February 22, 2006

FILM REVIEW
Order Restored, and a Gag Reprised

The Eel
Directed by Shohei Imamura
Now on DVD

By LESTER GRAY
Arts Editor

The Eel, a sort of love story from director Shohei Imamura, blends a brutal murder, deep remorse, and borderline slapstick. This hybrid commentary on Japanese society collected the Golden Palm Award at Cannes in 2000.

Protagonist Takuro Yamashita is a blue-suited, white-collar automaton — one of millions. He dutifully does his nine-to-five and fishes on the weekend for relaxation. So stereotypically is his character drawn that comic relief seems inevitable. Imamura decides to first give us some graphic violence.

Takuro’s compartmentalized life minimizes variables and surprises; the exception is his spouse whom he suspects of cheating on him. Sneaking home early from his angling retreat, he finds his wife expressing more pleasure in the act of infidelity than a husband should ever have to witness. Taking leave of his dispassion, Takuro slices the two lovers into pieces. Covered with blood he turns himself in.

After eight years in prison, he emerges, stolid as ever, with a few quirks from institutionalization. His only treasured possession is an eel, his preferred conversation partner. The pet doubles as a gag metaphor for the guilt he nurses.

On parole, Takuro sets up a barbershop, doing his best to avoid trouble. That this won’t be easy is evident from the moment an attractive female, a dead ringer (get it?) for his deceased wife, offers to work in the salon for free. Her presence draws her dastardly ex-beau, who is after the estate of the young woman’s licentious and demented mother.

There’s a mild hilarity that winds though the life of Takuro, a fellow who only wanted to retreat into self-indulgent grief with his pet, mourning that one tragic lapse of discipline and his wife’s death — in that order.

While there’s no doubt The Eel, a send-up of the Japanese preoccupation with order, plays more intimately for audiences in Japan, its humor is to a large extent universal.

The Aristocrats

Directed by Paul Provenza

Now on DVD

Vaudevillians and the comedians who spawned in their tradition had a joke they saved, with good reason, to share with fellow entertainers off-stage. The framework of this gag features a family who, after auditioning an off-color skit for a talent agent, is asked what they call themselves. The reply is a somewhat haughty “The Aristocrats!” — a punch line standing in stark and humorous irony with the act., e.g., an aging couple farting “Yankee Doodle” in harmony.

What keeps this joke alive is its mutability, which allows comedians to riff both on the makeup of the family and the act, the only constants being the talent agency and “The Aristocrats” kicker.

The Aristocrats, produced by comedy veterans Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller and Paul Provenza, showcases contemporary comics, who reminisce, reflect, and improvise on this old standard. As you might imagine, material considered inappropriate has changed considerably over the past several decades. The result is some extremely blue renditions.

There are two distinct styles represented. One is the male locker-room school of humor: a gross-out contest. The other employs a bit more creativity and finesse.

Among the many displaying their wanton wit are Whoopi Goldberg, George Carlin, Jon Stewart, Drew Carey, Steven Wright, Bill Maher, Eddie Izzard, Harry Shearer, Martin Mull, Hank Azaria, Paul Reiser, and Sarah Silverman.

View at your own discretion. n