired the film’s storyline. He refers to his book, or at least the two chapters devoted to this outlandish crime, and offers a wealth of fascinating information surrounding the true-life crime over the course of 39 minutes.

"COLD FISH: Original Japanese Poster. Its Creation, Influences and Film Posters in General" is 9 more minutes of England pestering the chain-smoking Takahashi, who designed the film’s poster – as well as those for MUTANT GIRL SQUAD and more.

Finally, we get trailers for a mountain of Third Window titles. These include CONFESSIONS, CONFESSIONS OF A DOG, KAKERA, FISH STORY, MEMORIES OF MATSUKO, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, AKUNIN, SAWAKO DECIDES, LOVE EXPOSURE, INSTANT SWAMP, FINE REALLY FINE, LALA PIPO, DASEPO NAUGHTY GIRLS, PEPPERMINT CANDY, FUNUKE, TURTLES ARE SURPRISINGLY FAST SWIMMERS, PTU, FRIEND, WILD CARD, SAY YES, PRESIDENT’S LAST BANG, NO BLOOD NO TEARS, KICK THE MOON and GUNS AND TALKS.

A brilliant, transgressive masterpiece gets an excellent release from Third Window.

Also available on blu-ray.

Review by Stuart Willis